Choosing A Baby Monitor
Advocates of the baby monitor say that these systems allow parents to better meet the needs of their children, as they can see or hear everything that's going on even when they're out of the room. Special devices placed beneath the crib mattress can even track body movement to alert parents of any abnormal activity or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. However, critics claim that even the best baby monitors only provide a false sense of security and have not been scientifically proven to benefit babies or parents. It all boils down to parental preference about whether they want to "spy" on their infants or not.
There are a number of helpful features to look for in a modern baby monitor. For instance, some offer both sound and lights, which is handy for parents who are working, on the phone, or would rather not hear a sudden, ear-piercing shriek through the receiver. Often, the louder the baby cries, the more lights flash. Also, video monitors can show a sleeping baby or a baby who is awake, also eliminating the need for audio tracking. Some wireless baby monitors come with more than one receiver, which is a good option for larger houses or two parents who are on-duty at the same time. Belt clips are ideal for the on-the-go parent who is moving around the house and doesn't want to be bothered with the hand-held receiver. After all, what good is a monitor if one forgets to have it in the room?
There are two main baby monitor types, which are analog and digital. Analog monitors operate on a frequency band like radios do, sending signals directly from the monitor to the receivers. Digital monitors encode the signal before transmitting it from the monitor to the receivers, making it impossible for neighbors to listen in and decreasing the possibility of interference from cordless phones, household appliances and other electronic devices. Most of the best baby monitors are digital, although they usually cost a little more.
Some of the most popular baby monitor brands include Graco (www.gracobaby.com), Phillips (www.hearmybaby.com), Evenflo (www.evenflo.com), Summer Infant (www.summerinfant.com), Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Mobicam (www.getmobi.com), Unisar BébéSounds (www.bebesounds.com), Sony (www.sony.com) and The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com). Prices range anywhere from $15 to $200 for audio-only or $100 to $200 for an audio/video baby monitor system.
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