Mimo Onesie: Smart Baby Shower Gift Of The Year

Last updated: October 19, 2016

Checking in on your baby by peeping inside her nursery is so last generation. These days, you can get your baby connected to today's high-tech world, all while she's napping in a soft onesie. How? Enter the Mimo Smart Baby Monitor, a device and onesie kit that connects to an app on your smartphone (iOS and Android) to keep conscientious parents in the loop as to how your baby is doing any moment of the day. The bonus? You can be in another room or even out of the house and still keep tabs on your baby.

The Mimo Smart Baby Monitor gives parents up-to-the-moment detail on baby's sleep, breathing patterns, body temperature, and body position. You can either tune into the app to check in, or sign up to be sent notifications when there is any change in your baby's body or movements. All this monitoring is captured thanks to a Bluetooth sensor they call the “turtle" which snaps onto the outside of the onesie, or “kimono". (And yes, the device is green and has a turtle shape.)

The Mimo kimonos come in sizes for babies 0-12 months and are made of 100% soft, machine-washable cotton. The turtle is on the outside of the fabric — meant to not bother a baby while she's at rest. Priced at $199.99, the Mimo Smart Baby Monitor Starter Kit comes with three kimonos, one turtle sensor, a Wi-Fi and charging base station, USB cord and wall adapter, plus an audio cable. And Mimo now works with Nest products including the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Cam. (See our review here.)

The turtle comes with some side-issues. (What baby product doesn't?) With a hard, plastic device attached to the onesie, tummy time is definitely an issue — although most parents will likely snap the plastic turtle off when a baby isn't heading down for a nap. Set-up is not a breeze either. The company provides fairly detailed instructions. But the Mimo is not plug in play.

Still, many parents will likely welcome a chance to monitor their baby directly — and not through a device several feet away. Sure, new parents get inundated with all the baby gear out there today. But one that actually reads a baby's vital signs? Might be the winning baby shower gift of the year.

If looking for holiday gift ideas for your little one or someone's baby, check out Baby and Infant Smart Gear Gifts for the 2016 Holiday Season.