Why You Should Buy A Baby Monitor

If you’re like me, a mother who knows that a baby monitor isn't completely necessary but who simply couldn't live without one, then you will most likely be looking to carry out a bit of research in regards which ones would be best suited for you and your needs. All of us will naturally have different needs when it comes to making sure that our baby is doing okay in another room; some will be satisfied by mere sounds, while others won’t be able to rest unless they can see their child on a camera.

Baby monitors are first and foremost something that reassures any parent, and if you don’t have one it is normal to feel on edge, tense, and slightly worried. They are one of those fantastically useful, if not wholly compulsory accessories that give us peace mind, allowing us to focus on our task at hand, knowing that our baby is safe and sound. If you’re watching the television, or if you are playing music, you might not be able to hear your baby without a monitor. And whilst they are often on the shopping lists of most parents, not all of us are clued-up on the latest happenings in the baby monitor world. So here’s a brief look.

Tips On What To Look For

Which monitor you choose will come down to a few considerations. You have to firstly look at your budget:

The type you choose will also be dependent on how many children you have. If you have more than two, you might want to look at purchasing a video monitor with split screen capabilities so that you can keep an eye on each of your babies at the same time, particularly if they sleep in different rooms. Moreover, if you’re to be spending a lot of time at work while your spouse stays at home, you will want to look into purchasing a monitor with built-in WiFi so that you can take a peek at your child when you work.

When you’re on the hunt for the ideal baby monitor, there are three types you can choose from:

Audio Monitors

Audio monitors are limited to just sound; you can’t see your child, but this is still ideal for parents who are working on a budget. Audio monitors with motion sensor pads are slightly more expensive, but they come with an alarm that is triggered if your baby hasn't moved for a period of time. Your heart may skip a beat when the alarm sounds, and it is easy to rush to their aid in a panic, but more often than not it will turn out to be a false alarm. But it’s great to have that kind of safety net.

The market for baby monitors has, as you might expect, evolved in parallel with all the many improvements in technology we have seen. In previous years, parents wouldn’t have had much to choose from; an audio monitor, which consists of a transmitter and a receiver, was about the length and breadth of it.

But these simple yet highly effective two-unit devices still exist today, and a number of parents continue to swear by them, which proves their worth and use. They have, however, been markedly improved and tweaked as the years have gone by, and a particular mention has to go to The First Years Crisp And Clear Analog Audio Monitor 2 Parent Unit, which comes with a sound light indicator that allows you to easily keep track of your baby’s activity level. This is the kind of neat innovation that deserves plaudits, and this kind of monitor - which we refer to as an Audio Monitor - is hugely inexpensive yet does exactly what is needed. It is heartwarming to hear the sound of your baby, particularly as you dust or potter around the house. Even if you can’t see them, just the gentle sounds can be enough to life your spirits.

Video Monitors

Owing to the advent of video technology, baby monitors don’t just allow us to hear our children these days - they allow us to see them too. Products such as Multi View Digital Color Video Monitor Set are more high-end than simple audio devices, and therefore more costly, but they are perfect for those of us who need to be able to see how our child is doing. And because they come with night vision, you are able to check in on your little mite any time of the day. Moreover, the capabilities of these products are such that you can also view up to 4 rooms at any one time - on the same screen. This is ideal for parents who have more than one child; it saves you time - and money - than investing in a few separate audio monitors for each child.

A great thing about video monitors is that they’re beginning to incorporate WiFi, such as the Baby Touch WIFI Video Monitor & Internet Viewing System. The benefits are remarkable. If you or your spouse is out of the house for the day, you can remotely monitor your child on a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop. This is also ideal for any grandparents who want to add a little joy to their day by taking a look at their little one, and you can also add privacy settings to restrict remote access from other users.

Additional features of a video monitor also include the ability to record short movies and a two-way communication, meaning that you can sing and talk to your child, comforting them when they are restless. This not only encourages communication and interaction from an early age, but it also means that you are able to combine your chores with "spending time" with your child.

Although video monitors are more experience than audio monitors, their pros far outweigh their cons. They offer you greater peace of mind, more security and their features are becoming more and more precise and imaginative as companies become more inventive with their products. For example, a lot of video monitors now offer you the chance to zoom closer to your sleeping baby to make absolutely sure they’re safe and sound. Not all products are as expensive as each other; for example, the Wide View Digital Colour Video Monitor comes in at under $150 and offers digital zoom as well as two-way communication.

With this in mind, audio monitors are still able to do a grand job, and they’re being continually refined while remaining on the cheaper side. The key thing to remember is that it’s worth checking out review sites and shopping around to make sure that you get the right one that is suited to your needs. It’s also recommended to buy audio monitors which use batteries as opposed to plugs to save from any untimely cuts in power.

The main thing to remember is that a baby monitor is meant to give you peace of mind; so, before you buy, always ask yourself; will this rid me of my anxieties?