In the market for a baby monitor? Our guide will help you choose the right baby monitor to suit your needs.
New parents all know the mixed feeling of putting their little bundle down to sleep. You welcome the reprieve but your anxiety levels go into overdrive as you physically separate yourself from your baby.
A baby monitor is the next best thing to literally staring at your baby the entire time they’re sleeping. They give you peace of mind as they do the staring for you, while you do what you need to do in another room of your home.
But with a wide range of models to choose from, how do you choose the right one? This article will help you decide on the right baby monitor for your needs. We’ll also chat with the mums from our Facebook group for the type of features they like in their baby monitors.
What to consider before buying a baby monitor
Baby monitors are not an essential purchase, but many parents view them as good-to-have. Many models today go above and beyond what you expect from traditional baby monitors. You can track anything from baby’s breathing, heart rate, temperature and movement. It can even let you check in on baby right from your phone.
Generally speaking, there are four different types of baby monitors:
- Audio monitors: Sound is transmitted to the parent unit.
- Video baby monitors: Sound and vision is transmitted to the parent receiver.
- Wi-fi monitors or smart baby monitors: Sound and vision is transmitted via Wi-fi to a smart device such as a phone, tablet or computer. Remote access is also possible.
- Sensory monitors: Can track baby’s breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate and other vital signs.
Choosing the type of baby monitor will depend on your budget, preference and requirements, but here are three things to keep in mind:
1. Location
How baby’s room is set up will influence the type of baby monitor you get, depending on the extra accessories required. Consider where the camera can and will be placed, and the type of angles it will capture. You may need a monitor that comes with a wall or ceiling mount, or a cradle or a stand.
You may also want a video camera that can zoom and pan in order to check the entire room (which will come in handy when your child is more mobile).
2. Range and Wifi connectivity
The size of your home, the thickness of the walls, insulation and even furniture should all be considered when deciding on the range coverage of the monitor.
Many parents today opt for a smart baby monitor which connects via Wifi. These monitors are great especially if you have smart home integration. Grandparents can even log in remotely to the app and peek at the latest addition to the family. You will need to keep reception and signal in mind if relying on Wifi.
3. Extra features
Some baby monitors will come with additional features such as:
- Infrared night vision for a clearer video feed at night or in low light settings.
- Two-way audio to talk to your child from another room (or to play with as a walkie talkie).
- Night light
- Play white noise, lullabies or even a light show
- Temperature & humidity detection
- Record function to automatically upload footage to a private YouTube channel.
Baby monitor features real mums love
With so many different baby monitor features, which ones are actually useful? Here are the top features mums in our Facebook group believe you should look out for.
1. Range
A baby monitor is meant to give you peace of mind. If you live in a two-storey house and your baby monitor doesn’t have enough range, it doesn’t really serve its purpose. Laura loves her monitor because of this: “We live on a acre of land and I can go right to the fence line and still be in range.”
2. Interactivity
Our members love baby monitors that provide you the option to talk to your baby and comfort them. Member Bianca even has another idea for use: “We even talked about having an additional camera in the play room, not just for monitoring but also you can use it to call them for dinner too.”
3. Portability
Stretch the value of your baby monitor even more by ensuring it can easily be packed up and used at your in-laws or for a weekend trip.
4. Battery life
Some mums have pointed out a baby monitor’s long battery life as a favourite feature.
5. Video quality
If you have a baby monitor, it’s fair to expect to be able to see you baby. That’s why some mums love the fact their baby monitors have big viewing screens or offer great video clarity.
A note on data security
Take care to ensure the audio or video streamed from your baby monitor remains secure and private. This is especially important if images are streamed over your home Wifi network. Use a secure password for both the app you use as well as your internet.
Want more baby monitor recommendations?
Join our Mums At The Table Facebook group where we have more than 10,000 mums who will be more than willing to share their baby monitor recommendations and more.
