Mom's Best Baby Monitor Picks and Tips

ARE ALL BABY MONITORS ALIKE?
Of course they aren’t; they range in price from $30 to ten times that amount so there has to be a reason. Manufacturers have to add a few bells and whistles to justify the wide difference in price. I just stuck this up there to lead everybody to the REAL question.

IS THE BEST BABY MONITOR GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE?
What we really want to know is whether or not a cheap monitor is just as good as a high end monitor. Who wants to spend big bucks only to learn they would have had everything they needed for much, much less.

Here’s where things get a little complicated; some parents report that the cheap analog baby monitor that cost $30 was the best baby monitor ever. Others aren't willing to give up the sound clarity (and privacy but more on that in a minute) or visual experience that they get from more expensive models.

The best advice I can give you is to learn what kind of monitors are available, read lots of baby monitor reviews to see which features you really want to pay for and THEN price shop. After you read reviews you may learn that there are some very affordable products out there that may be very satisfactory.

HOW MANY KINDS ARE THERE?
That depends on whether you want to count two tin cans connected by a string placed close to the baby’s crib or just the modern versions? Seriously, technology advances so quickly that the best baby monitors today are obsolete in a few short months so read fast and pay attention!

Here are the most common types:

• Audio Monitors - These monitors only allow you to hear sounds that your baby make and come in digital and analog versions.

• Motion Sensing Monitors - The best baby monitor for parents who want to be aware of baby’s every move, these monitors pick up even the slightest movement.

• Baby Video Monitor – These are helpful for parents who like to see as well as hear baby. It seems like it was only yesterday when digital baby monitors were the hottest thing going. But now, the latest thing is the (wireless) WiFi baby monitor that sends streaming video and audio to your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, PC and Mac! (I’m typing like crazy so the wireless baby monitor doesn’t become old news before I finish this article!)

What to look for.
Regardless of whether you will be satisfied monitoring your baby by sight or sound, there are some common complaints that moms have with even the best baby monitors that may (or may not be) important to you.

Such as:

• Sound clarity - Many monitors allow too much background noise. To address this issue, shop for a monitor that will allow you to adjust the microphone’s sensitivity for the best sound quality.
• The monitors drain the batteries creating the need to replace or recharge them too often.
• The sound wasn’t loud enough to be heard over normal household noise.
• There was too much static and interference. Digital provides the clearest reception. Analog monitors are reported to have more problems with static.

  Analog monitors are very cheap but may provide cheap entertainment for your neighbors. Proceed with caution if maintaining the privacy of your household and that of your neighbors is important to you.

  To eliminate these worries, the best solution would be to get a more secure, digital monitor.

The best baby monitors have all these bases covered plus highly rated features like:

• Extra receivers
• Nursery temperature and humidity displays (Maintaining proper nursery temperature is very important in SIDS prevention!)
• Walkie-Talkie capabilities. (One feature that has never made sense to me.)
• Lighted display

Those are the very basics of shopping for the best nursery monitors available today. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask and please consider contributing a review if you have experience with a particular brand to pay it forward.

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