The Best Baby Monitor “What to Look For and The way to Select the Right One
As parents-to-be, we were engulfed by the amount of new stuff we needed to purchase and things we had to fret about. One item we knew we couldn’t exist without was a baby monitor and we knew we wanted a video baby monitor. If you’re expecting a kid and are doing research on whether or not you need a monitor and which one you can purchase, this article should help you pick the best baby monitor.
First, if you’re wondering whether or not to buy a monitor, I’ll make it clear that from my own personal experience, a baby monitor is probably the 1 item to help you sleep at night. When your newborn baby is in the crib for the 1st time, it is very reassuring to be able to hear baby breathing and if you’ve got a video baby monitor, the power to actually see your baby when you need, without going into the room and most likely waking her up, is huge. I read a lot of baby video monitor reviews and many parents agree on this point.
After you’ve decided you would like a monitor, the amount of decisions in the market is really overwhelming. There’s audio only , motion detectors, video baby monitors, options for digital vs. Analog, options for night lights, lullabies the list actually does go on. Here’s a list of things to keep under consideration when hunting for the best baby monitor:
At what frequency does the monitor broadcast? Similar to radio waves, wireless networks and cordless telephones, a baby monitor has to broadcast its signals (video and sound) at a certain frequency usually in MHz or GHz. Common frequencies are 900MHz or 2.4GHz. The no 1 complaint for any baby monitor is that it interferes with other wireless home devices like wireless phones, wireless PC networks, wireless gaming consoles and the like. Some monitors have multiple channels and can immediately find the best channel to send out on and avoid interference. We advocate you test any baby monitor right out of the box to establish if you’re going to have any interference.
Does the baby monitor broadcast a secure, personal signal? Some analog monitors transmit on the very same frequency so if your neighbor has purchased the same video baby monitor you have, they may be able to see inside your child’s crib and vice-versa. If privacy is necessary to you, make sure you purchase a monitor that broadcasts a safe signal.
Is the system expandable? Some baby monitors can expand to accommodate up to 4 cameras which is useful if your family is growing or you simply would like to observe more than one room.
What is the range of the monitor? Most monitors come with chargeable batteries (making it actually lightweight) and manufacturers claim that video and audio can be broadcast to the remote unit with ranges up to 300-500 feet. If you live in a 2 story house and the signal has to go thru many walls, expect this range to decrease.
What are the other features I should search for? Dependent on how much you want to spend, it’s easy to get a larger, colour screen, multiple cameras, 2-way audio (speak with baby), a temperature readout, motion detectors, the facility to play lullabies and night lights. It all depends on your budget and what features you’d like to have.
Jonah Smith writes baby monitor reviews for the site WeReviewBabyMonitors.com which provides resources for parents trying to find the best baby monitor.
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