Product Spotlight 01/20: Baby Monitors

wanderlustsoul

Hi everyone! This week we're spotlighting baby monitors, those magical devices that help us get some rest in a different room from baby. 

What baby monitors do people have? What functionalities of your baby monitors do you use? Just audio-visual or do you also play lullabies or talk to your babies? And in a larger sense, what were your guidelines and recommendations for choosing one? Range? Image quality? The attraction of WiFi-enabled apps on your phone? Connection security? Would or did you choose the same one for a second baby and beyond? Please share!

Prior and Upcoming Product Spotlights

wanderlustsoul

I never had a baby monitor until my DS was 8 months old and then we moved and no longer live in a 1 floor apartment. I have the lollipop camera and I love it. It's easy to set up, easy to travel with, and easy to use the app. It has a privacy setting so you can only get it if you're on the same wifi and within range. Sometimes I forget and turn off my wifi and can't figure out why it won't work. 

I hate traditional monitors because it fuels my anxiety if it's just on and I can hear him. This one I just close and open if I need to check on him or before I go to bed. I never need a monitor to hear him as his bedroom is right beside ours and, unfortunately for me, I hear him if he cries, even if he's just crying out between sleep cycles. 

We will get a 2nd one and I can split screen in the app to see both kids. 

tiggywiggles

We have a Motorola with 2 cameras.  We can split screen or have it rotate between cameras or stay on one unless there is noise from the other.  The only thing I don't like is the battery life on it.  We dont use it frequently but if we are having a bon fire I like to know if anyone is stirring.  

karacc18

Following here because with my other two I had a Summer Infant monitor and the first one died and I needed to buy a new one, and now i need a third because the second Summer Infant died. Needless to say, I will not be buying another Summer Infant. I've heard good things about the lollipop and the motorola, so I need to definitely look at cost because it will only be used for one baby. 

DuchessOfCambridge

We had the Infantino Optics and it was fantastic. We switched to the Nest even though WiFi kind of freaks me out because H said he could set it up so it can’t be hacked and we need the playback option to check on DS. He’s at risk for seizures so it gives me peace of mind to know if he’s acting strange one morning I can look back at the night and see if anything happened. I like being able to see and talk to them, and I think they like knowing it too, it’s as if they’re not alone

kime783

We desperately need baby monitor suggestions. Our first was infant optics and was great with the exception of the monitor kept dying. The first time was in the warranty period so was replaced free
of cost (only down side is you had to send in your monitor and they had to receive it before sending the replacement). Then the replacement monitor eventually stopped working and just a monitor was close to or near $100. So we ended up getting a summer monitor which I’m not in love with but is fine for our two year old. Ideally I’d love to find an option that has the ability to use a phone app but also have a monitor too. 

marikkita12

we live in a small apartment so we just do audio. I added a video monitor to our registry just for fun but since the baby will be in our room first and then in the same room as big brother, we will just stick with that. 

If we get a video one, it will definitely not be one that is wifi enabled. My friend’s neighbor hacked into their wifi monitor (to prove to them how easy it could be done even with extra security in place) and started talking to the kid. I’m a really light sleeper so I don’t need a whole lot of fancy stuff. 

My friends husband started doing research on monitors (she was 30 weeks pregnant with her second when her 3.5 year old was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes) and he found that in the long run buying security cameras as opposed to something labeled “baby monitor” functioned just as well if not better and was significantly more cost efficient 

knottie9e7fa67ce498487a

I just want an audio one - otherwise i ll be stressing out and looking at the screen all thd time instead of working or sleeping.

I ll get the philips 580, following one of my friends advice: being able to start a lullaby or some lights show from the parent unit to calm down baby. It s twice more expensive than normal audio baby phone, but still cheaper than all smart devices or cameras that are trendy these days.