Spinoff: baby monitors

dolewhipper · January 2016

This is a spinoff of the owlet and baby monitors. I was just curious about which monitor you're choosing, or which features you really would want to have (I know one where can view from your phone is popular), if one at all. After reading and watching this, I'm a bit spooked (even though my H is in IT). Though I'm not sure if the actual, real danger this has on my family.

https://diply.com/batdad/article/stranger-hacks-monitor/2

ninji15 · January 2016

That is creepy for sure. But depending on the set up, you can get monitors that won't be hackable. I am in IT as well, so anything that isn't over a network connection would be safest of course. If it IS there should be ways to secure it. Like password protecting the router and such. Making sure the monitor you select is not directing you to a specific page and joe-schmoe could browse to. Locked accounts and such.

All-in-all I personally would avoid networked baby monitors though personally.

PhoebeJune1984 · January 2016

We don't have a video monitor. I use to be a nanny of a baby that stopped breathing a couple of times, and they used an Angelcare. It was what alerted me that he stopped breathing one day during nap time, when he was 5 months old. Had it not gone off, I would have just assumed that he was still sleeping and would have been up there an hour or two later to wake him, only to find out that I couldn't wake him and it was too late. So when we had DD, we got one for her. We only had one false alarm (it was when she was older and had wiggled off the pad area and then curled into a little ball on the far end of her crib), but it did wake us up when she was 3 months old and had spit up in the middle of the night, and was silently choking on her spit up (since she was on her back, it had nowhere to go but back down her throat).

I had a couple of friends that had the monitors but complained that they hated them because they got so many false alarms, or they were taking their babies out of the crib and the alarm wouldn't even go off. There are specific instructions (which apparently none of my friends took the time to read), that you cannot have any type of mobile or anything that makes sound or movement in (or attached) to the crib. And you have to set the sensitivity level, according to your mattress. The sensitivity level is something that you have to try out, and it didn't take long for us to find the level that worked for our mattress.

noelietrex · January 2016

We aren't buying a baby monitor. When I used to nanny the monitor drove me nuts. It was all just diaper crinkles and rolling over on the monitor and anytime the baby was fussing I could hear her from anywhere in the house or backyard so I never understood what the point was. We're using a bassinet in our room for the first 3 months while I'm home on leave and maybe after that we'll reconsider, but I'm planning to start out with no monitor and see how it goes.

soberkfell · January 2016

We had a wifi video monitor, and shortly after DS started sleeping in his crib in the evenings, I added an audio monitor. Our internet connection was at times spotty, so the wifi would cut out in the middle of the night, and the monitor couldn't reconnect. I was still able to hear him if he was crying without a monitor, but I liked being able to tell if he was breathing/struggling to breathe/etc. We still have the audio monitor in his room, and we might add the wifi monitor back when he switches to a toddler bed to make sure he's not up to any funny business when he should be sleeping. For this LO, I will likely get the Angelcare monitor.

callen10210 · January 2016

I looked at my old registry...we use Levana BABYVIEW20 Interference Free Digital Wireless Video Baby Monitor with Night Light Lullaby Camera for DD and for the most part have loved it. It's discontinued so i'll have to find a new monitor. For me i liked being able to see her not so much to make sure she was breathing but still there when i woke in the middle of the night (i know weirdo over here) it also has music you can turn on/off from the monitor....DD calls it Lala and sometimes acts like it's a living thing. With this little bean i think i want something i can view at work especially for those first few months after maternity leave.

AAAG13 · January 2016

We are planning on getting then owlet. I have just heard so many good things it's worth the investment to us. We probably won't use another monitor until the baby is moved into the nursery and out of our room. When that happens we will just go with a cheaper audio monitor since we will still be using the owlet.

dolewhipper · January 2016

AAAG13 said:

We are planning on getting then owlet. I have just heard so many good things it's worth the investment to us. We probably won't use another monitor until the baby is moved into the nursery and out of our room. When that happens we will just go with a cheaper audio monitor since we will still be using the owlet.

This is a great idea!
Thank you ladies for your thoughts, input and advise.

thebigoaktree · January 2016

DH wants to use the nest cam, since our heating is already nest'ed.

Weville · January 2016

We live in an apartment and I'm not sure how necessary a monitor is. I'd expect I will be able to hear the baby even if I'm in a different room

mrsmommya · January 2016

We had this and loved it. It is discontinued now but I am sure there is an updated version. https://www.samsungsv.com/Product/Detail/65/Samsung-SEW-3022WN-EzVIEW-Baby-Monitoring-System

elenabrent · January 2016

How many STM used the Angel Care system and felt like it made the difference in moments where a regular monitor wouldn't have been enough?

DominiqueU · January 2016

thebigoaktree said:
DH wants to use the nest cam, since our heating is already nest'ed.

Our heat and smoke detectors are from the Nest. Maybe I should stick with the system.

One day our smoke detector sent me texts that my house was on fire while I was away from home. I had to call the cops and the fire department almost broke down my front door to get it. Turns out, no fire. Just a glitch. Fantastic.

born2run911 · January 2016

elenabrent said:
How many STM used the Angel Care system and felt like it made the difference in moments where a regular monitor wouldn't have been enough?

We used Angelcare with DD. It wasn't a video monitor. The sensor pad is great when used properly. We had a few false alarms which does scare the sh*t out of you, but so worth it if it wasn't a false alarm. It also reaches quite far, we live in a 3 storey house and it works perfectly when in the basement or even when outside shovelling the driveway etc.

Brittnic531 · January 2016

I use the Summer Infant Clear Digital Video Monitor. My daughter slept in our room for the first few months and I didn't bother with a monitor until we moved her to her own room. I really like the video monitor (not connected via wi-fi; that shiz creeped me out enough that I didn't even consider it) because when she would start fussing, I could check and see whether she was really awake or just crying out in her sleep. It also has two-way communication which has proved nice now that she's older (19 months). I usually keep the volume turned down while I'm up, since I can hear her, and just use the video when she starts crying or talking to see if I need to intervene or not. It also has the option to add more cameras, which will be nice when 2.0 goes to his/her own room.

PhoebeJune1984 · January 2016

elenabrent said:

How many STM used the Angel Care system and felt like it made the difference in moments where a regular monitor wouldn't have been enough?

STM. Used the Angelcare. I wrote about it above

thebigoaktree · January 2016

DominiqueU said:

thebigoaktree said:
DH wants to use the nest cam, since our heating is already nest'ed.
Our heat and smoke detectors are from the Nest. Maybe I should stick with the system.

One day our smoke detector sent me texts that my house was on fire while I was away from home. I had to call the cops and the fire department almost broke down my front door to get it. Turns out, no fire. Just a glitch. Fantastic.

We just have the nest thermostats. Crazy about them saying your house was on fire.

Christal161 · January 2016

https://www.vtechkids.ca/en/product/detail/472/DM221_Safe_and_Sound_Digital_Audio_Baby_Monitor_?utm_medium=google_shopping&utm_source=google&gclid=CPbakOTepsoCFRCNaQodxYUEkw
We have the Vtech baby monitor. We've had it for almost 2 years and LOVE it! The range on this monitor is super wide. Ex: my neighbours, at the time, were having a yard sale and DS was napping. So I took the monitor and my keys and went outside really quick. I could still hear him perfectly and even my neighbours were imprest.

MrsRo731 · January 2016

@DominiqueU and @thebigoaktree - we just got the nest camera for our 2 year old and it's great. I regret not getting it sooner. We used the iBaby for her when she was an infant and it was a super pain in the ass; I hated it. When we moved to our current house we switched to an audio only and that was perfect for awhile. We got the camera to make sure she's not climbing out of her crib, etc. I highly recommend it. We'll most likely keep it in her room for awhile since the new LO will be in our room for the first couple months. Then we'll probably use the audio monitor once LO is in their own room.

Singingmama10 · January 2016

We have a BRU brand video monitor. It does not hook up to the internet so it can not be hacked. We've been pretty happy with it. It was probably the cheapest video monitors we could find and it does have some flaws, but I liked the fact that it couldn't be hacked.

dolewhipper · January 2016

I just want people to be aware that just because it's not on wifi doesn't mean it can't be hacked; it's actually much easier to hack into a radio frequency devise than if you're able to set up good encryption on a wifi based unit. (This coming from my IT H.) The only difference is that for radio frequency the hacker would need to be within close proximity to the device (like outside your home in their vehicle).

ETA: Here are a few tips if you are interested in making your home wifi and monitors secure:

-Buy Digital. Only buy a digital monitor that is password protected, not an analog version that operates on an open radio frequency.

-Change Default Passwords. During setup, change the factory defaults on the monitor so that the password is long, strong and device specific. This case we are talking about probably had a default password in place, making it easy to hack.

-Firewall Your Privacy. Install a firewall between your Internet connection and ALL devices to keep the peeping Toms out. Hire a professional to set it up properly.

-Lock Down Wi-Fi. Make sure your Wi-Fi network is locked down properly with WPA2+ encryption and SSID masking so it can’t be hacked or seen to the outside world.

-Turn Devices Off. If you are not using the device, turn it off, as hackers can more easily crack devices that are up 24/7.

xc1148 · January 2016

We got this one:

https://mylevana.com/product/Astra_PTZ_Baby_Video_Monitor.eng-57.html

It's really nice. Battery lasts a long time and the night vision is good. The microphone has a range from silent to really loud, so you don't have to worry about every single noise.

matryoshkadoll · January 2016

@elenabrent I use the Angelcare anytime they are sleeping/ napping alone. We never had any scares or false alarms. I am one of those people who could be looking at my baby sleeping, freak out, proceed to poke baby to make sure they are breathing. I think most STMs will admit that happened at least once.

Once they are closer to 1yo we switch to video. I got the Motorola one at target during a pretty good sale and it has worked well.

Singingmama10 · January 2016

dolewhipper said:

I just want people to be aware that just because it's not on wifi doesn't mean it can't be hacked; it's actually much easier to hack into a radio frequency devise than if you're able to set up good encryption on a wifi based unit. (This coming from my IT H.) The only difference is that for radio frequency the hacker would need to be within close proximity to the device (like outside your home in their vehicle).

Good to know... so can they see the video or just hear it? I know some of the recent scares have been that the hackers have been talking to the kids... mine isn't capable of doing this. I can't even talk to him through it I can only hear him (and see him).

dolewhipper · January 2016

Singingmama10 I believe both, not 100% sure

ETA; Definitely can intercept the frequency like a regular radio, though and listen in.

Singingmama10 · January 2016

UGH!!! Scary!!! Ok I might have to get a new one now

dolewhipper · January 2016

I hope I'm not causing anxiety, Singingmama10 , that's really not my intention

This is just some stuff I recently saw, and thought a PSA would be good. I watch too much Criminal Minds and my anxiety freaks out over little stuff like this. In the end we just do our best and use our best judgement.

elenabrent · January 2016

@dolewhipper Ah Criminal Minds. The amount of time I've spent watching it happily for hours only to scare myself into such a tizzy that I sleep with the lights on because my husband is out of town.

DominiqueU · January 2016

Bringing this thread back. I have a question for people who use a camera monitor with an app for your phone. Did you find it inconvenient to not have a separate video screen to see/hear your baby? I'm worried that with an app, I'll have to unlock my phone and open the app in order to see/hear anything. If the baby starts crying, I'd think I'd want to hear it instead of waiting until I wake up and check my phone.

It seems like you can get a good quality camera that connects to an app for a much more reasonable price. I'd just like some opinions. I really have no clue what I'm talking about.

mswings1 · January 2016

With my first we ended up just getting a basic audio monitor, it's been all we've needed up until now but as I consider switching him to a toddler bed I want a video monitor now!

DominiqueU · January 2016

We're thinking we'll get a cheap audio monitor and then also get a cheap wifi camera with an app. Just to have our bases covered and it's still a lot cheaper than most video monitors.

carcrashheart · January 2016

We have a video monitor but it isn't over wifi. The newer/better monitors don't let you hear every single sound. They're silent until a certain level of noise is made and then they kick on. So for those that are used to hearing every sound and diaper crinkle-those were old and/or cheap monitors. We had an old model Motorola last time and even that thing only kicked on if the baby made a certain amount of noise. I don't need the video once they get to a certain age but like having it now that the toddler is in his big boy bed and roaming his room.

nkob · January 2016

I have the Motorola and love it. It came with two cameras so that's a plus with the new baby coming. I like that I can see what he's doing when I hear a noise. When he's teething or sick he whimpers sometimes and if it was sound only I might be tempted to go in. With the video I can see he's asleep so I don't go in. It's a great one and we've had no problems.

We did have another monitor to start. I honestly can't remember the brand but it was one that showed the video automatically when there was noise. Drove me nuts! If he snored or did anything it would light up and that would wake me up! Plus it had white noise even on the lowest setting which drove me crazy. The Motorola is silent.

quartz02 · January 2016

we bought a Motorola video monitor and then baby slept in our room until the night before her 11 month birthday. We did install the monitor after that, but didn't really pay attention often. We lived in a small apt at the time so it was never necessary for naps.

Our plan is to have #2 in our room for a while so I'm not bothering with a nursery or the monitor just yet

kayham12 · January 2016

I have a video monitor for DD and really use it to see if I need to intervene also. I keep the sound turned off 95% of the time. Ours is one way and I turn it off when I leave for work everyday because I'm worried about hackers. It doesn't connect to the wi fi which is password protected. We also live in a very small town ~800 people and one of the 3 police officers lives two houses down. You can't be too careful.

ladythrice · January 2016

We have this Motorola Video Monitor and have been very happy with it.

We did not use any of the devices like Snuza, Angelcare, or Owlet.

Because DS slept in our room for a long time we didn't use our video monitor for months, only for occasional naps. He didn't move to his own room until he was about 7 months old for a number of reasons:

Room sharing with parents reduces the risks of SIDS for infants which peaks at 6 months.
We breastfed and DS nursed multiple times overnight until he was about 7 months old when he went down to 1 time/night.
As a nervous FTM I was very anxious anytime he was sleeping away from us. Having him in our room alleviated that concern.

It's worth noting that all monitors video, sound, vital signs, etc are great for warning you if your child is choking/suffocating in their crib. The do not help prevent SIDS. None of them do and none of them claim to do so (to my knowledge). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are a number of things parents can do to prevent SIDS. If SIDS is your concern, check out their recommendations.

slorbets · April 2016

STM's - how important/ essential is it to have temperature sensors on your monitor? I found a video monitor I love but it doesn't have a temperature sensor...we have central air/ central heating so it may not be a big issue, however if we are visiting places without central air, the temperature sensor may be more important??

whataboutscience · April 2016

@slorbets I'm glad we have it. Our heat actually failed one of the coldest nights of DD's first winter and the temperature alert woke us up sooner than we would have probably noticed. We also have a 3 story townhouse which makes it hard to keep the temperature balanced between floors. It helps us know when to adjust the vents. It has gone off several times in a year and a half and then we know to do something about it.

slorbets · April 2016

@whataboutscience which monitor do you have?

whataboutscience · April 2016

@slorbetsPhilips Avent DECT Baby Monitor with Temperature Sensor and Night Mode https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1CIGAE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_whVfxbAQTW71K

Taymiller · April 2016

slorbets said:

STM's - how important/ essential is it to have temperature sensors on your monitor? I found a video monitor I love but it doesn't have a temperature sensor...we have central air/ central heating so it may not be a big issue, however if we are visiting places without central air, the temperature sensor may be more important??

Funny you ask this. We just got a new monitor yesterday because we need two cameras and this new one has the temp sensor. I hate it. Apparently it is too close to our vent and the damn thing keeps going off saying the room is too hot. Every time the heat turns on it alerts us that the room is 80 degrees. The room is 68 and the minute the heat turns off it goes back down.

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