AC115: False alarms

Firstly, we want to reassure you that if you are hearing the Alarm from your monitor it indicates that your monitor is working as it should - the Nursery Unit is not receiving any signals from the Sensor Pad to indicate movement is detected so the monitor is alarming.

It is therefore set to alert you once it does not detect your baby`s movement on the surface of their mattress for 20 seconds.

Young babies do have different sleeping/movement patterns compared to adults when sleeping, this is normal.

As baby grows, becomes more mobile in the crib coupled with extra layers, wet nappy, lying on their sides, hunches and in a favourite corner of the crib - these can make it harder for the pad to detect baby's movements.

In such instances the sensitivity may need adjusting to allow for this as, the Sensor Pad can detect movement over the whole of the surface of your baby’s mattress, from corner to corner if it is at the correct level. Additionally it may be that the sensitivity has accidentally been changed ion the Nursery Unit, this can happen. 

Therefore, we firstly need to establish why this is occurring, whether your Sensor Pad is at the correct level for your baby`s mattress so can you please carry out the “Four Corner Test”, please see below for information on how to do this:

Four Corner Test

Your baby must NOT be in the crib during this test.

Firstly, please check the level that the sensitivity is set to, this is done by following these steps:

• On the back of the Nursery Unit set the sensitivity level to the middle option (level 2)
• Switch the Nursery and Parent Unit ON 

Now, with the Sensor Pad placed in the middle of the crib underneath the mattress:

• *Gently place your hand in the furthest corner of the mattress & and wait for 20 seconds
• If the movement alarm (series of loud continuous beeps from the Parent & Nursery Unit) does not sound carry this out on the remaining corners
• Remove your hand from the mattress and step away from the crib. The Sensor Pad is sensitive enough to detect your movement if you are touching the crib 
  **Due to the lack of movement, after 20 seconds the movement alarm (series of loud continuous beeps) will sound from the Parent & Nursery Unit 
• Step back to the crib and place your hand gently on the mattress, after a few seconds the alarm will cease as the Sensor Pad has detected your movement

*If the alarm sounds when you place your hand in any of the corners please adjust the sensitivity by turning it up to level 3 and repeat the Four Corner Test again

**If however the monitor does not alarm when you step away from the crib reduce the sensitivity down to level 1 and repeat the Four Corner Test, keep adjusting this until the alarm sounds ensuring that movement is still detected in all four corners.

If the information above does not resolve your query to rule out other factors that may be causing this:

• Is your baby asleep when you go in to check

If yes, this would indicate that your baby is in a deep sleep as the alarm has not woken baby

• When you check on your baby does the alarm continue or does it cease on its own

If the alarm ceases on its own this will be because the alarm has re-established your baby’s sleeping pattern

If the alarm does not cease on its own please let us know

• Does the alarm only happen at night

If yes this is because you baby, as with adults can go into a deeper sleep at night rather that when they nap during the day

• Is there a particular time that this is happening

Baby’s have sleeping patterns when they go in to deep sleeps and because of this the alarm can go off at certain times in the night

• Are you using additional sleep aids such a Sleepyhead, Cocoonababy etc 

We do not recommend the use of the Sleepyhead with the Angelcare Movement Monitor, as this could mask the movement of baby. We have had parents contact us with this issue when using the combined products 

• What type of mattress are you using

We know that the Sensor Pad will work effectively with a standard hypoallergenic, spring, coir (and spring/coir combined) mattress as these allow your baby’s movements to be transferred down on to the pad.

We also know that the Sensor Pad will NOT work with a Hollow Framed, Dual Sided, Memory Foam Mattress;

A Hollow Framed Mattress is mainly a US product, it is basically a number of poles that are fitted together with a tight cover fitted over this. As a result of their being nothing actually inside the mattress (hollow) no movement is transferred down to the Sensor Pad. As a result the monitor may false alarm indicating that baby`s movements are not being detected by the Sensor Pad.

A full Memory Foam or Dual sided Memory Foam Mattress masks the movement of your baby on the surface of the mattress due to the density of the foam and baby`s movements do not transfer down to the Sensor Pad. As a result the monitor may false alarm indicating that baby`s movement is not being detected by the Sensor Pad