When Choosing a Baby Monitor ” What to Think About
When parents are unable to be in the same room as their little one, a baby monitor is a great way to make them feel at ease. At night time you can sleep more easily in a separate room, while at the same time you will still be aware of when your baby needs changing or fed. And during the day you are free to do things around the home without checking on baby every minute.
What we have to consider when thinking about purchasing a baby monitor are, among other things:
- how much do you wish to spend, which will then reflect on the available features
- the type of building you live in and where the child will be in relation to where you will be most of the time ” if you are far apart and the house has cement walls then strong transmission capabilities is a must have
- is video a desired requirement
What types of Monitor Are Available?
- Audio monitor: this type allows you to hear your baby from elsewhere in your property. The transmitter is set in the childs room and the receiver is taken with you. Depending on you choice of monitor you can get two receivers with some set ups.
- Audio and movement: this type has three parts: -the transmitter -a pad to place under the mattress to detect breathing and/or movement -a receiver
- Audio and video: this type ” in addition to some of the features already mentioned above - consists of a small camera that you can safely place near your baby and a small TV screen that you can take with you. Some of the higher end models even have infra red so you can see baby in the dark.
Important Considerations
- Power source: those transmitters and receivers that are battery operated allow for more mobility but they can use a lot of batteries. With this in mind its best to either have a monitor that can use a combination of both battery and a/c power supply or can use rechargeable batteries.
- A volume control: useful when you do not wish to hear every single sound that your baby makes all of the time anyhow.
- LED lighting on the receiver: if for some reason you are unable to hear the receiver (you could be doing the laundry, for example) then an LED lighting option on the receiver is a valuable addition.
- Multi-channel: allows you to find a receptive channel in your area with limited interference from other radio operated equipment such as mobile phones.
- Choice of frequency: very handy ability to choose from a variety of frequencies. This will mean there is less chance of static interference in the signal you receive. The basic baby monitor offers 49 MHz which will be at the cheaper end. Allowing for better options is the 900 MHz monitor and then even better at the top of the range is the 2.4 GHz option.
- Low battery indicator ” vitally important if using a battery operated monitor.
- Portability of the baby monitor kit: if you move around the house a lot then a small and portable receiver is important. Furthermore, if you travel often with your baby the ease of portability of the baby monitor kit will be a consideration for you.
- Two receiver option: good to have if you prefer to have one receiver left permanently in your bedroom for example, while the other one can be moved around the house as you need it.
