A baby monitor may not even be necessary. A hungry, healthy newborn can scream with sounds so loud they can even bend metal, let alone damage your eardrums.
Baby monitors, however, can deliver superb audio and crystal-clear video streams from the camera directly to a different parent unit, your smartphone, tablet, or all three. This allows you to walk around the house without restriction while keeping a close eye on the infant as they happily play or sleep in their cot.
While some features are vital for a baby monitor to be functional and useful in your day-to-day life, others are merely extraneous frills that you don’t need. Additionally, some producers will raise their prices by capitalizing on the anxieties and concerns of well-meaning parents.
We dig right in with our comprehensive shopping guide for baby monitors to help drown out the noise.
What Exactly Is A Baby Monitor?
Parents use a baby monitor to remotely see, listen to, and monitor their infant. It consists of a transmitter baby unit (often a camera positioned close to your child with a microphone) and a receiver parent unit.
In a nutshell, the baby unit sends sounds, video, and data to the parent receiver through radio waves via a Wi-Fi connection.
You can check on your kid using a baby monitor without having to go into their room and run the danger of waking them awake. If your child makes a sound or becomes ill, you can roam around your home or even outside and be immediately informed.
Do You Require A Baby Monitor?
If you won’t always be able to hear your child while they are inside the house or if a medical practitioner has suggested you watch your baby, then you do need a baby monitor.
In general, the answer to the question “Do I need a baby monitor?” is probably “yes.” Overall, parents who use a monitor say that it helps them sleep better because they know they will be informed if their child wakes up or becomes ill.
However, a parent or a guardian cannot be replaced by a baby monitor. Monitors, especially more contemporary models with remarkable technical features, can be immensely useful for keeping a watch on your baby. A baby monitor, though, is ultimately only a tool. Simply think of it as a third set of eyes and hearing.
The Different Kinds of Baby Monitors
Baby monitors are available in a variety of sizes and styles. Some will display the video of your baby on your phone, while others will include a special display monitor.
Others have their own radio frequency, while some connect to your Wi-Fi network.
Baby Monitors with Audio and Video
These baby monitors are mature gadgets that gain from years of product improvements, offering plenty of helpful added functions.
However, as IoT devices gain traction, new health-tracking baby monitors are rising in popularity. The danger of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in children is particularly concerning for parents.
These modern tracking devices can continuously keep an eye on your baby’s breathing, movement, and oxygen saturation. Since they are not always accurate, you must ensure that the model you select won’t keep you awake all night with false alarms.
Radio-frequency Baby Monitors
These monitors have a small viewing area and may expose your child to more harmful electromagnetic fields. However, RF monitors also significantly lower the likelihood of baby monitor hacking and have a separate parent unit, making them considerably more practical to use.
They can also operate without a connection to your Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi Baby Monitors
On the other hand, Wi-Fi monitors use your internet connection to send footage of your child to your smartphone. This gives you access to a lot more features and monitoring capabilities, but it also puts your privacy at risk.
Additionally, it implies that if you want to hear and see your infant, you must always have your smartphone or tablet on. Additionally, it won’t function if your Wi-Fi network is down. Speak to your ISP if it happens often, or consider Ziply Customer Support if you’d rather change your ISP.
All in All
The top baby monitors include quick response times and cutting-edge technology that can pick up even the smallest fuss or cry.
They’ll alert you as soon as they hear the baby crying or moving around so you know when to finish your coffee and tend to the baby’s needs. Consider an easy-to-use audio-only monitor if all you want is to be able to hear your infant from another room.
You must be aware of the dangers and be able to defend yourself against any privacy invasions if you choose to use a Wi-Fi baby monitor.
Those who use secure two-factor authentication will feel more secure. If you are only allowed to use a smartphone, this might occasionally be annoying if you are trying to limit your screen time and put your phone away when you’re at home.
Additionally, confirm whether the monitor footage is stored on an SD card or in the cloud. You might need to subscribe to a monthly plan if you wish to record and keep videos.
