Video Baby Monitors

From LoveToKnow Baby

Video baby monitors offer parents peace of mind. While traditional baby monitors have been around for quite a while, video baby monitors are making their presence known, and they are becoming a more popular baby product purchase.

Purpose of Video Baby Monitors

You can't be with your baby every second of the day, but you do want to keep your baby as safe as possible. While traditional baby monitors help parents monitor their babies through audio even when they are in a separate room, video baby monitors allow parents to not only listen to their children but watch them. Video baby monitors rely on a small camera that is mounted on a table or wall and directed towards a specific area where baby will be. The camera then transmits images to a television-like monitor.

What To Look For

Technology continues to improve the quality of video baby monitors. While there are still video baby monitors that are wired, there are many that are wireless, making these monitors even more convenient.

Consider how you will use the video baby monitor before you purchase one.
If you plan on moving the monitor from room to room to monitor your baby's sleep routine, you'll probably want to purchase a handheld monitor.
If you plan on leaving the monitor in one room most of the time, however, one of the larger monitor options might be fine for you.
Some video monitors are in black and white, while others offer color video.
Some video baby monitors offer two cameras thus providing two different views on the monitor.
If you think you might purchase additional cameras at a later date, look for monitors that offer at least three channels.
Most video baby monitors are either 900MHz or 24GHz. Look for one of these sizes when purchasing. Anything smaller may not have as good reception and resolution.
Some cameras turn on automatically in low-light conditions. This is a great additional feature.
Some cameras also function as a night light that can be dimmed or brightened according to need.
You can even monitor the temperature and humidity of your baby's room on select models.

Video Baby Monitor Selections

There are quite a few different video baby monitors, and they come in a variety of prices. Some of the most popular include the following:

Baby Quiet Sounds-Typically priced around $180.
BeBe Sounds Portable Monitor-Priced from $133 to $200.
MobiCam Monitor-Priced from $140 to $220.
Summer Infant Baby Monitor-Priced from $163 to $190.
Safety First-Priced from $130 and up.
Graco iMonitor-Priced around $90.

Things to Remember

Finally, video monitors cannot take the place of a parent's supervision. Although video monitors do make monitoring your infant somewhat easier, if you have any cause for concern, check on your baby. Of course, it's entirely understandable that you might be in a different area of your home while your baby is sleeping, but never leave your baby unattended. For more information on keeping your baby safe, read the article on baby safety.