Product Spotlight: Baby Monitors

rivercitynik · March 2020

We are off by one week, so I'll post this one today and then this week's spotlight (newborn clothes) in the next few days!

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions about, S+TMs to share their prior experience with, and everyone to share what they're eyeing in the world of maternity, baby and postpartum products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week we're discussing Baby Monitors.

To view past Product Spotlights or the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DzmfbSu7toufv3p1VWNu1XOXDaU-tbI5FEfV8av46pc/edit?usp=sharing

WishesSheCouldCook · March 2020

We currently have a samsung that’s about 4 years old. It’s on its last leg the battery won’t stay charged and the camera quality has gone way down it was around 200.

We are going to get this moterola it’s 170 currently for 2 cameras. We have a main floor master kids are upstairs so we like both to have cameras
Motorola Video Baby Monitor - 2 Wide Angle HD Cameras with Infrared Night Vision and Remote Pan, Tilt, Zoom - 5-Inch LCD Color Display with Split Screen View, Room Temperature and Sound Alert MBP50-G2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078KHGL79/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n0ZFEb0F3E5K9

whl1013 · March 2020

Right now, what is on my registry is the Lollipop baby monitor. Here's the link to the Amazon page:
https://www.amazon.com/Lollipop-Camera-Crying-Detection-Turquoise/dp/B07MGKBCWC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2IPK3S9LPAV4K&keywords=lollipop%2Bbaby%2Bmonitor&qid=1584811943&s=baby-products&sprefix=the%2Blollipop%2Bba%2Cbaby-products%2C164&sr=1-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE4M09LREdQSFlLSFMmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0OTQyNTAySUlVMVRCSFVQWDlLJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2MjM3NTgxTTNDUk5QVTNTRUhNJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1
I
've read a lot of reviews on baby monitors, and it seems as though there are drawbacks to each one - like there's not a clear frontrunner in this category. I found out about the Lollipop through the product comparisons and reviews on The Fathercraft site.
Link: https://fathercraft.com/lollipop-baby-monitor-review/
They compare some products and have some videos that are helpful. To be in full disclosure, the Fathercraft guys are really good friends of ours, so maybe I'm a bit biased. I'm not entirely set on this choice, but for now it seems like a good option that's not outrageously expensive.

pengy16 · March 2020

We did the basic sound only baby monitor with DS1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NG5UF4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Mb7FEb539W3XZ
We will reuse it for this baby. As DS1 got older we decided to get a video monitor (age 3-4 when sound wasnt enough to understand what was going on) but we just got a Wyze camera from Amazon so we can check it from our phone. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Cd7FEb5R013TM
We will probably do the same thing for this baby too.

sarah0985 · March 2020

Stm. But I have a question. I was against a video monitor but H was all for it and I actually really liked it when she was smaller. We got one with night vision. It worked great at night time. But nap time was a different story. It’s never dark enough to kick on night vision but it’s too dark to see anything.

So, does anyone have/know of a camera you can control when night vision kicks on and when it doesn’t? Does something like this exist?

I am against any WiFi cameras.

RedBaramid · March 2020

Hey just wanted to chip in on what we did. My husband and I got this for DD. We're pretty firmly sound only people. Having a video monitor was just going to get us to wake up and stare at her more which would have led to less sleep and more anxiety checking than the sound only one ever did for us. I've got friends on both sides of the fence as far as video monitor and no video monitor, and most of them agreed that it was more useful when they started getting older, but when they were young it kind of led to more anxiety and staring at a tiny screen looking for signs of life. In the end you've just gotta know what will help you the most and be aware if you catch yourself fixating and if something is causing you more fear. We've still got our monitor, we'll reuse for this kid, but it's looking like we're gonna be room sharing due to our living situation so honestly we're not gonna need it for a long time anyway.

[Deleted User] · March 2020

Agreed, with room sharing, we barely used it for the longest time. Now that DD is sleeping in her own room, and it seems like it might be a pain to move and rearrange things, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Mostly it's set up in the next room over and I just listen for audio. 🤷

rivercitynik · March 2020

This has been one of the areas where I feel stumped about which route to go. Currently I'm registered for this monitor but would love to hear from STM+ about which features were important to them or anything else I should consider before buying.

sarah0985 · March 2020

@redbaramid that was why I was against video as well. But I found myself able to put limits on myself. And when my daughter had heart/oxygen issues and was eventually also diagnosed with sleep apnea I found the video incredibly reassuring for my anxiety. It’s definitely all about each individual person but it’s where I’ll admit I was glad my husband was adamant about the video.

@rivercitynik my only requirement was no WiFi. WiFi can be hacked and in theory a non-WiFi can also be hacked but someone would have to be sitting outside my house in the limited distance my camera projects with the correct brand to pick up the signal.

I do appreciate about mine that it plays music and I can move the frame from my monitor. It also has the capability to talk to the camera but I found that freaked my daughter out and now that she’s nearly 3 it’s just a game if we try to use it.

ziggymama06 · March 2020

@sarah0985 Thanks for the info. Which model do you have? I prefer to not have wifi as well, but like the idea that I can turn on video if I want.

[Deleted User] · March 2020

I also like talking through it, but mostly DH and I use that to talk amongst ourselves instead of shouting up the stairs. I really like ours, except the battery doesn't hold a charge. I keep meaning to contact customer service about that...

coldlife · March 2020

We have never had a monitor. We registered for the Infant Optics DXR-8 because it's one of the highest rated non-wifi options.

I think it really would be nice to have but (obviously since we've never had one) isn't a must have. We've lived in several different houses, and I've never had an issue with not being able to hear our children when they wake up crying. My children currently sleep upstairs whereas H and I are downstairs. I can always hear them when they wake up, and that typically includes coos and "talking," not just sobs.

If I think they've woken up but I'm not sure, I just go and listen through the door and can usually hear if there is or isn't movement.

[Deleted User] · April 2020

DH finally moved the camera into her room, now that she is sleeping in there, and I have to say, it is a whole new world! It's a little weird bc it's going to need to be wall-mounted to see the whole room, but so far I love it!

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