| What is a baby monitor & why do I need one? | | | | portable convenienceo Light display on the parent |
| It might seem like an obvious question these days, | | | | that shows noise level even if the sound is turned |
| but baby monitors are a relatively new innovation. At | | | | down.o Low battery indicatoro Night light on baby |
| the most basic level they give the parent freedom | | | | unito Two-way transmission - so you can talk to |
| from keeping a constant vigil at their baby's bedside | | | | your baby from the parent unit.o Temperature gauge |
| (cot-side or Moses basket-side!). | | | | - remember the ideal nursery temperature is around |
| A baby monitor normally consists of a transmitter | | | | 18C (65F) |
| and a receiver unit. The transmitter is placed near the | | | | Audio/Visual Baby Monitors |
| baby and the parent keeps the receiver unit. This | | | | A recent innovation - these monitors let you see and |
| way the parent can hear instantly if their baby needs | | | | hear your baby. This gives obvious added benefits |
| reassurance while doing other things around the | | | | such as seeing if your baby has come out of their |
| house - or maybe catching up on some well needed | | | | blanket, or if they are sleeping in an awkward |
| rest! | | | | position etc. However, these baby monitor may also |
| Baby Monitor Types | | | | be useful for older children so you can remotely |
| Baby monitors now fall into three main categories. | | | | check on them if they are playing by themselves in |
| There are the traditional audio baby monitors. These | | | | another room. |
| alert the parent if the baby starts to cry or seems | | | | The range of audio/visual baby monitors can be |
| restless or uncomfortable. Audio/visual baby monitors | | | | limited by your house layout. If your house has |
| take this a step further by letting the parent see and | | | | normal partition (or stud) walls then the range will be |
| hear their baby. These consist of a camera unit with | | | | around the quoted 30m. However, if you live in an old |
| a microphone and a receiver unit with a TV screen | | | | house with solid internal walls the range will be |
| and speaker. | | | | reduced - especially if the signal has to pass through |
| Lastly, there are sensor baby monitors (also called | | | | several walls. This will not apply when you are directly |
| respiratory baby monitors). These offer peace of | | | | below or above a nursery as the signal only has to |
| mind by immediately alerting the parent if their baby's | | | | pass through a wooden floor (or floors) and should |
| breathing becomes significantly uneven or even stops | | | | therefore be perfect. |
| completely. | | | | AudioVisual Baby Monitors - Things to look for:o Night |
| Audio Baby Monitors | | | | vision - sounds obvious but some come without it! |
| Audio baby monitors fall into two further types: | | | | This is essential for night time viewing. All our |
| analogue and digital. Analogue baby monitors | | | | audiovisual baby monitors come with night vision.o |
| traditionally were subject to lots of interference from | | | | Number of channels - helps in finding the best channel |
| other household items that gave off a wireless signal. | | | | but can also enable you to add extra cameras later.o |
| While this still can be true of cheaper analogue | | | | Standby mode - if you have a portable parent unit |
| monitors, today most have more than one channel | | | | the screen can be draining on the battery. Some |
| enabling you to select one that is interference free | | | | units come out of standby mode if you baby makes |
| and incorporate technology that lessens outside | | | | a noise. |
| interference. | | | | Sensor Baby Monitors |
| To guarantee an interference transmission and | | | | Also called respiratory baby monitors these monitors |
| reception you will need a digital baby monitor. | | | | consist of sensitive pads that go underneath your |
| Remember that a baby monitor is essentially a radio | | | | baby's mattress. During the first year of life, infants |
| transmitter and receiver and digital radio (should you | | | | can experience irregular breathing patterns or even |
| have one!) is superior to normal radio reception. The | | | | stop breathing completely. |
| higher-end digital baby monitors use something called | | | | These monitors can alert when your baby's breathing |
| DECT technology. This technology came from digital | | | | changes due to a cold, high fever, or other illness. |
| walkabout phones and stands for Digital Enhanced | | | | The Babysense II will continually detect your baby's |
| Cordless Technology. | | | | motion and breathing movements, and set off a |
| DECT monitors will select a channel automatically | | | | sound and visual alarm if breathing movements |
| from 120 channels and often encrypt the channels to | | | | ceases for over 20 seconds or if the breathing rate |
| stop any eavesdropping. Because of this technology | | | | slows to below 10 breaths per minute. |
| these monitors are normally more expensive, but (like | | | | REMEMBER, a sensor baby monitor is an added |
| the Philips Digital Baby Monitor and the BT Digital | | | | precaution and safeguard which can help peace of |
| Monitors) they guarantee interference free | | | | mind but it must be combined with the important |
| transmission and often come with several useful | | | | recommendations of "Safe Sleeping" (sleeping on the |
| extra features: | | | | back, not overheating of baby's room, not smoking |
| Audio baby monitors - things to look for:o Number of | | | | around the baby). |
| channelso Rechargeable parent unito Belt clip for | | | | |