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Five things to look out for when buying a baby monitor
With the price of baby monitors ranging from surprisingly affordable to eye-wateringly expensive, parents-to-be often put pressure on themselves to spend over the odds. There are many monitors towards the lower end of the scale that will offer more than enough functionality, so plan out exactly what you want out of your purchase and research which attributes would suit your needs best.
Here are five things to look out for to make sure you get the best monitor for your baby and for your budget.
1. Range
If you live in a relatively small house or you’re going to be spending most of your time only a couple of rooms away from the nursery while your baby is sleeping, then there’s no need to pay extra for a monitor with a better communication range. If you’re going to be right over the other side of the house or spending time in the garden during the afternoon nap for instance, then it might be worth looking into higher-range models.
2. Interference
It’s important that you’re aware that your baby monitor could be affected by interference if your neighbours have children and own a monitor that transmits on the same channels as your chosen model. It’s worth checking with your neighbours if you’re in any doubt at all. Cordless telephones could also cause a problem so if you’re worried about this potential issue go for a monitor with added interference security.
Digital monitors are better for avoiding interference than analogue models, so if you’re in any doubt go for a digital model.
3. Medium price extras
Many baby monitors offer a number of ‘nice to have’ features that can offer further reassurance to both parent and baby, such as sound-activated lights and music. Some models even allow you to load your own choice of lullabies to help your child drift off to sleep. Other features include built-in timer functions to remind you when it’s time for baby’s next feed. While these types of features are far from essential, they can offer good value if you get good use out of them.
4. High end extras
If you’re prepared to stretch your budget a little then you can get hold of baby monitors with heightened safety features such as motion sensor mats that can alert you if your baby hasn’t moved for a set amount of time. Some monitors even have video camera technology to allow parents to keep an eye on their baby from a separate room or take pictures via a screen on the handset. The video screen monitors are becoming increasingly popular with prospective parents.
5. Rechargeable battery
Buying a baby monitor with an in-built rechargeable battery can save you a huge amount of money over the long run. By using a dock or charger to keep your monitor powered you can be sure that you’ll always be in a position to monitor your child rather than having to make a mad dash to the local shop to buy some replacement batteries.
