The Best Baby Monitors

Are you looking to buy a baby monitor for your newborn? Perhaps you are a first time mom, or perhaps it's your third child and you're looking to use some of the new technology that's available. There are so many options available that making the purchase seems so daunting. Here are some things to consider when choosing the perfect baby monitor for you and your child.
Type of monitor
Different monitors have different functions. Are you looking to monitor your baby's sound (breathing, crying), movement, or temperature? What about video monitoring so you can see your baby in real time while you're away in the office? Depending on whether you will be mostly at home with the baby, you will need different degrees of monitoring. For example, if you are with the baby during the daytime but want a monitor next to the baby's bedside at night while you sleep in a different room, then a sound monitor is sufficient. If your baby cries in the middle of the night, you don't have to worry sleeping through it because the monitor will amplify the cry and wake you up. If you are away at work and would like to monitor your baby while he or she is with a nanny at home, then perhaps you should consider a video monitor. Some people say that sound is the most important function in a baby monitor. Movement monitors are probably the least requested. However, in the first six months of life when babies are at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) a movement monitor can alert you if your baby stops moving or breathing. SIDS remains a rare syndrome and the causes are unknown, which makes movement monitors rather controversial because there is no evidence that they change the outcome or prevent SIDS from occurring.

One versus two parent units
Some baby monitors come with one unit while others come with two or more so that both parents can monitor the baby from different places. Two unit monitors are useful if one parent wants to keep track of the baby while at work and the other parent at home is not always in the same room as the baby. Having more than one unit also allows you to put a different unit in each room, so that you don't have the hassle of moving the unit with you from room to room.
Range, clarity, interference
Range is the distance that sound can be transmitted through the baby monitor. In other words, how far away can the monitor be from the baby and still transmit the sound effectively? Clarity is the quality of sound or video that is transmitted through the device. If a device has poor clarity, you might hear static hissing in the background, which can be annoying after a while. Poor sound quality and excessive background noise can interfere with your sleep. It is worth it to invest in a high quality baby monitor that transmits sounds realistically and without background static. Interference occurs when distance, walls, and other devices with radio frequency signals decrease the sound quality produced by the baby monitor. Better made (and typically more expensive) baby monitors have better technology to cancel out more interference, resulting in a better sound quality.

Battery life
There are pros and cons to both rechargeable baby monitors and those that use batteries. If you plan on carrying the monitor with you from room to room, it will be a hassle to have to find a place to plug it in a power source each time. On the other hand, even though battery-powered monitors are more portable, having to replace AA batteries frequently is an added expense. Different brands have different amounts of battery life, so make sure to consider that when choosing which baby monitor to purchase.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing a baby monitor that is right for you. Stick to the basics of what you want to monitor, how often you are using it, and how many people will use it is a good starting point. As far as how much money you want to spend, perhaps this is something that is worth investing more money in to ensure a high quality.

That's it for now, please remember that this list is updated on a regular basis.