Baby Monitors

Baby monitors will give you the peace of mind that even when you're elsewhere in the house, you're still keeping tabs on your sleeping baby and will be able to hear if she wakes or if there's a problem.

Many different types and models are available, with different features and prices. How can you choose between them?

Audio, Video or Movement

The three main types of monitor are audio, video and movement. As you'd probably guess from the names, an audio unit lets you monitor by sound, while a video monitor will also let you see into the nursery without risking waking your child. A breathing monitor will also monitor your child's natural breathing movements and alert you if nothing is detected for 20 seconds or so.

Audio monitors are the least expensive, and are perfectly adequate for most people. However, a video type will mean you can reassure yourself that all is okay without actually going into the nursery and risking disturbing your baby. This may be especially useful in those first few paranoid weeks of your baby sleeping alone, when you're constantly checking that she's okay!

A full breathing monitor may not seem necessary, but can be especially comforting to parents of - for instance - premature babies, or others who may have a special reason to want more extensive monitoring.

Mobile or Fixed

With most monitors, the base unit (transmitter) is fixed in the nursery near to where baby is sleeping, and plugged into a mains socket. The listening unit (receiver) can be fixed or mobile, where the mobile option obviously gives you more freedom to move around the house.

Even the mobile units will need to be powered though, so most models come with a fixed charging unit that you'd probably want to keep in your bedroom, which lets the unit charge overnight, while you carry the receiver around in the hours between baby's bedtime and your own (or possibly minutes if you're especially sleep-deprived).

Channels

Baby monitors are a kind of radio device and can be affected by interference from other radio transmitters in the area. Make sure that the monitor you buy lets you select between more than one radio channel, so that if interference is a problem you've got a chance to change channel and avoid it.

Digital or Analogue?

Traditional monitors were analogue, while more modern ones are digital. What does this mean? Basically, a digital one will usually have clearer sound quality, be less affected by interference, but will probably be more expensive.

Range

Make sure that the monitor has a long enough range for your needs. If you're living in a small apartment then range probably isn't an issue, but if, for example, you have a garden then in the summer months you'll probably want to make sure your monitor will still work there rather than you having to stay indoors.

Prices

Prices vary widely, with the cheapest available at less than £20, and rising to over £100 even for just an audio monitor, more for video or breathing monitors. All will work perfectly well, but it's worth getting the best one you can afford - you need to trust that a monitor is working correctly, or you'll forever be going checking on your baby, which rather defeats the object of getting a monitor in the first place!

Featured Audio Monitor

John Lewis Baby Monitor Plus
	The John Lewis Baby Monitor Plus has a white satin finish and features DECT technology which means that it has digital sound clarity and security. There's one baby unit which sits beside the bed and one remote unit which allows you to hear baby. Features include: Room temperature monitor with upper and lower limit and alert Visual sound indication and alert 5 level digital volume control Sound sensitivity setting Parent talkback to baby unit 5 polyphonic lullabies Remote control of night-light on baby unit Torch on parent unit Digital clock Baby feed timer and alert Range of 300 metres outdoors and 50 metres indoors in ideal conditions Range ‘Link’ LED and sound alert Multilingual (English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian) Low battery power indication ‘Find parent unit’ function Travel bag
£60 from John Lewis - More Info >>>

Featured Video Monitor

John Lewis Baby Monitor Plus
	The John Lewis Baby Monitor Plus has a white satin finish and features DECT technology which means that it has digital sound clarity and security. There's one baby unit which sits beside the bed and one remote unit which allows you to hear baby. Features include: Room temperature monitor with upper and lower limit and alert Visual sound indication and alert 5 level digital volume control Sound sensitivity setting Parent talkback to baby unit 5 polyphonic lullabies Remote control of night-light on baby unit Torch on parent unit Digital clock Baby feed timer and alert Range of 300 metres outdoors and 50 metres indoors in ideal conditions Range ‘Link’ LED and sound alert Multilingual (English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian) Low battery power indication ‘Find parent unit’ function Travel bag
£60 from John Lewis - More Info >>>

Featured Breathing / Movement Monitor

Respisense Ditto Breathing Effort Baby Monitor
	Respisense Ditto is a unique sensor baby monitor alarm that can be used anywhere your baby sleeps. Now with user Replaceable battery Respisense Ditto has same functions as Respisense Buzz. Monitors Baby Tummy Movement with Sensors and alarms if no movement detected in 15-20 seconds Sensor Baby Monitor that clips onto baby's nappy. Fully portable. Customer replaceable battery (NEW) Ergonomic water resistant design. Use it anywhere in the car, granny's lap, in a pram or even in the garden About Respisense Baby MonitorRespisense was designed by a father and extensively tested on his own triplets. It has been designed for use on babies from 0 - 12 months old.Weighing just 33grams and only 5.5cm x 3.5cm x 1.9cm Respisense Ditto will not be uncomfortable for your baby and will not snag. Respisense Ditto does not need to be attached to your baby's skin and you do not require Pads. Medical Testimonial"I certify that I have been using three "Respisense" devices as apnoea monitors on some e...
£76.99 from Baby Monitors Direct - More Info >>>