Baby Monitor Basics: A Guide for Buyers

From the moment you bring your child home from the hospital, there are safety products available to put your mind at ease. One of these wonderful inventions is the baby monitor. There are several different models and brands of baby monitors and some are quite fancier than others and have different features. The purpose of a baby monitor is to allow you to keep an eye and ear out for your baby without having to constantly stand watch directly over him or her. Baby monitors consist of a transmitter unit and a receiver. Some baby monitors come with multiple receivers so that you and your spouse can carry one and listen for your baby. Most of the time your receivers will come with handy belt clips that will enable you to clip the receiver onto your belt or clothing and take it with you wherever you go. Majority of baby monitors are powered by batteries. Some of them can be connected to AC adapters and some even come with rechargeable batteries. Before going out and purchasing a baby monitor, be sure to do you homework on them and know exactly what it is that you are looking for in one.

An Audio Monitor is the most basic of baby monitors. Most audio monitors have little LED lights that will light up when noise or sounds are transmitted through them. This helps to have this visual if you are busy washing dishes or another activity where noise is being created and you may miss the sounds coming from the monitor. Many audio monitors come with multiple channels, which is very important because baby monitors often pick up conversations from other baby monitors, radios or walkie-talkie transmissions. Having multiple channels may help minimize the chances of interference. If you really want to knock out interference, you may be interested in the Digital Monitors. These models are said to be the best and most secure when it comes to eliminating outside interference. Just what is it that makes them so safe you might ask? They operate using an encoded signal through multiple channels, making it impossible for someone else to pick up the signal, even if they are using the same type of monitor that you are. Now that’s piece of mind.

Intercom Monitors are very much like audio monitors. They sometime have the LED lights that light up with sound transmission, but they also allow two-way communication. What I mean by this, is that if you hear your baby, you can push a button on your monitor receiver and comfort your baby with your voice. This is a very attractive feature, one that many mothers have sworn by over the years.

Some of the newer type monitors are the Video Monitors. Video monitors allow you to see your baby anytime you like to without interrupting his or her sleep. You can hear your baby night and day and are able to check on him immediately with the receiver screen. Some video monitors even feature infrared technology which will enable you to see your child in the dark. This is a handy feature for when your baby wakes up in the middle of the night.

If you are looking for range on a baby monitor, check for the 900MHz/2.4GHz on the monitor box. These are the most powerful baby monitors on the market right now. These monitors allow you to keep in touch with your baby even if you have a large home. Most baby monitors are only capable of transmitting up to a certain range or within certain parimeters. The 900MHz/2.4Ghz models will ensure that you will still be able to hear your baby if he or she cries out.

Once you have found the right baby monitor for you, be sure to test it out at home. Read the manufacturer’s owner’s manual to be sure that you are using the unit correctly. Make certain that you read the range information for your model and test it out in all the areas of your home to ensure that you get good reception throughout your house. Keep in mind that because monitors operate with radio waves, walls and other obstructions may cause interference in your reception. Replace the batteries in your monitor often. Place baby monitor transmitters and receivers where the user’s manual instructs you to. Never place any monitor equipment where your baby can reach it, and never place your equipment near water, as it may pose an electrical shock hazard.

The purchase of a baby monitor can bring piece of mind for both parents and babies. They are wonderful inventions created to give you what you want the most: time for yourself while still watching out for your child. Never leave your baby unattended for long periods of time. Always remember that baby monitors were never meant to be a replacement for a good parent’s eye.