As a parent, there are certain things you need to have at your disposal when there’s a baby in the house. Many of these things are obvious, but one that sometimes gets overlooked is a baby monitor. Yes, this is such an essential thing to have in your home, yet it gets forgotten about mainly because it’s a small item and you’re caught up on things like cribs, changing tables, and so on.

Today, you’re going to learn everything there is to know about buying a baby monitor. This guide will help you become more informed, letting you make the best decision when buying your monitor.

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What is the purpose of a baby monitor?

A baby monitor is basically a device that you put in a room with your baby and it relays information back to you. Old baby monitors were basically like walkie talkies, alerting you to any sounds your baby would make. These days, they’re far more advanced – but we’ll talk more about that in a later section. 

In essence, the whole point of baby monitors is to keep track of your baby and make sure they’re okay. It’s impossible to be in the same room as your baby all the time, so think of a monitor as CCTV for babies! That’s the best way to explain it; you monitor their behavior and can go running to them if something is amiss. 

What types of baby monitors are there?

When shopping for baby monitors you will come across three main types:

• Audio 
• Video
• Smart

Audio baby monitors are the most traditional, consisting of two separate units. One is the baby unit, which stays with the baby, the other is the parent one. When turned on, you can listen through the parent unit to hear the sounds coming from the baby’s room. It’s handy to hear if your baby is upset and needs some assistance.

Video baby monitors are the same, only the baby unit has a camera that sends a live stream through to the parent unit. You can still hear everything, but there’s the added benefit of being able to see how your baby is as well. This can be super useful if you see them perhaps crawling under their blanket, which is potentially dangerous as they might suffocate.

Finally, smart baby monitors are like video ones, only with one unit. The baby unit casts a stream to an app that you can download onto multiple devices. Both are connected via wifi, meaning you can actually view the monitor from anywhere in the home – or outside of your home. As long as your phone has an internet connection (and the internet is still working in your house) you can open up the app and see your child. 

What features do you need to look for?

Clearly, audio and video capabilities are features in their own right. The higher quality of video and audio, the better. You also need to look for signal ranges on non-smart devices. This will determine how far the two units can get from one another before the signal cuts out and you can’t use the baby monitor. 

Realistically, a smart baby monitor is the way forward as you don’t need to worry about things like signal and range. They also tend to come with the latest features and the best video quality. Of course, they are also more expensive, so it’s entirely up to you. The more features a baby monitor has, the more expensive it tends to be.

Where do you put a baby monitor?

After buying a baby monitor, you need to work out where to put it. Ideally, if you have a video one, it needs to be placed somewhere that helps you see the baby. As you can see from some of this nursery furniture from Cuckooland, a chest of drawers or a baby changing unit will be perfect for positioning a baby monitor on. Ensure it’s angled to see the crib, and you’re good to go. 

If you only want an audio baby monitor, the placement doesn’t need to be as specific. Generally, you need it close to your baby to pick up as many noises as possible. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t put your baby monitor in the crib with your child. This is a potential safety hazard as they might hurt themselves on it. Again, placing it on some furniture close to the baby will be your best bet. 

In summary, buying a baby monitor begins by figuring out what type of monitor you need. Smart ones are undoubtedly the best, but it’s understandable if you’d rather save money and opt for one of the other two options.