Baby room monitors are a popular item found on most baby shower wish lists. Parents want to be able to keep a check on their infant as they are doing other things around the house. It would be time consuming and unproductive for a parent to sit in on the child each time he/she naps. The solution is a monitor that can inform the parent of movements and sounds made by the baby.
Audio baby monitors are probably the most popular type of surveillance for your infant. These devices work by having a base that sits on a dresser or table in the nursery. There is often one or two wireless walkie talkies that can be used with the base. This allows the parents to monitor the baby when in other rooms of the house. The frequency for these monitors ranges from 49 MHz to 2.4 GHz. The higher the frequency, the further you can move away from the base and still hear the baby.
Video monitors are just as their name suggests. These baby room monitors allow the parents to actually see the infant while he/she is asleep. This type of device allows for more peace of mind when the parent isn't in the room with the infant. They are very helpful in situations where the baby needs to be closely monitored, such as a premature newborn. Most video baby monitors have night vision so the parent can see the child at any time of the day or night.
Before making your purchase, there are a few things you should consider about baby monitors. There are two ways that monitors can work, digitally or analog. Digital monitors are the best choice if you live in a busy city where interference is likely. If you are further out in the country, however, you may be able to use analog monitors with no problems. The number of receivers a monitor offers may also need to be considered. If you have a large home, you may want two so you can keep them on opposite ends of the house. A smaller apartment, however, could probably get away with just one receiver.
Other common features of baby room monitors are rechargeable batteries, warnings that sound when you are almost out of range from the base, and lights that appear on the receiver as the baby is making noise. There are some functions that most parents find a bit unnecessary. Being waterproof is not really needed, as you should not be using the receiver or base near water in the first place. Being able to secure the base directly onto the baby bed isn't a requirement either. Most monitors are so sensitive that they can pick up the sounds of your baby even when across the room.
