Baby Monitors

They allow you to get a good night’s sleep in a separate room, yet still be aware when your baby awakens and needs to be changed or fed. The same benefits hold true during the day – a monitor gives you the freedom to get chores accomplished, or catch a catnap yourself, while your baby sleeps.

There are multiple types of baby monitors. The one you’ll need depends upon the location of your baby’s room in relation to the room(s) you’ll be in, the type of building you live in, and how many extras you want. Styles run the gamut – from pricier models with audio/video features, to simple low-frequency (49 megahertz) audio monitors that allow you to listen in on your baby from an adjacent bedroom. The farther your room is from the baby’s room, the stronger a transmitter you’ll need.

Audio monitors consist of a transmitter, which is left in the baby’s room, and either one or two receivers to be carried wherever you go. Audio/Movement monitors have a transmitter, receiver and a pad that’s placed underneath your baby’s mattress to detect movement and breathing. Audio/Video Monitors, meanwhile, let you both see and hear your baby via a small camera mounted near the crib and connected to a small and/or handheld television. Some models also have infrared cameras, allowing you to see your baby in the dark.

Like many baby items, the quality and cost of baby monitors cover a wide spectrum. Cheaper models operate on a 49-MHz frequency, which often experiences interference from other radio-operated devices, such as cell phones. The higher frequency (and more expensive) models operate on or around 900 MHz, and are to a large extent interference-free. Newer models are available using 2.4 GHz, giving the consumer the widest possible frequency range and the least interference.

Just as important as the type of monitor is the type of power source you choose. Battery-operated models are obviously more mobile, but you’ll be spending a small fortune in batteries. Better choices are models that use either batteries or A/C adapters, or models with rechargeable batteries. Many also have a low battery indicator light, which is helpful in reminding you to replace or recharge batteries.

Other features you may want to consider are multiple channels, which allow you to find a channel with the least interference, and receivers that light up when a noise is detected, in case you’re watching television or doing some other activity that prevents you from hearing your baby’s noises.

Finally, it’s important to keep the baby monitor and all its relevant parts out of the infant’s reach. Be sure, also, to send in the product registration card that comes with your monitor. That way you’ll be informed if there are any product recalls, or can get a replacement if the device is defective.