As mothers, we always want to keep an eye on our babies at all times, but this implies taking them with us wherever we go and being with them at all times even while they are asleep in their crib.
With a baby monitor, it doesn’t have to be as stressful as it seems after all mothers most especially deserve a rest. It is a device which consists of two components, a transmitter component that records audio and or visuals of your baby in their crib and transmits them to a receiver component which stays on you the parent or other caregiver, thereby allowing you to keep an eye on your baby while they sleep or nap in their crib without you being there physically.
Traditional baby monitors were equipped with only a microphone which only allows you to listen to what is going on in your baby’s room, but over the years, baby monitors have evolved. Modern-day baby monitors are equipped with a baby cam which gives visuals of what is going on in your baby’s crib, some are WIFI or Bluetooth enabled which links them to a dedicated application on your smartphone, others have infrared LEDs which allows you to see in the dark for nighttime monitoring.
The high-tech ones have motion sensors and other sensors that measure the vitals of your baby such as their temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and so on. Even the regular audio monitors now use new DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology, which has a range of up to 300metres and makes them immune to interference. All of this to keep your mind at ease, knowing that your baby is safe and secure while you do other things around the house or even take a nap yourself.
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Benefits of Baby Monitors
There are several benefits to be derived from using a baby monitor. Some of them include:
1. Safety
Baby monitors allow you to constantly keep an eye on your baby to make sure they are safe and secure. Some have motion sensors that detect abnormal movements or absence of movements in the baby and sounds an alarm to notify the parents. Others have sensors that measure the temperature, blood pressure, breath rate, and other vitals of your baby, all in a bid to ensure the safety of your baby.
2. Breaks for parents
Watching over your baby 24/7 can be exhausting. A baby monitor allows you time to sleep, refresh, and catch up on other activities while monitoring your baby.
3. Track sleep patterns
Baby monitors allow you to effectively track the sleeping patterns of your baby to know when they are getting quality sleep or just tossing restlessly in their crib and also to note the duration of sleep
4. Priceless moments
With a baby monitor, seeing what your child does throughout a day seems very possible. Some even store video footage or upload them to a cloud for later viewing, which allows you to see priceless and cute little moments that you would otherwise have missed.
Types of Baby Monitors
Audio monitors
This type of monitor is equipped with only a microphone that allows you to listen to, but not see what is going on in your baby’s crib. Modern audio monitors provide two-way communication, which allows you to speak back to your baby, while others allow lullabies to be played for your baby. They use the new digital enhanced cordless telecommunications technology, which increases their range and makes them resistant to interference.
Video and audio monitors
These monitors have a baby cam included with the microphone and allow you to see and hear what is going on in your baby’s crib. Some have infrared LEDs for nighttime visibility and a color display screen on your end to check up on your baby.
Wireless network monitors
Wireless network monitors use existing internet networks in your house to link to a dedicated application on your smartphone or computer, thereby allowing you to use your smartphone as the monitor on which you see and listen to your baby. Some have cloud storage capabilities hat stores footage of your baby over time.
Digital and analog monitors
Analog monitors send signals in unencrypted form to the receiver; therefore, their signals can be easily picked up by any random receiver or even baby monitors used by neighbors, which can cause a lot of hassle. Digital monitors, on the other hand, encrypt their signals before sending them making them less prone to interception.
Baby Monitor Buying Guide: Must Have Features
Finding the right baby monitor could be a bit of a drag, therefore this guide has been carefully put together to highlight essential features to be considered in selecting that perfect baby monitor for you and your baby.
- Price: Your budget goes a long way to determine which baby monitor you end up buying. Keep in mind that the more expensive ones will come with several high-end technologies to ensure the safety of your baby. Video monitors are also more expensive than audio monitors
- Range: The range of the monitor is another important factor to look out for. The idea is that the higher the range of the monitor, the farther you are allowed to step away from your baby while keeping an eye on them. People with big houses should look for long-range monitors that can keep up with the size of the house.
- Rechargeable battery: Monitors with rechargeable batteries are great because you do not have to worry about the power supply. Video and audio monitors understandably consume more power than strictly audio monitors. Some video monitors have a VOX feature that allows them to switch to audio-only and save power.
- Camera: The camera quality is another important feature to consider when buying a baby monitor. You would want to opt for a camera that gives very clear images of your baby and also has good night vision. Zoom abilities, degree of pan and tilt are also bonuses to look out for in a camera.
- Alerts and sensors: Sensors are another feature to look out for in monitors. Some monitors have various sensors that measure temperature, humidity, movement, and even vitals of your children and alert you when there is an anomaly.
- Security: Lastly, various monitors are susceptible to hacking by malicious people. Security of your monitor should be a priority as there have been reports of people hearing pornography and other inappropriate things on the audio of their monitor after it was hacked. Monitors with some level of encryption or audio monitors using DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) are quite difficult to hack and should be considered.
Best Baby Monitors: Top Picks
1. Best Overall Baby Monitor: Nanit Plus Review
The Nanit baby monitor is our pick for the best overall baby monitor, and we are sure this does not come as a surprise. It has a 980-pixel HD camera that gives you a crystal-clear overhead view of your baby in their crib. Another great advantage of this monitor is that it is not limited by distance as there is an HD live stream access available wherever you are. Other features of this monitor include a two-way audio system that allows you to hear and also speak to your baby, background audio that allows you to hear your baby while using other applications or even when your screen is turned off, smart sensors to measure the temperature and humidity of your baby’s crib, and a 256-bit encryption and 2-factor authentication for optimum security. In addition to these, there is a feature called Nanit insights which gives you your baby’s sleep statistics very morning to allow you to monitor sleeping patterns and note any changes quickly so adjustments can be made if necessary. You can check out this monitor here.
Pros
- 256-bit encryption and 2-factor authentication make it very safe.
Cons
- It is quite expensive compared to other monitors.
Customer sentiments
This product was lauded as arguably the best investment in baby monitors by many parents. Though it is relatively expensive, they all felt it is worth the price.
2. Best WIFI Baby Monitor: Ibaby M6 Review
The Ibaby m6 features a stunning 1080p HD camera with night vision that can swivel, tilt 110 degrees and pan 360 degrees for a wide viewing area and angle. The camera also allows you to record high-quality videos and take pictures of cute moments of your baby. In addition to temperature and humidity sensors, it has air sensors to keep track of the air quality in your baby’s room. Thanks to its two-way wireless talk system, you can listen to and also talk to your baby from anywhere, echo cancelation ensures audio quality is clear and top-notch. Do you have difficulties putting your baby to sleep? The smart nursery feature of this monitor is designed for you. It allows you to play thousands of lullabies and bedtime stories to pacify and put your baby to sleep. PIR motion sensors designed to identify potential risks are also included and they set off instant alerts whenever an anomaly is detected. You can check out this monitor here.
Pros
- It measures the quality of air in your baby’s room in addition to temperature and humidity.
- The echo cancelation enhances audio quality.
- It is very easy to setup.
Cons
- It is easy to hack compared to other similar monitors.
Customer sentiments
A lot of customers had positive things to say about this monitor ranging from its very clear day and night time vision to great audio quality, but there were several complaints of poor connectivity even with a strong WIFI connection.
3. Best Audio Baby Monitor: Vtech Audio Review
When in search of strictly audio monitors, the Vtech audio monitor is undoubtedly one of the best available in the market. It uses the new digital enhanced cordless telecommunications technology to deliver crystal clear sound that is free from any interference. It uses rechargeable batteries that give up to 18 hours of monitoring time with a single charge. Other pertinent features of this monitor include a range of up to 1000feet very suitable for big houses, 5 level sound indicator ha allows you to monitor the noise level in your baby’s room, a two-way talkback intercom system that allows your baby to hear your voice as you listen to theirs. A sound alert on the parent unit also alerts them when the baby unit is out of range or when the battery is low. You can check out this monitor here.
Pros
- It is very cheap.
- It has a long-range.
Cons
- It is a strictly audio monitor; thus, you can only hear but not see your baby. This might not be satisfying enough for many parents.
Customer sentiments
It is a strictly audio monitor; thus, you can only hear, but not see your baby. This might not be satisfying enough for many parents.
4. Best Video Baby Monitor: Casa Cam Review
The Casa cam video baby monitor is one of the most flexible baby monitors available in the market with multiple installation options. It includes an HD camera that can pan 360 degrees and tilt 150 degrees for a wide viewing angle and allows digital zoom for a closer look. The entire system is expandable to up to 4 cameras which can be placed at different angles to give you several satisfying views of your child. Other features of this monitor include automatic night lights and a night vision to allow you keep an eye on your baby in the night, a two-way audio system to allow you speak to your baby as sometimes all your baby need is to hear your voice, built-in rechargeable lithium batteries to supply backup power and ensure you never miss a moment with your baby, and in-built temperature sensors to ensure the temperature in your baby’s room is optimum for their comfort. The system also functions without a need for WIFI or mobile applications and is therefore very secure. You can check out this monitor here.
Pros
- Works without a WIFI connection and is therefore quite secure.
Cons
- There is no possibility of live streaming and seeing your baby if you’re at a distant location and this could be a deal-breaker for some parents.
Customer sentiments
This monitor was tagged as amazing in several reviews and it would be difficult to get any negative reviews on this monitor.
5. Best Secure Baby Monitor: Nest Cam Review
When you are after maximum security for you and your baby, the nest cam indoor security camera is your ultimate choice. It includes a 1080p HD camera that delivers crystal clear pictures of your baby. Also, an endless number of camera units can be included to monitor every nook and cranny of your house. It uses WIFI to deliver the live feeds to your smartphone and has several levels of encryption not seen in other baby monitors. It also features a two-way audio system and incredible night vision to make monitoring at night easy. Temperature sensors are also included to monitor the temperature of your baby’s room. You can check out this monitor here.
Pros
- It is one of the most secure monitors in the market.
Cons
- It requires a subscription to access your video history and other important features.
Customer sentiments
A lot of customers were very satisfied with the performance of this monitor, and it was lauded for its activity alerts which notify you when the camera detects noise or movement, but there were several complaints about the monthly subscription without which you will receive numerous false activity alerts.
FAQs on Baby Monitors
Is the wireless monitor safe for my baby?
As we all know, every wireless device emits some amount of radiation ranging from our cellphones to our radios, but the radiation emitted by wireless baby monitored have been classified by experts as very safe. However, there is no harm in being cautious. You could ensure that the monitor is installed as far away from your baby as possible, and also switch it off when it is not in use to minimize your baby’s exposure.
How long do I use a monitor for my baby?
There is no time limit for when you can use a monitor for your baby, some parents might need to monitor their children well into two years of age, but experts suggest that you stop using a monitor as soon as your baby is old enough to know they are being watched through the camera. At this age, they would have developed some level of skill and independence.
Baby Monitor Product Reviews
Their are a ton of products in the market. Our experts performed analys and reviews on baby monitors that you can buy online. Check out the reviews below:
Verdict
This article has compiled together some of the very best baby monitors available to make your choice of a baby monitor a very easy one. It has also listed several factors and features to look out for when buying a monitor. Based on these factors, the Nanit plus baby monitor is our pick for the best overall baby monitor. With a stunning 980P HD camera to deliver high-quality images, and videos, great flexibility which allows it to be installed anywhere you see fit, two-way audio system, smart sensors, and other amazing features, it is a great investment in baby gears, one without future regrets. Other monitors on this list, of course, are also top-of-the-range, and we are quite certain you would derive a great deal of satisfaction from whichever one you end up settling for.