10 Best Baby Monitors In 2020

When you have a baby, there are a lot of things that you will need to buy for your bundle of joy who will be here before you know it. Buying a baby monitor can be a great way to keep an eye on your baby while they sleep in their crib for the night, or just for a nap in the afternoon.

But, as you start to shop around, it can be a little confusing and discouraging as there are several options on the market. So, you ask yourself what is the best baby monitor out there for my family?

Between all the options that different monitors offer and the different price points, picking the best baby video monitor can be a difficult task. To help you with this decision, we compiled the best products out there to make your decision as pain-free as possible for you.

Here are the 10 Best Baby Video Monitors for 2020.

How To Choose A Baby Monitor – Buying Guide

The quest for the best baby monitor is not an easy task. When we set out to compile a list of the 10 Best Baby Monitors for 2020, we wanted to be sure that the information we provided meets certain criteria. But how did we take all of the available monitors out there and narrow it down to 10? Here are the criteria we used to make our list.

Features

When we looked at all of the baby monitors on the market, many of them offered a wide array of different features. From the beginning, we wanted to pick a smart baby monitor with features that would be important to you while using the device to watch over your little one. With this in mind, we selected monitors with several features like video and audio, pan and tilt, hd video, rechargeable battery, and two-way audio.

Ease of set up

We are not all technical geniuses and when we looked at what was out there, we wanted to show you the best options that you wouldn’t need someone from tech support to come to your house and set up.

Price

With a baby on the way, every dollar that you will spend for your baby is likely to be thought about over and over before you ever spend it. We wanted to present you with a range of price options to cover any budget you may have. While there are some higher-priced options in our list, we also wanted to showcase some of the lesser-priced, but still excellent options for your baby nursery.

Testimonials 

Even though we went through and selected our 10 best baby monitors based on features, ease of set up and price, a big part of our list is you. More specifically, what other parents who have used the products on our list thought about the product. Their stories, pros, cons and other insights helped us provide a better well-rounded list than just using the other criteria.

Understanding the Baby Monitor Controversy

For some parents, when you lay your child down, with only the smart baby monitor and microphone to keep track of what they’re doing, there may be some fears that will worry you. What if they stop breathing? How will I be alerted?

These can be very valid fears and while there are some baby monitors on the market that you can set up to alert you if your baby stops moving, which can be an appealing feature to those new parents who have particular fears regarding SIDS, otherwise known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

However, there is some controversy regarding the use of baby monitors. There is no study on record that provides evidence that using a smart baby monitor will reduce the risk of SIDS or another sleep-related type of infant death.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institute of Health have formally denounced the use of baby monitors to reduce the risk of SIDS, stating that there is no clinical data to support.

The AAP and NIH have published a set of techniques that have been proven to help reduce the risk of SIDS or any other sleep-related infant death. Knowing and learning these techniques should be something that every parent knows in order to avoid a possible incident with their child.

FAQ

Q: Do I need a video baby monitor?

A: That depends on your lifestyle.

Many parents ask if a video baby monitor is really necessary as they cost a little more and when a new baby comes there are a lot of purchases to make. So, is a video baby monitor really worth the money?

If you live in a small two-bedroom apartment then it doesn’t seem worth the expense unless you have a nanny or babysitter that you want to make sure that this person is doing their job properly. 

Baby monitors are only really useful if you spend long hours away from your baby and want to monitor the child on your laptop or smartphone. A video baby monitor allows you to check on your baby easily, this is a good choice for anxious parents who are not experienced at the sounds a baby can make. The visual will help them relax more. 

Also, you don’t want to keep opening the door to check on the baby as this will add light to the room and might wake them up. If your child has some health issues a video baby monitor can help. You can also record those precious moments with a video monitor many times.

Q: What can I use instead of a baby monitor?

A: You can use your old phone and an app to turn it into a baby monitor. 

With advances in modern technology, apps such as Babyphone Mobile or Babyphone Deluxe, change two phones into a baby monitor. One has to stay next to the baby, the other is the current smartphone you are using, these apps work on both android and iPhone devices acting like a security camera.

The advantage of a security camera are that for traveling parents they can see and hear their baby wherever they are. Just make sure that your Wi-Fi has a secure password and also that you are not streaming your baby sleeping to the whole of the internet community. As you know the effects of Wi-Fi on use are still relatively unknown so you need to consider this when using a telephone device. 

Q: How long should I use a baby monitor?

A: That is up to the parents, but usually around 6 months when the baby has developed a routine, that is a good time to switch off the security camera for good. 

Also, at 6 months a parent can recognize the difference between cries, so they know what their baby wants. If you find yourself becoming too reliant on the security camera, switch it off! If you have a child with health problems or as of yet has not started a regular sleep patterns, then video monitors can help with your peace of mind. 

Many parents keep video monitors until their children are around 2 years old. They can also help understand when they need the bathroom, so it helps with potty training.

Q: Are baby monitors with Wi-fi safe?

A: In fact, a Wi-Fi monitor is safer than the old frequency monitors. This is because you can password protect your Wi-Fi. 

Many parents are worried that their hd video can be hacked, this is in fact very rare and if you take protective measures then even more unlikely that this could happen. 

Make sure that you have a very strong password, and that this password is not used anywhere else. Make sure that all security software updates for the camera and the app are installed.  If you are using your smartphone check the security settings on this. Also, change all the passwords frequently and only give the password to people you trust.

Q: At what age should I stop using a baby monitor?

A: This is up to you as parents, at around 6 months your baby should have settled into a routine with sleep patterns, if so, you may find that you no longer need the monitor. 

If your baby is still a little unsettled and it gives you peace of mind, then continue using it until your anxiety goes but if your room is next to the baby’s you will probably find that you don’t need it after this time.

Q: Does a 2-year-old need a baby monitor?

A: The use of a baby monitor at this age is up to the parents and the best advice can trust your gut. If you feel that your child is waking up in the middle of the night or needs the bathroom etc. then install the monitor. 

Many parents feel that they can hear their child, so they don’t need this device at this age.  Many parents will keep the baby monitor past this age as they feel that they want to see and/or hear what their child is doing. The best advice is that you know your child so only you can make that decision.

When a child moves out of their crib and into a normal bed many parents can feel anxious about their sleeping habits, so they continue using baby monitors. At this age toilet training can start, so can be useful to hear if your child needs to go to the bathroom or not.  

Q: What are the benefits of a baby monitor?

A: Owning a baby monitor can have many benefits for you and your spouse. With a baby in the house, a baby monitor set up lets you get other tasks around the house done, or even take a break while the baby is sleeping in another room, but not being too far away to attend to the baby if they cry. Because of this flexibility, we consider owning a baby monitor a must-have for any house.

Let Your Baby Sleep

Believe it or not, your baby will go to sleep. But when they do, it’s likely you will want to leave the room to get some other stuff done around the house. Obviously, you want to keep an eye on them to make sure that they get all the sleep they need without any problems. The best baby monitor will have many features that you can use to help ensure your baby has lots of uninterrupted sleep from temperature checks, heart rate, two-way audio, night vision, parent unit, and even white noise to a pannable camera to check around the room as well. Knowing that they are safe and comfortable from another room is a great feature of baby monitors.

Watch them while you’re outside

There are times when you have to step outside your house, even for a second to get the mail or talk to a neighbor passing by. Having a baby monitor can help put you at ease of worrying about stepping outside for a minute by allowing you to hear and see what your baby is doing and if there is an issue, you can head back in right away.

Monitor your baby’s health

Having a way to look in on your baby has more benefits than just giving you an opportunity to look in on them while they sleep, it can also help to keep your baby healthy as well. If they are not feeling well, checking the baby monitor can clue you into if the problem is caused by something in the crib and allow you to take the appropriate action.

Keep Your Baby Safe

As your baby grows and gets older, your baby will learn how to stand and they may start trying to climb out of their crib at night. Having a baby monitor with night vision can help you protect them from objects hurting them or them hurting themselves if they do try to climb out at night. A baby monitor can also make a wonderful nanny cam so you can check to see how the nanny is doing with your child while you’re away.

Get Some Rest

While owning a baby monitor is a must-have for your baby’s nursery and can have many benefits in their well-being, they have a benefit for your well-being as well. After your baby is born, sleep will be at a premium, to say the least. 

While a baby monitor, no matter how sophisticated, can take care of your child for you, it can be a very vital tool for you. By giving you a way to look in and also listen to your baby, you can determine if they are need of you coming to their aid or is they are simply self-soothing.

Being able to tell the difference between the two, just by looking at the baby monitor screen is important, for their growth and for you. As a new parent, you need your rest just as much as they do. Learning your baby’s cues as to when they need you to come in right away and when they don’t is something that will be a benefit to you both.

Nanny Cam

With all of the benefits that having a baby monitor in the house to help you keep an eye on your child while they sleep, a baby monitor can also be an effective nanny cam. You’re always going to be protective of your child. You want to be sure that whomever you trust to help raise your child is doing a good job. Having the right baby monitor with video quality and rechargeable battery will let you check in when you’re not there or review the day’s events by watching a recording of events.

My Babies Planet Overview

When it comes to the safety of your child, choosing the best option to take care of them is one of the best things that you can do. However, choosing the best baby video monitor can be a lot. Some may have a higher price and offer more technological features, while there are some that might have a lower price and fewer options.

We hope that our list of the 10 Best Baby Monitors for 2020 gave you some insight into the options that are out there to help you decide what the best video baby monitor is for your nursery.

More Baby Reviews:

• Baby Thermometer
• Baby Sunscreen
• Baby Wipes
• Baby Food
• Baby Cribs
• Lightweight Stroller
• Jogging Stroller
• Umbrella Stroller
• Baby Toys
• Bottle Warmer

Sources

1. baby’s room, www.houzz.com
2. FHSS technology, www.techopedia.com