Smart New Baby Clothes Could Prevent SIDS

Are you one of those parents who has to keep checking if their sleeping baby is still breathing? Researchers in Germany may have a way for you to get some peace of mind. They’ve just unveiled a tiny romper that uses a printed, stretchable circuit board to monitor baby’s chest and tummy. The innovative technology could alert parents if their tot’s breathing stops or changes—a potential lifesaver, not to mention a sleep-(much)-easier solution for parents concerned about SIDS. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death in babies one month to one year old. The unexplained deaths, usually during sleep, can occur in otherwise healthy babies under a year old.  

Plus: Our Guide to SIDS

The circuit board on the romper prototype is made of polyurethane and contours to baby’s body for precise readings. Even better, the materials and procedures needed to make it on a large scale are commercially available, according to researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin. “The circuit board we have developed can be manufactured using routine industrial processes, meaning … good cost-efficiency,” explains scientist Manuel Seckel. 

The romper is the latest in a push for “smart” clothing to help parents keep better tabs baby, especially at night. U.S.-based Rest Devices, Inc., is developing the Peeko Infant Monitor, a cotton bodysuit that tracks breathing, skin temperature and body position, and sends real-time data and notifications to a parent’s smartphone or tablet.

Plus: AAP Says No Bumpers in Cribs

Sounds like something that might help parents sleep better at night—if only the baby would actually sleep through the night too.

Did you worry about SIDS? Would you purchase this smart suit? Leave a comment.