The Briggs & Barrett Project, a non-profit organization in Norfolk, Nebraska, was born out of an unimaginable tragedy. Two mothers who lost their sons to SIDS/SUIDS while they were at daycare founded this project. Their mission is to prevent such devastating events from happening again by providing childcare facilities with Owlet Dream Socks.

These devices monitor an infant's heart rate and oxygen levels while they sleep, alerting caregivers if these vital signs fall outside of preset zones. Owlet not only meets the standards & regulations for the FDA but also meets the ASTM standards for Children's products and are NOT a choking hazard. Despite their potential life-saving capabilities, current regulations set by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) do not permit the use of Owlet Dream Socks in Nebraska Licensed Childcare Facilities & In-home daycares as of March 5th, 2024.

Questions we have for DHHS include:

• The Owlet Dream Sock is secured to the infant's foot and would alarm the caregiver if the Sock was detached from the foot. How is this different from a fabric sock or any other wearable soft item (Sleep Sack or Swaddle-which you currently approve of)? 
• The Owlet Dream Sock & Owlet Baby Sat are the only devices with this technology that have been cleared by the Federal Drug Administration. If the FDA has approved both devices, why is the state denying parents this at their childcare facilities?
• The parents are giving written consent for these devices being used at their childcare facilities, why would you deny them that peace of mind? 

We continue to have infant losses in childcare facilities and in home daycares in our state. If these infants would have been wearing an Owlet Dream Sock, there is a high possibility that the fatality could have been prevented.

We believe that allowing educated licensed professionals to utilize these devices with parental permission could potentially prevent sentinel events from occurring during infants' sleep time. This change would not only provide peace of mind for parents returning to work but also contribute significantly towards reducing instances of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sudden unexpected infant death (SUIDS), which claims the lives of approximately 3,500 infants annually in the United States alone according to CDC data. SIDS/SUIDS is the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States.

We urge DHHS to reconsider their regulations regarding this matter. It's time we put children's safety first and allow for innovative solutions like the Owlet Dream Sock into our childcare facilities. Please sign this petition and join us in our fight for safer sleeping environments for our children.