The gadget the modern parent really can’t live without is a baby monitor. After something so small and precious is bought into the world it is natural, especially if you are a first-timer, to want to constantly check that your little one is alright. After, the first few times of rushing in at the smallest of snuffle only to disturb them from that oh-so-precious sleep you kind of learn that a baby monitor is the way forward for you and your child. The only problem then is deciding which monitor to get and which features are important and suit you.

There are two main types of baby monitor; Audio Monitors and Video Monitors.

Audio Monitors

Audio Baby Monitors are the original form of baby monitor. You place the child unit in their room which will transmit any sound they make to the parent unit which you take downstairs with you. The range on a good Audio Monitor can be anything up to 300m meaning you can quite easily wander around the house as normal and still be able to listen in on your baby in case they need you. A great feature, especially if you have a spacious house, is an out of range warning which will alert you if you go beyond the range of the transmitter. This stops panic attack moments when you suddenly realise you haven’t heard a peep out of them for quite a while. With sound quality in mind it is also best to choose a monitor with at least two channels so you can select the channel with the best reception.

Most Baby Audio Monitors are battery operated and can be recharged with included charger bases (so no need to constantly shell out on batteries!). They should also have a voice activation function, meaning they switch to standby when they do not detect any sound so as to conserve battery life.

Some models such as the bosieboo child audio monitor have a few great added features. The first is a visual indication of sound which is a series of red lights that illuminate to show that the monitor has detected sound even if you have the volume turned down. This is essential for when you are in a busy environment. Another, great added feature is a nightlight. This can be switched permanently on or off but more importantly can be voice activated providing a comforting glow to your child’s room before you get to there to check on them.

Audio Baby Monitors are a basic and inexpensive way to monitor your baby however if you want something a little more high tech then a Video Monitor is for you.

Video Monitors

Baby Video Monitors are a relatively new addition to the baby market and have proved hugely successful. With new technology being developed all the time they have gone from being bulky black and white portable televisions to sleek and stylish additions to your home.

Video Baby Monitors work using wireless technology to transmit a picture of your child to the hand held parent screen. Most Video Monitors such as the bosieboo 2.5” baby video monitor transmit in colour and have more than one channel to choose from. This is a two fold advantage. One, like an audio baby monitor, you can choose the channel with the best sound and (more importantly) picture quality. Two, you can add addition cameras; This means that one camera can be positioned in your newborns room on one channel and another can be put in your toddlers room on another channel and you can sit downstairs (with a cup of tea) happily checking up on them both by scanning between the channels on the parent screen.

Night vision is another must-have with Baby Video Monitors. Rather than using lights, good quality video monitors use infra-red LED’s which transmit a clear black and white picture so your baby can sleep comfortable in the dark and you can still check they are OK.
To conserve power (especially if you are running them off batteries) you should be able to take advantage of an auto mode which will turn off the camera and display a blank screen whilst no sound is detected. This also means that you are not disturbed by the constant glow of the picture (although you should be able to turn the screen off and just have sound at convenient times too).

Another great extra feature to look out for is a Video Baby Monitor that can be connected to your television or VCR. This allows you to view your baby on the big screen as well as giving you the ability to record those cute moments (when they aren’t crying).

The range of Baby Video Monitors is around 100m in a straight line of site; accounting for walls still they run normally in most modern homes. The only possible draw back could be interference. Wireless Video Monitors run on 2.4 GHZ which is the same frequency as wireless broadband meaning the two units can be susceptible to interference. The best advice here is to try it and see. Most companies are aware this can be a problem for some people and will be on hand to offer tips that may help you avoid problems with interference.

Video Baby Monitors are generally designed to be portable. However, if you would prefer to have a stand alone screen then you also get the added benefit of a larger screen. An example of this is the bosieboo 5.6” Video Monitor.

Having a newborn baby should be a joyous time yet many parents spend most of the time worrying about their safety. Audio and Video Baby Monitors offer a peace of mind solution to this head ache allowing you to enjoy being a parent.