Nowadays, baby monitors are very reliable, high tech, portable, and best of all – come with many features starting from breathing sensors, lullabies, temperature sensors, to smartphone apps, and more. This guide will explore the essential things you need to know about baby monitors, as well as some of the top brands you can find on the market.
Parenthood is exciting, but also a very stressful period for parents. First-time parents have a lot to learn about the patterns and habits of their baby. Having a baby brings constant worrying whether their newborn is in a safe environment. With the Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) being a big concern for parents, many want to make sure their babies are still breathing or comfortable in their position. Because of that, they start thinking about getting a baby sleep monitor to keep track of how their baby is sleeping, if it wakes up suddenly or not, needs a feed, etc.
Nowadays, baby monitors are very reliable, high tech, portable, and best of all – come with many features starting from breathing sensors, lullabies, temperature sensors, to smartphone apps, and more. This guide will explore the essential things you need to know about baby monitors, as well as some of the top brands you can find on the market.
Since your baby will need a lot of attention, but it’s not possible for you to be in the room every hour of every day, buying a baby monitor will take care of that. The wide range of choices is great but at the same time can be overwhelming for parents. Many monitors that you can find on the market promise to keep your mind at peace while your baby is sleeping safe and sound. They come in different sizes, design, and colors and can fit any room design. We’ve reviewed baby monitors and made a list of the best models you can find. Take a look!
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Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor is an Amazon product that uses a wireless camera that allows parents to stream the infrared recordings. The bulky 3.5” LED display has features that allow you to tilt, pan and zoom the recording to get a better and wider view. The foot scope can reach up to 700, which is great for a smaller family. Additionally, the talking function can be experienced in two ways – the parent can hear their baby, and the baby can hear them from another room.
This monitor also has the best video quality that allows you to see your baby’s breathing when you zoom in on the display. Not to mention that you can switch various camera lenses on it, to get the optimal view of your infant. The battery usually lasts for 10 hours, but it can reach 12 hours with audio mode.
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With many monitors available on the market, you need to look for the most convenient one. The Nanit Sleep System differs from others with its smartphone options that will update you about the baby’s movements through notifications on your smartphone. It functions as both an app with baby sleep tracking and as a high-tech baby monitor.
Since the stream of the camera goes through the internet, the monitor does not have a range limit – you can watch your baby from anywhere, even if you are not home. The multi-user options, the number of people who can look at the data at the same time is not defined, so parents and caregivers can all access from anywhere. With the advanced analytics, the baby monitor can also track the baby’s sleep habits and tell you how many minutes your newborn needs before falling asleep or how long he or she sleeps. It will also track how many times you visited the baby in its room.
The Nanit Smart Baby Monitor is excellent for those who want a better and unobstructed view of their baby. It is wall mounted and directly placed over the bed so it will not harm your newborn, as exposure to power cables could do. The product’s service has a one-year trial. After that, 30 days of storage will cost 100$, and unlimited storage will cost you 300$ for one year.
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The VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor is designed to look like a walkie talkie. It is the best audio-only baby monitor with a very affordable price of 50$ for a single or tow receiver unit. The device is exceptionally easy to use. Because of the DECT technology, it has clear audio that is free of static or any interference. It also has an entirely private connection without interruptions. When fully charged, the monitor has an 18-hour battery life with rechargeable batteries.
The Intercom options enable a two-way talk functionality, which means parents can both hear and talk to the baby. You can go up to one thousand feet from the receiver and still have an excellent connection to the stream. The light indicators on the monitor show the level of noise that comes from the baby’s room, so you will still know what is going on when the volume is low. Additionally, there is an option for vibrate-only alerts.
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The Babysense Video Baby Monitor is the best dual camera you can find. Instead of the internet, it uses 2.4GHz FHSS technology, which means you will not have to worry if the internet goes down. Because it has two high-quality cameras, you can watch your baby from different angles of the room or even place the cameras into separate rooms if you want. For those who need more cameras, sadly the system only works with a maximum of two. Both have night vision and color video, and they are available separately for purchase.
The range reaches 900 feet, which means that you can watch your baby from other rooms. You also have the two-way talking function that allows you to both listen and talk to your baby through the monitor. The receiver comes with a stand that you can set up next to you. It also has an eco power-saving mode that darkens the screen, but keeps the audio and wakes the screen if there is an abnormal sound that might require your attention. This pragmatic feature saves power while still making sure you are aware if something happens.
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The Cocoon Cam Plus is the best breathing monitor with a high-definition video and smartphone option. It does not require any power cords or many wires, because it is wall-mounted and streams the video through the internet. The captured audio and video have both daytime and night recording.
The feed contains an analysis of your baby’s patterns of sleep and breathing. Every time your baby cries, wakes up, falls asleep or does something else, you will get a notification on your phone. The camera also watches your baby’s chest for abnormalities during sleep. If it detects something, it will immediately alert you through your phone, which is extremely helpful for SIDS, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics is against relying on monitors for these situations.
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This baby monitor is probably the cutest one you can find, with many designs to choose from – kitten, puppy, or bunny. The NETGEAR Arlo Baby Monitor is the best video quality baby monitor. It uses an internet connection to livestream the video on your phone through an app. Since it uses the internet, there is no need to have a receiver – your phone can be one instead, and you can go anywhere and still have access to the footage through the app. As long as the phone is turned on, the stream is available no matter where you go. The data – video and audio recordings, are saved to the Cloud where they will stay for seven days for you to download them. Additionally, it also has app-enabled notifications that will let you know about your baby’s movements – when it cries or moves.
The video has a 1080-pixel HD quality for both daytime and night watching. It can also zoom in up to 8 times closer. Apart from the video features, it has a two-way talking option that lets you both hear and talk to the baby. The monitor is voice-activated and can be integrated with other devices – Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or any other. It also has a nightlight, air sensors, white noise player, temperature sensors, and lullaby player. With the rechargeable battery and internet use, it has no wires, making it very safe for everyone. It is available at a higher price with additional purchases like a wall mount or a separate floor stand.
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The Willcare Newborn Baby Monitor with Night Vision Camera is the best value baby monitor you can find on the market. It has many features – an adjustable camera, night vision, temperature monitoring, music player with 4 lullabies, and a two-way talking option. The device also comes with a wall mount for those who want a cordless option.
The screen is 3.5” LCD with high-quality and constant footage of the baby. It also has a voice-activated feature that turns on the eco-mode – video is turned off, but the audio is on. This mode reduces battery consumption, and it can also be turned on automatically.
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Since there are a lot of baby monitors to choose from, it can be hard to find the best one. After seeing our top picks, you might be wondering what to look for in a monitor – what both you and your baby need. The choice depends on your personal preferences, the features that are important for your life and parenting. To help you, we’ve put together this guide.
There are only two main types you can find – audio-only or audio with video. However, there are also different types of transmission: analog monitors, digital monitors, and Wi-Fi-enabled monitor. Analog monitors are usually the least expensive because they transmit the frequency directly to the receiver. Since anyone with the same frequency can listen-in, a safer option would be digital monitors that encode the signal. The Wi-Fi-enabled monitors use your wireless network for the signal, streaming the video directly to your phone without a physical receiver.
Baby monitors have multiple features to choose from, but it can be overwhelming and difficult to choose a model that will best suit you.
Baby monitors usually have a physical receiver unit. Audio receivers have options for you to mute or adjust the volume of the sound. Some models have light indicators that will replace your audio when muted and alert you if something abnormal is happening. Video receivers give you full-color video screens that have adjustable volume and brightness. With these, it is essential to look at the size of the screen and resolution. Many video receivers also have night vision that you can use to watch your baby in dark rooms.
A range of the baby monitors is the distance you can have between the transmitter and receiver. Analog and digital monitors have a limited range, while Wi-Fi-enabled monitors let you watch the stream from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection.
Most baby monitors will plug directly into the wall, but there are those that will have batteries. Because of this, many people complain about the short battery life that requires either constant recharging or battery replacement. Some models even have a replacement battery that will let you use the device in case of a power outage or when you can’t recharge it.
Some models have a power-saving mode. It is most common for video receivers, and the mode typically includes turning off the video and switching to audio-only mode to save power.
Some monitors with cameras are stationary, while others are manually pointed at the baby’s crib. Versatile models have options to zoom, tilt or pan remotely.
Basic monitors will let you know if the baby makes a sound, but many may want to have perfect and clear audio and video. What is important is that you can see your baby’s face clearly, so you might want to get a device with higher resolution and night vision.
Some baby monitors will let you both listen and talk to your baby. You will be able to speak into the receiver, and the transmitter that is in the baby’s room will let the baby hear your voice. The transmitters can also have white noise, relaxing lullabies or nature sounds (like sounds of oceans, and rain) that are turned on remotely.
There are baby monitors that will let you monitor the temperature of your baby’s room. The ideal temperature for babies is between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some models have a nightlight that will make it easier for you to walk into the room and check on your baby during the night.
The Wi-Fi-enabled monitors can also have detailed analytics that collects and share data about the sleep patterns of your infant.
The security of babies is the biggest concern of every parent, and many use baby sleep monitors to protect and keep them safe from any means of harm. These monitors are very helpful at watching the baby but they can also help parents continue their works and dedicate themselves to other responsibilities while being sure that their baby is safe and sound. However, even though baby monitors offer a range of advantages, they also have some drawbacks. If you are considering whether to buy and install baby sleep monitor or not, here is a list of advantages and disadvantages that might help you make a decision.
Advantages:
The monitors help parents sleep longer and better without worrying about their baby. For families that already have children, baby sleep monitors will let the parents dedicate to other children while monitoring their baby’s situation at the same time.
With the monitor, parents won’t constantly have to worry about their child, especially with the Wi-Fi-enabled monitors that let you see what your baby is doing wherever you are.
Parents that cannot be at home, usually hire nannies to watch their young ones. However, many still worry about their child, if the baby is in good hands and if the nanny is doing a good job. For these situations, baby sleep monitors can function as additional protection that helps you be sure the hired nanny is doing their job properly.
Disadvantages:
Purchasing and installing baby sleep monitors can be quite costly, depending on the type and brand. Some parents would rely on a cheap baby sleep monitor without considering the features and its functionality. If you want to have active monitoring of your babies, you need to consider spending a significant amount of money.
Maintaining the quality of the baby sleep monitor is essential. If you wish to use the monitor, it always needs to work 100% to ensure your baby is safe. However, this can mean spending more money.
Protection and security is no joke for parents, so the monitor needs to work perfectly at all times. Baby sleep monitors guarantee full monitoring, but this device can sometimes have false alarms. If flawed, the device can send you false information, so you might want to consider monitors with trials and warranties that will keep you covered in these situations.
The safety precautions below will help you maintain protection and prevent any harm or damages.
Here are a few recommendations to consider:
Michael is a professional writer based in Boston and someone who has always been fascinated with the mysteries of sleep. When he’s not reading about new sleep studies and working on our news section, you can find him playing video games or visiting local comic book stores.
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