Baby Monitors

What is a baby monitor? Introduced in 1937 as the "Radio Nurse," this baby alarm radio system helps alerts adults when an infant "calls for assistance." It consists of a transmitter unit, microphone and sometimes even a video camera, allowing parents to hear and see their child even when they're away at a certain distance. Some monitors even have calming music equipped into the device to help the baby relax, or even night vision features that work at low light levels.

Advantages:

1. Extremely useful and

convenient with babies who sleep in a separate room from their parents, and who wake up in the middle of the night for changing and feeding.

2. Helpful to have when the child is napping, so the parent can get on with her daily work but, at the same time, still have close contact with her little one.

3. Parents can keep an eye on their child without disturbing their sleep.

TIP: Monitors work best within 10 feet from the baby's cot, to pick up every single sound the child makes, or if it's one with a camera, the monitor works best if placed closer to the child to get a better image.

Disadvantages:

1. Thick walls can block signals between the device and the monitor.

2.Other wireless systems around the house can sometimes interfere with the device reception.

3. Some receivers can pick up signals from next door neighbors (think about yours and their privacy).

TIP: Choose a good quality model with strong wireless security features.

What should you look for when considering buying a Baby Monitor?

Analog or Digital.

If you opt to spend for a monitor that costs less, there's the analog type; but since signals are transmitted as radio waves, there's a good chance of someone else listening to the signal or viewing the feed. Digital monitors, on the other hand, cost a little more but it is almost impossible for others around to pick up on the monitor signal.

Audio or Video.

There's a choice between a monitor that is only heard and one that is heard and seen at the same time. Audio-only versions are smaller and costs less, while video monitors are rather more expensive. But video monitors also offer a wide variety of options such as having cameras that pan and zoom, night-time viewing and some other features that are very useful too.

Price.

It all depends on the type and model, some are basic monitors and some are advanced. Range, image quality and brands can cause prices to vary.

Frequency.

The better the frequency, the better signal the monitor has. This can be a little tricky to parents who don't have much of a technical bone, but a qualified sales assistant shall be able to explain matters thoroughly to eager customers.

Low Battery Indicator.

The child may be calling out and parents don't even realise that the receiving unit in their hand has run out of batteries! Some monitors have alarms or flashing lights to alert users that the batteries are running low.

Security.

Monitors that use the DECT (digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications) technology to encrypt the video and audio signals between the transmitter and receiver. Digital models ensure better security. More advanced models even have a digital lock to encrypt the images.

(Helpful Resource: www.babycentre.com)