The Word on . . . Monitors

Baby monitors are great for peace of mind for many parents. Monitors really come into their own if you've got a two-story house, or your baby's room is some way from the kitchen or living areas of your home. Many monitors these days do more than just let your know when your baby is crying. Some monitor movement, measure temperature, act as a night light, play lullabies and even have video capabilities! 

What to look for:

On the baby unit:

  1.  Mains operation, and battery operation if you want to use it in areas without mains power (eg. camping)
  2.  A night light, if you intend to use one anyway

On the parent unit:

  1.  Mains and battery operation, so you can take the unit with you in and around the house
  2.  Volume control
  3.  A light display to indicate the sound level, if you want to see the noise your child makes rather than hear it – for example, when you’re watching TV or vacuuming, or if you (or your babysitter or other carers) have problems with hearing

On both units:

  1. At least two different frequencies to choose from
  2. Power-on light
  3. Battery condition indicator
  4. Automatic battery back-up is useful in areas where power failures are common
  5. A cord long enough for your set-up

Additional features to consider: 

  1. Movement sensor pads; these pads fit under the cot mattress and are very sensitive; should a baby stop moving an alarm can sound either alerting you or startling the baby  i.e. no movement for approximately 15-20 seconds will trigger an alarm. 
  2. Video monitoring; you can now view baby in the cot. Many also have night vision so you can view baby even when its dark
  3. Temperature monitor
  4. Plays Lullaby's and tunes
  5. Two way communication capability so you can soothe baby with your own voice or yell out "honey, get me a fresh nappy"

Reception Issues 

Reception is the  biggest issue we find with sound monitors. Sound or radio waves can be affected by lots of things including: distance, house construction like concrete slabs and even metal roofs. Also other wireless devices like cordless phones, mobile phones, WiFi networks and even some games can interfere with the sound quality. A clear line of sight will in most circumstances ensure adequate reception. If you cant resolve the problem, bring it back to the store and we can send it away for testing.