Product Spotlight: Baby Monitors

miss_lynn9

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Baby Monitors!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For FTMs...

Any monitors you're interested in?

STMs....

What monitor do you have?

Do you have an audio or video monitor?

Any features you really like?
Any features you don't like? 
Features you wished it had? 

To view the upcoming PSS schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rQbG7NW_gG7e0zPEbfsTtC0BVCpGPKdi-Ss1XgrKYW8/edit?usp=drivesdk

Next up: Baby Apparel 

knottieb4439e893816334e

Wyze pan cam security cameras. Me and hubby can download the app and see whenever we want. We bought two cameras and memory cards about 115 bucks. The app is free.

miss_lynn9

I went with the Phillips Avent monitor. It was really important to me that I got a low EMF monitor and of course privacy. But I also wanted a video option. 

I like that it has different settings, so you can do just video, just sound, eco mode, and VOX mode which is what I use. It only turns on with movement or sound, otherwise it's off. 

I love that it also has a music option so I can play some music on a timer. It's been so helpful. Even now that she's 2, if she wakes up with a nightmare or just starts crying, I turn it on and she immediately goes back to sleep. 

I highly recommend it. 

firecracker_mama

Ugh I'm trying to figure out what 2 camera monitor system I want. Prefer non-wifi, would like to have ability to see both kids at the same time. 

miss_lynn9

@firecracker_mama the Lereve has two cameras and isn't on wifi. I haven't tried it so I have no idea how good it is. 

Wishilivedinflorida

We have some Vtech two camera system for both our kids now. DS is 5 and pretty independent so his gift to the baby is his camera. 🤣 It is Wi-Fi enabled but H assured me it’s not hackable. He’s more tech savvy than me. Video quality has gotten better over the years. This replaced my original unit whose power input jack broke and couldn’t be repaired a couple years back and is going strong. We take it on trips and I use it outside in the warmer months to monitor nap time. The range is pretty good and the connection is adjustable to either the camera itself or the router, whichever is closer. 

All in all this is one of those things that I don’t really believe there is a stand out product that beats others. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Highly recommend a system that can add cameras for any FTM who are fairly sure they will have more kids close in age. 

disneybaby23

Has anyone tried the owlet or similar heartbeat style monitors/cameras? I’m so curious what the opinions are on them. 

muggsd

We are old school and only have an audio monitor. It’s angelcare and I like it though! 

I will be needing a second one for this baby since we are moving our two oldest downstairs, so I’ll move the audio monitor to their room so I can hear if they need something. I’d like to get a video one but hopefully something that doesn’t break the bank. 

firecracker_mama

@disneybaby23 I decided against a cardiorespiratory monitor. The actual video monitor may be ok but the AAP recommends against the cardiorespiratory monitors such as the owlet. They aren't proven to be accurate, have no official accuracy testing, have reports of burning children's feet, and have given false alarms and resulted in unnecessary ER visits that usually expose the child to testing that's not needed and/or viruses from being in the ER that then make them sick. 

Following safe sleep guidelines as set by the AAP (ABCs) has been proven as the most effective way to safely have your child sleep and prevent SIDS/SUID. 



As for my above question, I'm looking into the vava monitor. My mom was asking if I needed anything and I might ask her for that!

Edit: spelling/grammar

marebear15

@disneybaby23 - We've used the Owlet for the past 3 babies, but I'm not sure what we are going to use this time. Owlet got sued for marketing the Owlet as a medical device when it hasn't undergone any FDA regulating. To get around a recall, they updated their product to be a "sleep tracking" device. So now instead of heart rate and oxygen levels in real time, it's an average over 10 minutes. My version of the sock 2.0 is dead, and I don't want to buy the new version, so idk what to do.

We still have the Owlet camera installed in the old girls' room, now DS's room. And we use a cheap sound monitor for the nursery, just so I make sure I can hear the baby wake.

disneybaby23

@firecracker_mama@marebear15 well that answers my questions on these. Lol. They really market the heck out of them but that seems super crazy and not worth it if they have all these problems and don’t actually do what they say they do. Thanks!!