Keep your eye on bubs while they're fast asleep
Becoming a parent is a rollercoaster of emotions and new experiences. You’ve spent nine months with your baby tucked safely in your belly, and now that they've made it Earth-side, you can’t wait to bring them home.
When it comes to sleeping, you may have your mini-me in your room or nursery. At some point they will move into their own bedroom, and it’s quite natural to feel anxious about leaving your tiny human alone. That’s where baby monitors allow you to keep an eye and ear on your little one from anywhere in the house (outside too!).
Baby monitors provide peace of mind for parents who worry that they might not wake when baby stirs or cries, signaling it’s time for a feed – or perhaps just stretching. In today’s tech-driven world, baby monitors are almost a given, and these days they come with lots of features.
Here’s what you need to know when buying a baby monitor:
Types of baby monitors
Audio
Sound-only monitors are essentially like a walkie-talkie – they’ll let you listen to your baby as they sleep. They focus on minimising background noise so you can hear cries and coos from the crib. Many audio monitors will light-up when your baby stirs, glowing brighter as their cries get louder.
Video and audio
Watch your baby – as well as hear them! These monitors work through a small camera mounted on the nursery wall or a flat surface beside baby’s crib. Night vision provides a clearer image when the lights are off, and touch-screen features let you zoom in or tilt the camera. Some can feed a live stream to multiple cameras, helping you keep an eye out from any room in the house.
Wireless network
Most monitors use radio-frequency transmission, but these digital monitors connect to your home Wi-Fi or mobile network. For example, the Owlet Cam lets you stream audio and high-definition video of your baby directly to your smartphone via the Owlet app. Some will send your device notifications when there has been a change in movement or sound.
Key baby monitor features
Like many technology-based products, baby monitors have advanced in leaps and bounds.
Some have amazing add-ons which certainly make life easier, but there are some essential features you should consider:
- Rechargeable batteries . Pick a model that can recharge or be plugged in instead of relying on batteries.=
- Low-battery indicator . You can visually see when power is running low.
- Multiple and portable receivers . You may want a receiver that can move around the home with you. An extra handset is handy for when the other one is charging.
- Night vision. Unless you can see in the dark, a monitor with night vision will make it easier to see your sleeping baby – no matter what time of day or night it is.
- Light-up sound indicator . Look for a baby monitor with a light-up sound indicator, so if you’re on the phone, in a noisy room or don’t want to wake another sleeping family member, you can visually monitor your little one’s noise level.
- Sound and video interference filters . Background noises can make it difficult to hear your baby – and they’re not pleasant when amplified by a baby monitor. A sound activation feature will filter out white noise – and turn on when it detects your baby crying.
- DECT technology . Baby monitors that use common radio frequencies will pick up signals and interferences from all over the neighbourhood – not ideal. Digital enhanced cordless telecommunication devices (DECT) are more private because the frequency is less common than in other devices.
- Movement and room temperature sensors . This feature sounds an alarm when there has been no movement after a certain length of time, and when the room temperature goes above or below the range it has been set at.
- Talk-to-baby feature . Essentially like an intercom – this lets you soothe your baby from another room or communicate with your husband or wife when they’re with your little one.
- Lullaby and night light . Some monitors will play a tune to help your baby get to sleep. Some will also give off a soft glow which babies can find comforting in a dark room.
- Camera angle and mount . For monitors with video capabilities, consider where you want to place the camera (on a flat surface, in a clamp, on the wall) and whether you can remotely control the viewing angle.
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Multiple camera support . Set up multiple rooms with cameras that you can turn on or off as needed.
Get a good night’s rest – sort of
Being a parent can be stressful enough without running back and forth to check on your sleeping baby – especially at two AM! For some, a baby monitor might not be necessary – if your home is small for example – but parents looking for peace of mind should consider using one.
There are models available that offer a combination of features, like Oricom’s Smart HD Dual Camera Baby Monitor . The smart baby monitor features dual lenses for standard and wide-angle viewing. Simply pair the camera to the FREE HubbleClub for Partners app, and you can view both feeds simultaneously on your smart device. Lull your little one to sleep with pre-loaded nature sounds, lullabies & audiobooks, soothe them with your familiar voice using Two-Way Talk, and even track nursery room temperatures with the touch of a button to ensure your newborn is always comfortable. The Oricom HD Dual Camera shoots in 1080p HD and with pristine infrared night vision, this baby monitor provides crystal clear monitoring, even in total darkness. The OBHDUAL is the reliable friend that makes bedtime easier for the whole family, with the camera feed viewable on your Smart Device at home (not included).
