All parents want to keep an eye on their children at all times, but this is entirely impossible. There comes a time when you need to get a little sleep, spend some intimate time with your spouse, or just put away the clean laundry that you managed to wash earlier in the day. Keeping up with a busy household can be complicated with children of any age in the home, but many types of baby monitors make the work much easier to manage.
A baby monitor system includes a transmitter unit and at least one receiver unit. The transmitter unit has a microphone built in so it can send sound waves to the receiver unit, which is tuned to the same sound frequency. The transmitter is placed in the baby’s room, preferably somewhere close to the crib or bassinet. The receiver can be placed anywhere in the home, and wireless units can be carried from room to room for continuous monitoring of the baby.
There are now many types of baby monitors on the market, and they each have their advantages and disadvantages over the other types. This quick guide will help you determine a good baby monitor and which type is best for your lifestyle and home.
Basic Categories
There are two primary categories of baby monitors currently on the market:
1. Audio baby monitors
2. Video baby monitors
Audio monitors were the first to be introduced. They pick up sound from the room being monitored and report those sounds through the receivers. Video monitors do the same thing, but they also pass live video recordings of what is happening inside the room. These monitoring systems are more expensive, but they also give greater peace of mind for parents.
Extended Categories
Within those two primary categories are different types of baby monitors with more specific features. The analog audio monitor is the most basic option, and also the most affordable. It may also be the least reliable option. More advanced audio baby monitors that transfer sound in digital format are more reliable, and wireless systems are the most convenient. Wireless receivers can be taken anywhere in the home easily, since they never need to be plugged up.
Some audio monitors allow two-way communication between the baby and parent. This is one of the most unique types of baby monitors because parents can signal music to be played in the baby’s room or just reassure them vocally when they start to cry or get restless. These monitors make it possible to put a baby back to sleep without actually entering the room.
The most basic video baby monitor incorporates a small video camera in the transmitter unit and an LCD screen on the receiver unit. Some of these screens are quite small and do not display finer details well, but others are large and give an up-close view of the room being monitored.
More advanced video baby monitors allow monitoring from remote locations through a computer. For example, a working mother may be at work while monitoring her sleeping baby back home. This is an excellent way for parents to monitor activities of babysitters at home with their little ones. There are also wireless video baby monitors which are easier to move around the home.
With All These Types of Baby Monitors Should You Go Wireless?
It may seem like the most beneficial types of baby monitors are the wireless systems, but that is not necessarily true. Some homes experience so much interference from wireless routers, phone systems, and neighboring monitors that wireless baby monitors can become quite a hassle. In that case, choosing a monitor that can be changed to different frequencies is essential.
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