How to Choose a Baby Monitor

how-to-choose-a-baby-monitor

Baby monitors aren’t something new – yet every year, we have many new parents who are just finding ways to ease their way into parenting lifestyle. Learning how to choose a baby monitor is just one step of the process.

And with so many manufacturers and models available on the market, how do you know which baby monitor will serve its purpose well?

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unable to make a choice?

Then this is the right post for you.

Not only we’ll show you how to choose your next baby monitor – but we’ll also show help you make your choice in an easy and effortless way.

What is a Baby Monitor?

Baby Monitor That You Can Talk Back Through

A baby monitor is also known as a baby alarm – but what does it actually do?

It’s okay if you are not familiar with baby sound monitors since this is something that everyone founds out once they become a parent.

Therefore, keep calm as you’re in the right place to learn more about something that could change the way you sleep at night or do your chores throughout the day!

A baby monitor consists of two monitors. One of them is meant to be placed in the baby’s room and it’s often powered into the outlet.

The other baby monitor unit is made for parents and is often lightweight, compact, and it is powered by a rechargeable battery.

Its communication is based on the radio system that transmits the sound by radio waves.

I am sure that you have one question in mind right now.

Is baby monitor safe for a baby?

Yes, of course, it is. However, you have to ensure that it’s safe by ensuring that you don’t have a lot of electronics that transmit radio waves.

We wrote a full post on this topic – so we recommend checking it out and learn more about the safety of baby monitors!

But what are the benefits of a baby monitor and why should you get one?

Keep on reading as that’s exactly what you will find out, and believe us – it only gets better!

Why Do You Need a Baby Monitor?

Where to Mount a Baby Monitor Camera

A baby monitor can seem like a pretty simple device that serves its purpose very well.

But did you ever consider the benefits of a baby monitor for you, as a parent?

There are plenty of advantages that could possibly change the way you look after your baby – even when you are busy.

Believe it or not – you will even be able to get some work done from home.

If you are one of those parents who can’t stop checking in on their child – baby monitor can help. This isn’t a bad thing to do as a parent, yet baby monitors can help you do it remotely and therefore, relieve anxiety.

But keeping an eye on your baby at all times isn’t a bad idea either.

Why?

Because you can learn a lot by being able to keep track of the baby’s activities or sleep.

If you are unfortunately having a child who suffers from any health issues – the baby monitor is a great way to keep looking after a child in an easier way.

And how many times did you wish you had any help when it comes down to sleep?

Some high-end baby monitors even have the ability to utilize WiFi connection to help you monitor your baby even when you’re out. This is also great for keeping an eye on the nanny if you were not able to stay home.

Of course, some baby monitors even come with a camera feature (also known as a baby cam). That’s how far technology goes.

But do you want to know what’s our favorite thing about it?

Most baby cams give parents the ability to record priceless moments of their babies! How cool is that?

So are you ready to take advantage of baby monitors and learn how to choose one all by yourself?

If yes, keep on reading!

How to Choose a Baby Monitor?

Best Baby Monitor for Twins

With so many manufacturers, models, and stores you can purchase a baby monitor from – we admit it. The selection process can be extremely hard.

But we are also a strong believer that this isn’t how it should be.

After all, that’s why we are here. To help and educate parents – but also help them ease their way into baby monitors.

Other than super-helpful guides, we spend time to write quality reviews after hours of baby monitor testing.

Therefore, feel free to check out some of our best baby monitor reviews!

If you have no idea where to start – this is the right place.

We understand that a choice is a lot easier once you know exactly what to look out for.

Of course, you also want to get a great deal by getting the most value for the price you pay, right?

If yes, here are some of the most important factors you should look out for:

  • Frequency & range
  • Sound-activated light
  • Low-battery light
  • Think about a video monitor
  • Consider Wi-Fi connection
  • Additional helpful features (temperature, music, and movement sensor)

Frequency & Range

Since baby monitors work remotely – they have their own frequency rate and a range they work within.

But do you know anything about frequencies? Chances are you don’t since that’s not something most people know.

But how do you know that a baby monitor will be able to work well within your home? Other than the size of your home – you should also consider the thickness of the walls too.

Most manufacturers clearly mention the working range of their baby monitors. However, it’s always good to know the frequency levels you should look out for.

Ideally, you would want to focus on baby monitors that work on a frequency higher than 900 MHz.

This way, you will reduce the chance of interference but it will also increase the signal’s clarity.

And when it comes down to range?

You can never be sure if you will achieve the advertised range – but aiming for the highest range is always your best shot.

Sound-Activated Light

vtech-baby-monitor

One of the most common features is a light feature as a part of the monitor’s design.

But what is the purpose of a sound-activated light?

Sound activated light has the ability to notify parents about the noise coming from the baby’s monitor without having to hear it.

This is very helpful for parents who are doing chores such as vacuuming and might not be able to hear the baby monitor.

On the other hand, this is ideal for parents who would like to enjoy some silence or who work from home.

You will still be able to do your chores, work, or even enjoy peace of your mind while keeping an eye on your child.

Low-Battery Light

Wireless baby monitors work on a battery that’s either rechargeable or is replaceable.

But how do you know when your battery in a baby monitor is running low? Some baby monitors feature a sound notification which is easy to miss.

What we find to be the most efficient option is the low-battery light which notifies parents of a low battery light efficiently – without creating any further noise.

Also, once the battery is low – the low-battery light notification won’t disappear unless you charge/change the battery.

But on the bright side of wireless baby monitors, the battery lasts for up to a week or even two weeks – so you won’t end up changing them or charging them quite often as you might think.

Think About Video Monitor

Can A Tablet Be Used as A Monitor

Video monitor is basically one more feature on top of all features included in a baby monitor.

But why should you think about a video monitor?

Video monitor feature allows you to have eyes on your baby at all times, which is a lot more helpful & efficient than simply relying on the voice.

On top of that, you will be able to capture some of the priceless moments of your baby. Some parents only get the video monitor feature for this reason alone.

But of course, we understand that video monitor usually comes at mid-high range baby monitors and this drives the price up.

If you aren’t on a tight budget – you won’t regret opting-in for this feature!

Consider Wi-Fi Connection

Rather than a baby monitor to work on radio waves – there are high-end baby monitors that are able to work on the Wi-Fi connection.

Since almost everyone has wireless internet inside their homes – baby monitor manufacturers came up with a brilliant idea.

The idea was to expand the baby monitor range and efficiency by connecting it to a wireless network.

Therefore, if you aren’t on a tight budget – this could be a great feature that will allow you to keep an eye (or ear) on your child at all times – even if you are outside of your home.

All you need with such baby monitors is an internet connection inside your home and an internet connection on your phone to stay connected at all times.

Additional Helpful Features

AdobeStock 28321502 1

With the quick technological advancements in the past couple of decades – baby monitors don’t only serve one purpose.

Instead, they are equipped with a bunch of additional features that make every parent’s life easier.

Some of the additional features worth considering are temperature monitor, music & lullabies, and even a movement sensor.

As you probably know, there is clear guidance on the temperature in the children’s room. Therefore, some baby monitors can measure the temperature and allow you to keep an eye on the temperature at all times.

Being able to play soothing music or a lullaby remotely can save you from having to get out of your bed at some nights and it’s a pretty convenient feature.

If you are not able to invest in a video baby monitor, a movement sensor is a great feature that could still help you have at least one eye on the children’s room throughout the night.

Lastly, the talk-back feature allows parents to talk to babies remotely and it’s even far better than the music or lullaby. What baby wouldn’t love to hear your voice, right?

What Baby Monitor Should I Get?

What Age to Stop Using a Baby Monitor

Now when you know exactly how to choose a baby monitor – the fun part is here.

Depending on your budget – you will have to determine which baby monitor features will be good enough for your needs.

The higher your budget is – the better the features get.

However, even the entry-level baby monitors will perform as expected, so if you are on a tight budget – there’s nothing you should worry about.

As we’ve mentioned earlier – we’ve spent a lot of time testing out & reviewing baby monitors.

And as a result, we have a decent number of baby monitor review posts which we highly recommend checking out.

We always recommend sticking to some of the most popular and well-known baby monitor manufacturers.

Why?

They know exactly what they’re doing. And even the high-end brands have quite affordable entry or mid-level models available – so that’s something you should keep in mind.

Recently, we covered one of the most valuable baby monitors with a video cam feature called Infant Optics DXR-8 – so feel free to check out our review on that one.

If you aren’t a big fan of Infant Optics baby monitor – we also have a comprehensive review article that features 5 best baby monitors for everyone’s budget.

Do you have any questions or you would like to see us test out and review any model that we didn’t cover yet?

Feel free to leave us a comment below and we’ll get back to you!

Conclusion

What is one reason you look forward to getting a baby monitor for?

We hope that this guide enabled you to understand the importance of a baby monitor, but also see some of the benefits you can expect the moment you install a baby monitor in your home.

What is your favorite feature your baby monitor should have? Do you know how to choose a baby monitor now?

Feel free to let us know in the comments below, but if you have any questions – don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments down below!

And if you have loved the post – we’d appreciate it if you would share it so others can learn something valuable as well!

Scroll to Top