Head-to-head

Nanny BM-03 vs Babysense 7

The short answer

Both are certified Class IIb under-mattress monitors with loud cot-side alarms and no Wi-Fi, so the core job is the same: an alarm if breathing movements stop for 20 seconds or slow right down.

The Nanny BM-03 is the more thoughtful device. It self-tests every time you switch it on, warns you if you've laid your baby down without switching it on, flags a room that's too warm or too cold, and tells you when the pad reaches the end of its life. The Babysense 7 is simpler, with no sensitivity adjustment, but it includes two pads as standard, covering the whole cot, and costs around £65 less.

My call: the BM-03 if you can stretch to it, because the Switch Guard alone protects against the most likely failure, which is a human one. If budget is tight, the Babysense 7 is a perfectly sound certified monitor, and its second pad helps once your baby starts moving around the cot.

Point by point

Measure	Nanny BM-03	Babysense 7
Tech Dad Score	8.1	7.8
Detection & false alarms	8.4	7.6
Medical certification	9.4	9.0
Set-up & everyday use	8.2	7.2
Alarm & parent alerts	6.4	5.8
Value & running costs	7.4	8.8
Typical price	£150	£85
Type	Under-mattress sensor pad with cot-side control unit	Two under-mattress sensor pads with cot-side unit
Alarms	No breath for 20 seconds (pre-alarm at 17), or under 8 breaths a minute	No movement for 20 seconds, or under 10 movements a minute
Certification	Class IIb medical device	Class IIb medical device
Power	2 x AA, usually lasting 4 to 12 months	4 x AA batteries

★ marks the stronger of the two. Scores are out of 10.

Read the full reviews

Nanny

Nanny BM-03

The most thoughtfully designed breathing monitor on sale, with Class IIb certification and clever safeguards.

8.1

Gold StarAround £150

Best for Parents who room-share and want the most capable certified under-mattress breathing monitor, with no Wi-Fi or camera.

Read the review Amazon

Babysense

Babysense 7

Two certified sensor pads for under £90: the cheapest sensible way into a proper breathing monitor.

7.8

Value StarAround £85

Best for Parents who room-share and want a certified, no-frills breathing monitor with full-cot coverage at a low price.

Read the review Amazon

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See every breathing and movement monitor I've scored