A mother has spoken out about the vital role her baby monitor played in saving her one-year-old son from a frightening medical emergency, urging other parents to trust their instincts.
The Terrifying Moment Caught on Camera
Brielle Mahoney was recording a light-hearted parenting video with her husband, Michael, for Instagram when she heard unusual sounds coming from the baby monitor. She was in another room doing laundry at the time. The noises were coming from their infant son, Roman.
"It sounded like he was struggling; my stomach instantly dropped," Brielle later told Newsweek. She immediately checked the video feed, saw her son in distress, and sprinted to his bedroom. The clip of her reaction has since been viewed more than 21 million times.
A Swift Response to a Hidden Danger
Thankfully, Brielle was able to reach Roman quickly and provide help. She clarified that her son was having an allergic reaction to eggs. "He’s ok, and I’m grateful it wasn’t anything worse then it was. Still so scary though," she said.
The experience has left Brielle feeling constantly vigilant. "I can never switch off," she admitted, describing herself as "glued to the baby monitor." She acknowledged that mothers sometimes feel judged for being overly anxious but defended this caution as a natural part of protecting their children.
"Ultimately, I’m grateful I am glued to the monitor because it allowed me to get to my baby quickly and help him," she stated.
A Wave of Support and Shared Stories
Brielle's decision to share the video on January 11, 2026, was to reassure other parents. "The reason I felt compelled to share is simple: to shed light on what mums go through and to remind other parents that they aren’t overreacting," she explained.
Her post prompted an outpouring of sympathy and similar stories from other Instagram users:
- One parent commented: "This is how I saved my daughter from suffocating herself... She couldn’t even cry or make a sound."
- Another wrote: "Baby monitor was a huge reason my oldest survived her first couple of years with non-stop food allergies."
- A third advocated constant vigilance: "With babies we cannot assume they are just sleeping. Anything can happen within seconds."
Brielle's message is one of solidarity, aiming to remove any shame associated with parental anxiety. She wants other mothers and fathers to know that being alert and responsive, even if it seems excessive, is a powerful act of love that can make all the difference.
