Expectant moms should be sure to purchase wireless, not wired, baby monitors. Wireless devices usually offer greater comfort to Mom since she can move around freely while still monitoring her baby, whereas a wired device limits the parent or guardian to one room only and requires expensive equipment and labour to install.
Wired baby monitors also come with a set of safety concerns, and there have been incidents of babies getting tangled in and choked by the cords from wired baby monitors. A wireless device allows you to monitor your baby as long as you are within range of its signal, which extends beyond 1,000 feet in some models.
The Average Range
The range of most baby monitors has improved in recent years, with products such as First Years Crisp & Clear Double Audio Monitor offering a range of 700 to 750 feet. For moms who are frequently outside gardening or working on projects throughout the house, I advise a monitor with a range of 700 feet or more. For moms who tend to spend most of their time in the house with their baby, they can go with a monitor with a range of about 350 to 400 feet.
In addition to the range, you should also look at the wireless technology that your baby monitor utilizes. Some use radio frequencies while an increasing number of baby monitors make use of digital audio wireless systems with Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT), which usually offers a range of up to 300 feet.
The advantage of using DECT over radio frequencies is that transmits data more effectively and you will receive less interference (static). DECT transits cleaner audio and video than baby monitors that use radio frequencies, which can also pick up a number of other sounds from neighbours or nearby appliances such as microwaves and cordless telephones.
Apart from interference, analogue baby monitors (baby monitors that use radio waves to transmit data) are at risk of being intercepted by scanner receivers or other baby monitors, which to those who prioritize privacy, might be an issue.
The next thing you should consider is whether you want a baby monitor that makes use of one or two-way communication. A two-way communicator will allow you or a caregiver to talk or sing to the baby from a distance, which is useful for those times when the baby is agitated and needs a familiar voice to soothe him or her. A one-way baby monitor, on the other hand, will only allow the parent to listen in on baby. Higher end baby monitors with two-way communication may also allow mom to preset soothing music and play it at any time.
While more expensive, I generally recommend going with a two-way baby monitor if your budget permits. Some models of baby monitor come equipped with two receivers so that both Mom and Dad can listen in to Baby separately so long as they are within range of the signal, and they can also communicate with one another using their receivers. Some baby monitors even integrate with wireless security cameras, though this option is probably unnecessary for most.
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