Product Spotlight baby monitors

galactickates · July 2018

Let's talk about baby monitors!

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ladystout08 · July 2018

I let my husband pick ours b/c he's the techy in our house and we ended up nabbing a cloud cam on Prime day.

saltedcaramel518 · July 2018

My qualifications for a baby monitor were, video monitor, preferably in color, and NOT WiFi-enabled. I wanted something that had a parent unit because I didn’t want to have to use my phone as a screen.

We got the Summer Infant wide view. The only complaint I have is that the battery gave out about a month ago, but I was able to get a new rechargeable battery on Amazon for $15, so it really wasn’t a big deal. It’s never malfunctioned. It also has a walkie-talkie feature, where you can push a button on the monitor screen and your voice comes through a speaker on the camera.

It has the ability to have multiple cameras set up with the same parent unit, so we’ll get another camera for the new baby’s room. I’m 100% not ready for DS to not have a monitor in his room, especially when he moves out of his crib.

bdream0916 · July 2018

We will be going old school and getting the good old two way radio sort. I've read a lot about how the high radio frequencies required for the more techy ones are really disruptive on baby sleep. And since we don't know the full effects of wifi and radio waves on our little developing babies, I'm going to play it safe.

emmaaa · July 2018

We got the basic two way monitor https://www.target.com/p/vtech-two-parent-digital-audio-baby-monitor-with-night-light-and-talk-back-intercom-dm221-2/-/A-13945525

The sound on these pick up amazingly. The base is on her dresser across her room and I can literally hear her breathe at night. It has two parent units and we just keep them both plugged in at all times. One is in our bedroom and the other in the living room. If I have to step outside during her nap or something, I can grab one and walk out and it still picks up fine. I also like that it has the walky talky feature and we can talk to her through it if needed. I feel like this will come in handy as she gets older. I feel like the battery of the parent unit would last at least 24 hours if you didn't have it plugged up but we never leave off for long.

For some, the downside would be that there is not a video. This wasn't important to us because I knew I'd be crazy and just constantly watch it and probably freak out. I do get the convenience and how it's nice for some but it never felt necessary for us.

For reference, DD's bedroom is on the second floor and we are on the first. She stayed in our room for 3.5 months before moving to her room and that was several weeks after she started STTN.

BitterBetty12 · July 2018

@emmaaa I hate the monitor I have for DD and am planning on getting new ones for she the new baby comes, BUT I feel like I would definitely miss the video. I actually use ours for sound 95% of the time but if she’s napping I’ll turn the screen on every 30min-1hr to check on her. And if I wake up any point at night I’ll just check really quick too. You really feel ok without the camera part? I’m feeling like because I use ours for sound most frequently I should maybe consider the switch. But idk!

emmaaa · July 2018

@BitterBetty12 Honestly, since I haven't even had the video part, I wouldn't know to miss it. But I never have thought, "Oh no, I wish I could see her." The sound is so good that if there is a strange noise or anything like that, I just walk upstairs and peek in on her. I can see the convenience of it and not having to do that and luckily she's a good sleeper so me opening the door doesn't wake her up.

So yes, I feel 100% comfortable with just the sound aspect because it picks up so well and has worked great for us.

pttomato · July 2018

We have the infant optics one and it is fine. I had some trouble with the power cord only working at certain angle after awhile, but I have this problem with most electronics so it might be me.

I really liked having the video. DD always woke up if we opened the door so it allowed me to check on her without waking her up. Especially if she was making noise I could see what she was up to and if she really needed help or I could wait a little bit for her to settle back down. Like if her arm was stuck in the crib versus crying out in her sleep.

We haven't used used it since she was about 18 months, now I just rely on hearing her (her room is next to ours).

BitterBetty12 · July 2018

@pttomato Ah damn. I was looking into infant optics and hoping it would fix the issue I have with my Motorola charger only working at certain angles!

saltedcaramel518 · July 2018

DS will wake up and sit quietly in his crib for 30-40 minutes, so I definitely rely on the video to see when he’s awake.

parentingishard · July 2018

We also have the Infant Optics. It was the 3rd monitor we tried and the only one that worked in our home. The others we tried had no signal on our first floor with DD's room on the second. We've been happy with it and it's very easy to take when traveling. I was avidly against a monitor with wifi.

kmvisioli · July 2018

We used a basic radio monitor with DS1, then got the Infant Optics video monitor when our twins came along. We were fine with just radio while they were babies, but liked having the video so we could keep an eye on the toddler if he was playing in his room. Now the video is really handy as we deal with toddler bed transitions.

tosh24 · August 2018

OK really dumb question: can you get a video monitor without wifi? My sister had someone hack into her monitor which was scary. With my other kids, my mom had actually saved the monitor she used with my youngest sister in the early 90's and gave it to me so that's what I used LOL! Totally old school and I was OK with that. I've never felt a need to see my kids. I just left the door open a crack and took a peek in if I needed to. I'm thinking with all my extra anxiety this time around, and the fact that I now live in a 4-level house instead of 2-level so it may be harder to know what baby is doing just by sound, I may be open to using a video monitor. But I 100% don't want anything that uses wifi.

beachmama14 · August 2018

I use the infant optics now and really like it. I think the picture is great and is still good as new 2 years later. We have 2 cameras with it and it’s easy to switch between the two rooms to check on both kids. With my first baby I had a Motorola one and the picture sucked and the cord died before I had my second one 22 months later. Wouldn’t recommend that one.

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

@tosh24 Yes, the one we have doesn’t use WiFi. A lot of monitors that have a camera and separate parent unit (screen) do not use WiFi.

The wifi-enabled ones typically can connect to your phone/tablet/computer.

LCRbelle · August 2018

How do you know when someone hacks into your WiFi camera?
We have a WiFi one for my DS and I love that I can spy when my MIL is babysitting but hear the hacking stories and that’s scary!
we had planned to just get an add on camera for what we already have but maybe we should get a new system with no WiFi!

kmvisioli · August 2018

@tosh24 that is actually why we picked the Infant Optics- I am also wigged about the WiFi hacking possibility.

Jackiemxoxo · August 2018

We use motorola because I already have 2 cameras for it but I have had to buy a new monitor. I don't recommend it because it dies after a year. It's not a bad monitor at all but something longer lasting would be better. I am just throwing this out there for anyone who is a considering a motorola.

ladystout08 · August 2018

We're pro WiFi *but* my husband works in network security for a living so our network is pretty secure. lol

LCRbelle · August 2018

@cait32 oh my goodness! That’s super creepy. Our camera doesn’t move so guess I’d never even know..

skoto · August 2018

I have a Motorola as well and it has died and had the loose cord issue but I have called motorola each time and they have sent me free replacements!

sweetyjenj · August 2018

We didn't want WiFi, wanted a good image, wanted good range, and wanted the ability to add more cameras.

At first we tried a motorola one, but the image was poor overall. The parent unit charge port in the unit broke, BUT over a year later they replaced the parent unit!!! However..after it broke we got the Infant Optics because we didn't think they'd replace the motorola one after the warranty ended, and now we're keeping both.

The Infant Optics has a GREAT image, and has the ability to add the zoom lense and wide lense, and we have both. The wide angel will be amazing when DD gets to a toddler bed. The Infant Optics was pricier than motorola, so we passed on it initially (despite my intuition) and now I wish I had just gotten it to begin with.

I can tell you we LOVE the video monitor. I use it a ton to check the temp in her room (I have a smart plug that controls a heater in the winter or fan in the summer, and I turn on/off depending on temp) and I have a 4 level house, so while in the lower level watching TV, we can check the monitor as needed without going up. Also, we learned that DD will sometimes wake up crying for like 10 seconds then fall back asleep. Or, she'll wake up and sit up, but so long as she's not standing, we learned that she'll lay back down and fall asleep. If she's standing, she's up. If I had to go into the room to check on her, or especially to talk to her, she would wake up for sure. As it is, she LISTENS when i talk back using the parent unit! It's magical, she'll lay down and fall back asleep, then in the mornign when I go in to get her she'll point to the camera haha I'm not sure she understands yet that it's me.

lacroixliz · August 2018

This has been super helpful! I added an infant optics to our registry. We may end up getting a wifi camera in the future, there is a big possibility that DH will be going on a deployment and I want him to have the ability to login and check out the baby whenever he wants to but I do not want to rely on this as our main monitor.

One plus of wifi that I hadn't thought of that a friend brought up is that they like to check in on baby while they're out to dinner and they have a sitter at home.

These are my favorite threads, thanks for all the info!

MrsHudson2014 · August 2018

I need help with this. Our current monitor has the option to add additional cameras, but i'm trying to decide if I need to add 1 or 2 more...like, do I mount one somewhere in the twin's nursery that can see both cribs? I'm not sure I'll be able to see enough that way?

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@MrsHudson2014 I would go with two more. I think it will be tough to get them both in the same shot even though it is the same room! My SIL has her twins cribs literally right next to each other and she had to get two cameras.

drabong88 · August 2018

@MrsHudson2014 agree I think you need 2 monitors. My friend with triplets had 3 when her kids were little. They stayed in a small room but an angle that worked for one crib didnt work for the others.

kmvisioli · August 2018

@MrsHudson2014 I think it depends which monitor you have and how close-up you want to see them. I used one camera with a wide angle lens in my twins' room, and it was enough for us. I actually now have all three of my boys in one big room with one camera, and it's fine! The Infant Optics camera can pan and zoom so we can see the whole room or each bed individually.

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