As new parents you want the best devices to monitor your infant. However, baby tech has reached a new level which can make the decision hard. There are devices that use moisture indicators that change color when you fall behind on diaper duty. There are baby bottles that sync with apps and gently chide you for letting in too much air during feedings. Baby monitors are also increasingly complex, but don’t feel overwhelmed. This guide will explain the latest features and steer you toward some of the best-selling monitors on the market.
Your Options
There are three basic types to choose from:
• Standard Monitors
Unlike their forerunners, which were audio-only, most standard monitors now have video capability. They come with a camera for the baby’s room and a portable display screen for parents. Some even have impressive convenience features. If you’re a diligent caregiver who is likely to be home a lot and your baby has no special health needs, a standard model should suffice.
• Wi-Fi Monitors
These are ideal if you want to be able to check on your baby from anywhere. You don’t have to stay within camera range. You can even go out to dinner with friends and keep tabs on the babysitter back at home.
• Movement Monitors
Movement monitors provide an extra layer of support by tracking the baby’s movements, heart rate and breathing. You’ll be alerted if your baby fails to move in 20 or 30 seconds’ time, and many parents find that comforting. It’s worth noting, however, that movement monitors have not been shown to reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths. Indeed, false alarms that prompt unnecessary trips to the emergency room might be more stressful for parents than not knowing the baby’s current vital signs.
Features to Consider Before Buying
Sound clarity is the most important feature of any monitor. Sound, after all, first alerts you that there’s good reason to check on your child. A standard monitor that doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi should have a long-range capability of around 600 to 1,000 feet, so consider the size and layout of your home. There’s really no way to tell how the sound system will perform until you get the device home and test it. Have your spouse or a friend talk and make various levels of noise in the nursery as you wander through your house with the parent unit. If the noise is faint, indistinct or drowned out by interference, exchange the monitor for another.
Look for ease of setup and operation; your monitor should quickly be up and running. It should perform well in various light conditions, and a screen brightness adjuster is an asset. Make sure that alarms are not to alarming. There are dozens of attractive options, like softly played lullabies and infrared night vision, but again, a good sound system is crucial. You must be able to discern between happy gurgling and choking.
A good monitor also excels in at least two of these four categories:
• Microphone sensitivity
You can always turn down the volume, but having the ability to preset noise thresholds is nice. Adjust the microphone’s sensitivity to pick up crying rather than soft, harmless cooing.
• Audio display
With audio display, you can listen to music instead of white noise while your baby is napping. The volume levels in the nursery will appear on a chart to alert you to crying.
• Two-way talk
The sound of your voice might ward off a long crying jag and sooth your little one back to sleep.
• Temperature Sensor
Babies are more susceptible than adults to hypothermia or overheating. If your monitor has a reliable temperature sensor, you can see at a glance that the baby’s room is too hot or too cold. Advanced monitors will even alert you to dangerous conditions.
Recommended Monitors
Here’s a rundown of some of the best products on the market:
Standard — HelloBaby
• Easy to set up and use
• Video clarity with no delay
• Volume, screen brightness, zoom and talk-back features
• Outperforms several more expensive brands
Wi-Fi — iBaby
• Outstanding audio quality
• Straightforward tutorial
• Choice of sensitivity levels for noise, movement, and room temperature and humidity
• Keeps working in the background when smartphone is in sleep mode
Wi-Fi — Cocoon Cam
• Simple user interface
• High-definition picture and great sound quality
• Customizable volume, screen brightness, motion sensitivity and noise thresholds
Movement — Angelcare AC315
• Great audio and visual quality
• Alerts after 20 seconds without movement
• Temperature alerts
• Customizable timed alerts
• Touch screen on parent unit
Note that the touch screen sometimes fails to recognize selections.
Movement — Baby Delight
• Easy to set up and use
• Good responsiveness
• Customizable timed alerts
• Movements monitored by cordless magnetic sensor button
Note that the sensor button becomes a choking hazard after age 3 years.
Doing your homework and thinking about which features are most important to you will
help you make the best decision for your family.