If you’re a first-time parent and want to invest in a baby monitor for your infant, you might be overwhelmed to see how many choices are at your disposal. You might get confused about what type of monitor you’ll get. From audio monitors to a baby monitor with camera. Each device comes with its own benefits and features.
This baby monitor buying guide will walk you through the essential factors to consider when buying a baby monitor.
Types of Baby Monitors: Audio, Video, and Smart Monitors
There are 5 types of baby monitors you may choose from that are available on the market. Each type comes with its own benefits and features.
1. Audio Baby Monitors
An audio monitor is the basic type of monitor in the market. It lets you hear your baby even when you’re not in the same room. You will be alerted when your baby is crying or making noises. An audio minor has two separate units, the baby and the parent unit. The baby unit stays in the room with your baby, while the parent unit is the device you’ll be listening to. Most parent units can be plugged into the wall or powered by a battery.
Audio monitors allow you to hear if your baby is crying, asleep, or awake, and some modern audio monitors can measure your baby’s room temperature and show it on your parent unit. However, the range between the baby unit and the parent unit is often limited, which means you cannot be too far from your baby’s room, or you will lose connection.
2. Video Baby Monitors
While an audio monitor allows you to hear your baby from the other room, a video baby monitor lets you hear and see your baby at the same time. The baby unit has a camera that can be placed on a flat surface or mounted on a wall.
Even if your baby’s room is dark, you’ll be able to see them with the night vision feature. Some video baby monitors have additional features, such as two-way communication with your baby, zooming in and out of the camera to see different areas of your baby’s room.
3. WiFi-enabled Baby Monitors
WiFi baby monitors use a wireless connection to transmit signals between the baby unit and the parent unit. With a stable internet connection, you will be able to monitor your baby from anywhere.
Most WiFi baby monitors require you to use an app to remotely control the camera and watch the live feed on your device. These apps can also analyze your baby’s sleep activity with AI algorithms and detect your baby’s movements. However, this type of baby monitor cannot operate if you have internet connection issues or if you do not have WiFi in your home. WiFi monitors need an internet connection to work.
4. Movement Baby Monitors
Movement monitors use a pad that is placed under your baby’s mattress. The pad identifies their weight and can detect any changes in their movement. The alarm will sound when the sensor is not registering any movement, such as your baby breathing, for a certain period of time. There are modern pads that can detect movement throughout the cot, and not only where the pads are placed, which can reduce the occurrence of false alarms.
5. Baby Breathing Monitors
Baby breathing monitors track your baby’s respirations during sleep using either movement or their oxygen levels. It includes video and audio features, so you can watch and hear what’s going on with your baby from a monitor or a smartphone. You also get real-time alerts of any unusual activity.
Key Features to Consider: Battery Life, Range, and Signal Strength
There are various features and functions to consider when buying a baby monitor. Here are some:
- Battery life: Choose a baby monitor with a decent battery life. 6 hours or more is ideal for a baby monitor. If you always keep the video feed on, some parent units turn off after just three hours. It works for monitoring a nap, but is useless for a full night’s sleep.
The unit’s sensitivity and quality settings impact its battery life. If you use a smartphone app to monitor your baby, remember that it has to run continuously in the background.
- Signal range and strength: This feature is one of the most important to consider. The signal range is the distance between the baby and the parent unit. It is useless to buy a baby monitor if you have to stay within hearing distance of your baby’s room at all times.
Look for a baby monitor with a larger range. The thickness of your walls can also impact the signal; if your house has been solidly built, buying a monitor with lots of range would be the smartest thing to do.
- Two-way communication: With a two-way communication feature, you can talk to your baby, whether to soothe them back to sleep or sing a lullaby. Not only are you able to hear if your baby is crying, but this feature also allows you to communicate with your partner in the other room.
- Night vision: Your baby will sleep a lot, especially in their early days, and most of that will be throughout the night. With infrared technology, you can still see exactly what your baby is doing, even in the dark.
- Frequency: Consider getting a baby monitor with at least 900 MHz. At this level, interference is reduced, and the quality of your audio and video footage is clear and crisp.
- Screen size and quality: Many baby monitors today use displays similar to smartphones and other devices. Look for a baby monitor with a high-quality video resolution, so you can have nice color and high resolution. Some baby monitors have huge HD displays that allow you to see what’s going on in a clear view.
Watching your baby in a high-definition monitor is so much better than watching them on a distorted monitor with poor quality.
Safety and Security: Protecting Your Baby’s Privacy
Many monitors connect through apps or WiFi, making it easier to watch your baby from anywhere. However, these monitors can come with potential risks if the device is not secured properly.
Any type of baby monitor is prone to hacking, but a WiFi baby monitor is the easiest to hack into. Hackers can gain access to your WiFi router to control your baby monitor if you use a private home WiFi router to connect with your baby monitor. They can also access other internet-enabled devices connected to your WiFi network.
Baby monitors can be significantly helpful in monitoring your baby and detecting potential Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). However, the more features your baby monitor has, the higher the level of radiation your baby will be exposed to.
Every type of baby monitor uses a range of radio frequencies to transmit audio and video signals from the monitor to the receiver. Different models of baby monitors, including WiFi baby monitors, will emit different ranges of radio frequency, and some could cause potential health hazards for your baby.
Where to Put Your Baby Monitor for Optimal Monitoring
When you’ve decided what type of baby monitor you’re going to buy, baby monitor placement is the next thing you should think of. Baby monitor placement is crucial to ensure your child’s safety.
You should place your baby’s monitor at least 3 feet away from the baby so you can have a clear view of them, with the monitor able to tap sounds from your baby. Cords and cables should also be placed in safe positions to prevent the risk of children strangling themselves with them.
Here’s the recommended placement for your baby monitor:
- Mounting the baby monitor on the wall
- Installing your baby monitor on a shelf
- Placing your baby monitor on furniture
Avoid placing your baby monitor in the crib, near the crib, or on unbalanced surfaces. It is safer to keep the monitor a few feet away from your baby.
Top Brands and Models: Recommendations for Different Budgets and Needs
Baby monitors come in different functions and sizes. Here are some of the top brands and models of baby monitors you might consider when buying one.
- Nanit Pro: The Nanit Pro is a powerful Wi-Fi-based monitor. It can support your phone for high-quality pictures and has sleep insight features that can improve your baby’s sleep.
- Owlet Dream Sock + Cam 2: The Owlet Dream Sock and Cam is equipped with sound, video, sleep quality alerts, and predictive sleep technology. Although it is quite expensive, the device is FSA/HSA eligible if you have one of those.
- Eufy Spaceview: This monitor is cheaper compared to other devices on the market. It has great picture quality and a decent range.
- Lollipop Cam: The Lollipop Cam is somewhat inexpensive compared to its Wi-Fi monitor twin. It is easy to use and has an innovative ‘stem’ mounting base that works really well.
In Conclusion
Baby monitors are indeed an essential device to help you monitor your little one. Choosing the right baby monitor is about finding the perfect balance between features that suit your lifestyle and peace of mind.
With this baby monitor buying guide, you can compare your options and make an informed choice. Having the right monitor for your baby, you are confident that your little one is always safe and within reach.