Recommendation on a good video baby monitor...?

Q. Have any parents out there found a really good video baby monitor? My husband and I are just now TTC but I want to get as much info on good equipment now. I like the idea of a video monitor so that we can make sure our baby doesn't have anything blocking his/her airway. Any reviews on monitors that you really love or really hate would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Answer
The Summer Night&Day is a pretty popluar one. it's almost $200, but it has bad reception. Ialso have a used Fisher Price Sound&Lights that I bought for $5 and it works waaaaaaay better. I can actually go outside with it and I don't get interference. The Summer one gets interference almost everywhere in the house, and you can forget going outside with it. The screen is nice, ad I can see a lot of detail, but unless I'm by the baby's room it's so annoying. It also interferes with my cell phone (I think they all do), but this one does it a lot, especially when I'm using the web. It also only has 2 channels whereas the Fisher Price one has 10. It might be worth it for you to buy a Summer one used from Craigslist or something, because I don't think it's worth $200

Recommendations for a baby monitor?

Q. I am looking to add a baby monitor on my registry and want to know which one you might recommend? I live in a 1350 sq ft apartment, the baby's room and my room are on opposite ends. Also I am on the first floor and have laundry right below me so I would like to be able to bring it with me, I am not sure about the distance, but it is relatively close and the baby's room is directly above the washer and dryer.
Thanks in advance!

Answer
you should not get a baby moniter you should just stay with the baby because you never know if the baby could get hurt you should just do the laundry when somone can come to your house and watch the baby while you are gone

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My baby is a crib hog...?

JB

I have a baby monitor that has a tv screen, so I can see my baby when she sleeps. (awesome)-- While sleeping, she tosses and turns, goes from one side of the crib to the other, and one end of the crib to the other. Does your baby do this? and/or As a parent, are you aware of how much sleeping babies roll and move? This started when she was 4-5 months. She is now 7.5 months old.

Answer
Some people will say that they are rolling around looking to get comfortable, others so they can feel safe. Every baby is different. If she is giggling or cooing while she is doing this, chances are she is dreaming, and yes, babies can dream. If you have a couple minutes each day, write down things that she does or when she learns something new, that way if you see her doing something like it while she is sleeping, you'll know that she's dreaming about it. That sounds silly but trust me, it works. I couldn't figure out why a child I was babysitting was whacking at the bars of the crib until I mentioned it to his mom and she started laughing, apparently earlier in the day he was outside eating something and ended up with chocolate all over his face and the flies where bothering him.

Mothers of newborns/babies: can you answer some random questions for me?

Seafoodlov

Here are some random questions. My son will be 7 weeks old on Wednesday:

1) Do you usually sit in the backseat with your baby when someone else is driving? If you do, do you ever feed your baby while he/she is in the carseat? If so, is this safe?

2) What do you do to prevent your baby's head from hanging down or hanging to one side? Whenever my mom rides with me she drives me insane because she insists my baby's neck or head is in the wrong position. While I have noticed it does look a little uncomfortable at times, and I try to correct it whenever possible, what am I supposed to do? There is a built in head/neck support but he still manages to look slumped down. We have an Evenflo Aura carseat/stroller combo.

3) Do you hold your baby while he/she sleeps? I'm not talking about for a few minutes after they fall asleep, but I mean while they're sleeping (for 20-30-60 minutes or more)? My husband did this for a while after our baby was born and sometimes he seems uncomfortable when we put him down. He'll sleep fine in our arms but seems to be playing possum or he seems half sleep when we put him down. He moves and squirms throughout his sleep.

4) How old was your baby when he/she spent the night away from home? Or for those who haven't experienced this yet, when do you PLAN to allow your baby to spend the night away from home. My MIL asked us to let her take him home with her. I told her he could go visit (which I really didn't want to do but didn't want to seem like I was being rude ... as she lives one hour away) but she had to bring him back ... meaning that evening. She seemed annoyed when I said this. When I was about four or five months pregnant we were all at a restaurant and she said, "I know this one (pointing to me) isn't going to let him spend the night." She said it twice. I knew this would become a problem once he arrived and as I thought she has been hinting around about it. I told my husband before I had the baby that I didn't see this happening for a LONG time. But, because my MIL has practically raised her 10.5 year old grandaughter and keeps her a lot, because her parents are wrapped up in their own lives, I think she can't accept that this is not going to be that type of situation. She is used to being in control and being fully involved in everything.

5) How can I get the milk in my breasts to completely dry up? When I had my c-section there wasn't any milk available, then seven days later my breasts became engorged. They finally went down but they obviously still have milk in them because they leak from time to time.

6) Is it really true that a baby will stop eating when they're full? I can't tell. Sometimes my baby will eat and eat and then end up spitting up later. However, he seems to just spit up randomly regardless of how much he eats. It's a 50/50 chance at getting him to burp these days. It seems to take forever. Sometimes he spits up when he burps (either milk or grainy pieces of formula ... and I always shake the formula up good).

7) I have been trying to open the blinds during the daytime (if there's adequate lighting) so he knows it's daytime, and turning all the lights off with the exception of the TV (he cries when the room is pitch black) at night. It doesn't seem to be working so far. He is still sleeping with us. I have come to the conclusion that he doesn't like the pack and play. He'll sleep in the crib LONGER than the pack and play, but doesn't seem to go more than an hour or two. If we could get him to sleep in the crib, we'd sleep in the guest room (right next to his room) for a while until he gets adjusted. Is it safe to leave him two rooms away, toward the front of the house, if we use the voice monitor? Also, sometimes he'll sleep for a while in the crib and then wake up crying. When I go to get him he will fall asleep in my arms (before I can even get back to the living room) or if I put him in his swing or bouncer he dozes right back to sleep. Why? Should I return him to the crib when he falls asleep?

8) Also, regarding sleep ... if he sleeps (I would say 18-20 hours per day) ... and seems to want to sit up during the night ... should I continue to keep the room dark to let him know he's sleep time ... or should I play with him? I read something that said you need to keep contact to a minimum at night, and keep the room as dark as possible. But is that cruel if the baby isn't?
I realize babies cry when they're hungry, sleepy, wet or sick ... but my baby seems to just cry at certain times. He cries just about everytime we change his diaper. As of the past two weeks he's been crying the minute he wakes up. It's almost like an immediate reaction. Now he's starting to cry after he eats. Last night I fed him 4 oz. and he was still biting his fists and crying. I tried giving him a pacifier and he would only take it for so long. He squirmed and cried and whined until I gave him 6 oz. whic
9) I realize babies cry when they're hungry, sleepy, wet or sick ... but my baby seems to just cry at certain times. He cries just about everytime we change his diaper. As of the past two weeks he's been crying the minute he wakes up. It's almost like an immediate reaction. Now he's starting to cry after he eats. Last night I fed him 4 oz. and he was still biting his fists and crying. I tried giving him a pacifier and he would only take it for so long. He squirmed and cried and whined until I gave him 6 oz. which is the most he's ever taken. He didn't spit up after eating it either. Is it normal for their milk intake to vary?
10) Is it normal to feel angry due to lack of sleep? I dread night time because I know he has slept all day long, often times he'll wake up for an hour and a half or two hour increments for a total of about four hours, but I know he is going to squirm, grunt and whine throughout the night. I feed him, change him, burp him, hold him until he falls asleep (to let the milk digest some) and he still isn't satisfied. Often times he'll wake right back up and cry for more milk. This is such an adjustment for me. I love him to death and he makes me smile, but I get so frustrated during the night. I would never harm him but this lack of sleep is killing me ... and my husband ... but not as bad as me.

Answer
Take a deep breath, now exhale :)
You sound like a wonderful involved new mother . You are going to be fine :) I'm not an expert by any means but I have 4 of my own, the youngest is 14 months so we just went threw a lot of this. Feeding a bottle in the car if your in the backseat with the baby is probably OK. Just be sure the driver knows they may have to pull over quickly in case the baby chokes. Plus be aware you will need them to pull over so you can burp the baby when it is done eating.
Your MIL is going to have a period of adjustment to the fact that this is YOUR baby and is different from her other grandchild who has been half handed to her to help raise. This may take her some time to adjust to as this is the only way of being a grandparent that she knows. Be sure to speak with your husband about this in a positive manner and be sure the two of you are on the same page here before you speak with his mother ( if that's what y'all decide). But be sure to be firm that YOU are the mother and have final say in things concerning the child, I would watch for setting habits now that arnt what you may want later on.
TV is terrible for children's sleep. the flickering of the lights and the noise has been shown to cause them to sleep lighter and not get the deep sleep they need. A soft nightlight would be a better choice for Baby's sleep area. The only time I have heard of TV being useful for sleep is in the case of Colic , the white noise from a static screen tends to sooth but you should have the screen facing away from baby at that point.
Our little guy was a good sleeper even with colic and we think this is because of the colic soother chair we got when he was tiny. It moves back and forth and makes this obnoxious but tolerable mechanical noise that soothes the baby to sleep.

Hope some of this helps, but by reading your post I see you already have the most important mommy tool anyways, you love your baby and want good things for it :)

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How to make a Video baby monitor?

i dont kno

Can someone please tell me how to make a video baby monitor? The only problem is i dont have any fancy gadgets, like an iphone or ipad or ianything! lol.
i have an extra laptop and i have an old webcam. could this work to make a video baby monitor??
i want to be able to connect to it somehow from my laptop that iam currently using, like skyp or something??
Iam very bad with computers lol
I understand what your saying and thats why i dont want to spend any money on this. But if i can figure out a way to do it with stuff i have laying around i would like to see him, and not have to sneak into his room to see him. ( because yes i will be going in to look at him, i have from day one and i dont think that will stop for quiet awhile)

Answer
I can't help you with any of the technical stuff, but I wanted to say that video baby monitors are quite useless. Its one of those baby items that is totally unnecessary.

What's important is that you *hear* your baby wake up and cry for you. Its not important to *see* your baby - after all, you will be very, VERY tired yourself. Its not like you'll be up all night watching your baby sleep.

I am going to be a new father as of August 2014. What is the best high tech baby monitoring video feed I can get?

Q. Hi all.

I am going to be a new father as of August and we are in the process of putting together a registry. We are obviously going to get some sort of baby monitor but there is a LOT out there. I was wondering if anybody could recommend one that integrates with an iPhone or has a video feed?

Thank you so much for your time!

All my best,
Matt
**Edit**

With all due respect, I am not interested in your personal viewpoints regarding parenting and how to register for gifts. This is a simple product related question. Thank you.
Edit # 2

Wow, I am a little taken back with the amount of cackling this question has brought forward.

I do **NOT** care about your personal viewpoints on parenting, nor, if you think Baby Registries exist. Even I know baby registries exist! And they are called just that.

If you have personal experience into this product inquiry- great I would love to hear from you.
Edit # 3

My wife is a board certified surgeon and we will decide what is in the best medical interest of our child. Thank you.

Answer
Why do you need a high tech monitor? Why, indeed do you really need a monitor at all?

Baby will sleep in your room for the first 6 months or so, so you can easily hear him/her. And unless your house is huge, you will have no trouble hearing baby when s/he cries.

If you feel you must have a a monitor, any inexpensive one will do the job. (And if you are set on a fancy expensive one, you don't register for it. That's not the kind of thing you'd expect friends to buy for you.)

EDIT:
My point is simply that new parents tend to think that they 'need' tons of stuff. And usually, once baby arrives, they learn that much of the stuff they have bought (or been given) is, at worse, useless, and at best, not worth anywhere near what they spent on it.
Babies cry when they need something. You will hear your baby cry. You really DON'T need a monitor to hear it. And for safety sake, (or for ease of breastfeeding) you will want baby to sleep in your room for the first 6 months or so, so you can easily SEE baby and don't need a video link either. They money you plan to spend could really be spent in other ways.

But ok -- Here you go -- 1700 hits for 'baby monitor'
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=baby%20monitor&sprefix=baby+mon%2Caps%2C270

And 500+ for 'baby monitor iphone'
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_kk_2?rh=i%3Aelectronics%2Ck%3Ababy+monitor+iphone&keywords=baby+monitor+iphone&ie=UTF8&qid=1395929206

(But again, it's VERY unlikely that any friend is going to shell out this kind of money, so if you decide you like one of the pricy ones, please just buy it yourself. You'll look very greedy registering for $200+ item. Shower gifts are typically cute outfits and toys.)

EDIT: So far as I'm aware, surgeons don't spend a lot of time studying infant care during their residencies. So how does the fact that she's a surgeon mean she automatically knows that you need a video monitor that integrates with an Iphone?

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what can you do about a father who does not want to be involved with his child because his mother can not?

hardworkin

question. I have a four month old daughter, whoes father has been anything but active in her life. We are currently in the process of establishing child support, but i have some very serious concerns regarding visitation rights because of the threat his mother poses to the childs emotional well being. she is very controlling of him, admitted to being bipolar, has allowed domsetic viloence to happen in her home and is incapable of making sound decisions. She insists on calling me to arrange visitations with the baby, when I have requested numerous times that her son only contact me. She believes she is entitled to certain rights to the baby because she is the grandmother! Are there any laws giving grandparents rights to a child they have never had possession of? I have encouraged my daughters father to participate in her life, especially since she has a serious heart condition, however he refuses to do so unless his mother can be involved. His mother expressed to me yesterday that the only reason she wants to be around during visits is to ensure I don't do anything to harm her son; monitor me. Which I never have! If she can't she said she will tell her son not to be involved in the babies life at all. After hearing this I spoke with my daughters father and he agreed, that if he could not have his mother around the baby then he will wash his hands of the whole situation. His reasoning being, he has known his mother longer than his daughter and she always comes first. I don't think this kind of attitude demonstrates good judgement! Niether of them can possibly care for the babies well being if they want to omit themselves from her life completely over something so silly! Please, can anyone give me some suggestions on what to do? Would this be enough grounds to request certain restrictions be placed on his visitations? or even request sole gaurdianship of her?

Answer
You would have to check with the laws of the state you reside in as to grandparents rights to visitation. Some states do have laws such as Florida. As for the rest. You are right to be concerned about your daughters welfare based on what you said.

Your husband is an idiot by the way. The logic that his mother is a priority over his own daughter because he's known her longer is simply idiotic!

I think that if you can prove to a judge that your mother in law has mental problems, etc. you may well be awarded supervised visitation only. In such a case, anyone who comes in contact with your daughter would be closely monitored to avoid anything from happening to her.

By the way, ignore the first answer. I think either your husband or his mother wrote it!

Ex and I fighting over our preemie son?

Princess A

We have a four-week-old son who was eight weeks premature. He came home on Monday with a heart monitor and I have to really watch him because he did have episodes of apnea while he was in the NICU. His father and I are no longer together and he has since gotten engaged to another woman. They've been together for five months. He did not come home from school (2 hours away) the day the baby came home from the hospital and I'm really upset about it. His fiancee wants him to bring our son to their place 2 hours away and I am against it, especially because our baby is just under 5 lbs. His father comes home every other weekend, but has yet to come and see the baby other than twice since he's been born. I am extremely upset. Do I have the right to tell my child's father's fiancee to butt out of our business and try to work things out with my ex? I am still deeply in love with him, but I don't know what to do. I feel like I owe it to my son to keep fighting for our family... but right now, I'm just lost. Is it a lost cause? Or should I just move on? I'm so confused. What rights does my ex have?
Actually, I do know his fiancee fairly well. There are a lot of personal reasons why we broke up, mostly because of school and things but I never expected him to go get engaged to someone else. I just figured we would work things out for our kid. I'm still in love with him and this just... hurts.

Answer
Being the mother of a 9 week old preemie son myself (and in a "relationship" similar to yours at the time), allow me to give some advice from my standpoint.
First off, while at the hospital you should have had special training on how to take care of your son and his special needs (the hospital I was at it was mandatory that you were able to "pass" all aspects before baby was allowed to go home with you). Since your son's father appears to be so uninvolved with his life at all - I am assuming he did not join in on any of this training. With your son still being on his leads this is doubly important...and with you having JUST brought him home, even more so. As such you have a perfectly legitimate reason for NOT allowing your son to travel that far with him. Not only for your sons health, but for his safety as well.
Next, if he is already engaged to this other woman (and after such a short amount of time) I am going to assume that he may have been "seeing" her BEFORE they got together. My son's father did something very similar. My advice on this, just leave well enough alone. I realise you still love him (I was dealing with the same emotions with my ex), and it is going to hurt for some time, but he has already moved on with his life....and you have a little man in your life now who will love you unconditionally. I would forget about trying to patch things up with your ex, and focus all of your energy on your new little bundle of joy who is at home with you now (and they do take a lot). Leave the offer on the table for the father to be a part of his son's life if he truly wishes it, but DON'T try to force it on him either - it most likely will have repercussions you won't like later. And who knows what the future may hold for the 3 of you...but also don't try to force something that may have been never meant to be. Trying to keep a relationship going just for the kids 9 times out of 10 is one of the worst things you can do (been there as well).
As for the ex, the "nice" way to tell her to butt out (especially since you know her) would be to tell her that you can appreciate that she is trying to be involved in your son's life as a result of being with his father, but you would appreciate it if she did not try to force her presence. You could also let her know that until your son is older and halthier you would feel more comfortable with visits being at your house, and possibly with just the father at first (unless you think you can get along with her well enough to allow her to be there as well).
Finally, as far as rights go, unless the 2 of you were married, or Child Protective Services is involved stating you are an unfit mother, the father usually has very limited rights (again this depends on what state you are in). You do have the right to file for child support (which I may add I would suggest doing, he helped bring your son into this world...he should also help support him), and just because the father pays child support does NOT mean the father has the right to see the child (they actually state that). If you have any concerns over visitations, etc. what I would suggest is filing a parenting plan with the courts (an attorney can help you with the process, and sometimes for free [pro-bono]). Then the 2 of you (not the fiancee) can iron out details on how the 2 of you as seperate households will raise your child and keep the other parent involved (visitations, etc.). If he chooses not to be involved in the process, then the courts will award you what ever you put in the plan, and then he must abide by it. You do have the right to change the parenting plan in the future if you so desire.
If you have any other questions, or just need someone to talk to (especially since I have been there a few times), feel free to email or messenger me. Good luck, and congrats on the baby!

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Is being near an Ethernet cable dangerous?

Kenneth M

Just curious. Someone said it is more dangerous to be near Ethernet cables than it is to have wireless internet flowing through the room.

Please advise if you can thanks!

Answer
"Is being near an Ethernet cable dangerous?"
Not at all... unless you have it strung out across the floor where you could potentially trip over it and maybe fall and hurt yourself, or it is possible to strangle someone with an ethernet cable, LOL! Seriously that is pretty much the most danger an ethernet cable can pose. it's just a cable like any other cable; it's not even an electrocution risk; it is basically similar to the RJ12 cables your landline phone/s use and is just as harmless.

"Someone said it is more dangerous to be near Ethernet cables than it is to have wireless internet flowing through the room."
WTF?! Neither is harmful in any way at all ! WiFi= high frequency radio waves- lots of devices in everyday use for well over a century now, use radio waves to connect, broadcast and communicate (your radio, TV, cordless phones, RF controlled toys, baby monitors etc etc); if there was any danger, this would be very apparent by now don't you think? Wired telecommunications ( which is basically the same physical tech as that for ethernet) has been around in everyday life EVEN LONGER without any apparent harmful consequences. Whoever told you this BS is either having you on or is totally clueless and ignorant.

Can a computer that needs an ethernet cable use wifi?

ROBLOX

I need to know if there is possible ANY way to make it so I can use wifi on it. I just bought a desktop computer and just assumed it used wifi. But it needs an ethernet cable...... Problem is there is only one of those ports in the house and that is the living room. I can't put it there because my mother won't allow it. So I need to know if there is anyway I can make it wifi. I would really appreciate it.

Answer
It is easy to add WiFi to a desktop. You can get a wireless adapter for your desktop PC, they are very inexpensive. Many are under 10 bucks. http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=excharge-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=wireless%20adapter%20for%20desktop&url=search-alias%3Daps&sprefix=wireless%20a%2Caps%2C377 There are two types, the easiest is a USB that just plugs in, the other is a card that involves opening the PC and installing in a card slot.

Unless you specifically need a wireless connection, I would not recommend it especially for a fixed device such as a desktop PC.

Wireless signals are affected by many factors including distance, wall density, electrical interference, directional antenna range, etc.

Wireless connection quality also varies and there is overhead involved in the transfer such as the encryption and decryption of the data used for wireless security.

You should try to centrally locate your wireless router or gateway up high and away from dense walls and electrical and 2.4 GHz wireless interference such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors, etc.

For serious gaming or video streaming your best bet is a direct Ethernet connection. Ethernet is unaffected by wireless interference and will give you a rock solid, stable network connection.

If it is not feasible to run Ethernet cable your next best option is to use powerline network adapters. I wrote a review here: http://isp1.us/reviews/netgear-xavb2101-powerline-adapter/

Good Luck...

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what's the best type of baby monitor?

penmaster

we're having our first baby and we're not sure of all the listening monitors out there, which one is best?

Answer
From my ConsumerReports.Org subscriptions:

Baby monitors
Baby monitors are an extra set of ears--and, in some cases, eyes--that allow you to keep tabs on your sleeping baby. There are two basic types: audio and video/audio. Both operate within a selected radio frequency band to send sound from the babyâs room to a receiver. Each monitor consists of a transmitter (child unit) and one or more receivers (parent units). Video/audio monitors have a small wall-mounted or tabletop camera to transmit images to a video monitor.

A baby monitorâs challenge is to transmit recognizable sound (and/or images) over a distance with minimal interference--static, buzzing, or irritating noise--from other electronic products and transmitters, including cordless phones that share the same frequency bands, cellular phones, appliances, and even fluorescent lights. Interference can also be hearing someone elseâs conversation, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to decipher the sounds coming from your monitor. Interference can also mean fuzzy reception in video monitors. Overall, interference is probably the biggest complaint parents have about baby monitors.


SHOPPING SECRETS

Feel free to skip this purchase. Some parents are reassured by the constant surveillance of a babyâs every whimper and movement. Others find it nerve-racking and feel like they have to be hypervigilant. Decide which category youâre in before you go shopping. A monitor isnât a must-have. If you live in a small house or apartment or want a break when your baby is sleeping--which is legitimate--itâs OK not to have one.

Consider your home and lifestyle. You may appreciate a monitor with both sound and lights, so you can âseeâ your babyâs cries. The louder he cries, the more lights light up. If youâll be taking business calls during naptime, for example, it can be helpful to turn the sound down low and rely on the lights. A video monitor can serve the same purpose, though we believe an audio monitor with lights can suffice. Similarly, if you live in a large house, you may want a monitor with two receivers rather than just one. In general, look for monitors with features that make it easy to move about, such as a compact parent unit that clips onto your belt. Try it on before buying, if possible; antennas have been known to poke the wearer.

Factor in your phone. To minimize the possibility of interference, choose a baby monitor that operates on a different frequency band from other wireless products in your home. A 2.4GHz cordless phone and a 2.4GHz monitor can interfere with each other. The 2.4GHz frequency band is widely used for cordless phones.

Consider digital if you have nearby neighbors with babies. If you want to be sure the sounds transmitted by your monitor are heard only by you and not by neighbors who might have a similar model (or a cordless phone using the same frequency band), go with a digital monitor, not an analog one. This will also ensure that the sounds you hear are coming from your baby and not the neighborâs. Analog monitors operate on a particular frequency band, much like a radio, sending signals from monitor to receiver in a straight shot. Digital monitors, on the other hand, encode the signal as it travels between the monitor and the receiver, making it nearly impossible for the sounds to be heard by others, and reduces the possibility of running into interference from other electronic devices. (Learn more about wireless interference.)

Learn the return policy. Before you buy or register for any wireless product, such as a baby monitor, be sure the store will let you return or exchange it, in case you canât get rid of interference problems. If you receive a monitor as a baby shower gift and know where it was purchased, try it before the retailerâs return period (usually 30 days) runs out.


WHATâS AVAILABLE

The major brands of baby monitors, in alphabetical order, are: Evenflo (www.evenflo.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Graco (www.gracobaby.com), Mobicam (www.getmobi.com), Philips (www.hearmybaby.com), Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com), Sony (www.sony.com), Summer Infant (www.summerinfant.com), The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com), and Unisar BébéSounds (www.bebesounds.com). Prices range from $15 to $200 for audio monitors, $100 to $200 for audio/video monitors. The higher the price, the more features and frills.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Among the models we tested, the digital baby monitors are top-rated. Short of DECT technology, thereâs no guarantee against interference with either digital or analog monitors, although digital monitors are less susceptible and more private. One digital model in particular, the Philips SCD 589, is loaded with features, and since it operates in the fairly lightly used, for now, 1.9GHZ frequency band, itâs unlikely to pick up interference. However, at $200, itâs pricey. (See our full report on this model.)

If you anticipate interference and want to spend less than $200, buy a less-pricey digital model thatâs not in the same frequency band as other wireless products in your home, and consider models with more than two channels. The other digital monitors we tested were very good: The Graco iMonitor ($90) has two parent units; a similar version with one parent unit is available for $60. The Summer Infant Secure Sounds ($50) is a good choice for privacy, though, like the Graco iMonitor, it has fewer frills than the Philips SCD 589. See our full monitor Ratings (available to
subscribers
) for details.

We suggest avoiding the Evenflo WhisperConnect Sensa ($50). It has a Pet Sensor, which is designed to alert you to any unusual movement around your babyâs crib--a cat or other pet climbed in, say. That feature worked well, but you can easily keep pets away from the crib by closing the door to your babyâs room. In addition, we found that one of the three samples we tested had an annoying problem: The âout of rangeâ alarm would go off at random. This happened over and over again with that particular sample, and once or twice with one of the other two samples we tested.

The audio/video monitors we tested have small color screens, and unlike earlier models, reasonably good pictures. However, we found them to be susceptible to interference, particularly from microwave ovens in use. Some models, such as the MobiCam ($190), let you tape to a VCR or watch your monitor on the television set. But overall, we donât see much need for a video baby monitor.

Highest rated one was the Philips Digital SCD 589 for 200$, the next one right after that was the The First Years Digital for 50$.

Has anyone used a video baby monitor?

Pregnant w

How do they work?
What are the pros and cons?
I am thinking about buying one that you can have two monitors and see two rooms at once and was wondering how many people prefer it.

Answer
Congrats on baby #2!

I couldn't live with out my video monitor!! I have the Summer Infant Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor. The picture is so clear both at night and during the day. I love being able to check on my baby with out waking her. I don't even have to get out of bed unless she really needs me! I think if I only had the audio, I would have been getting up a lot more often to investigate every sound, especially during the first few months. The handheld part has a button on top so you can turn off the video screen if the light bothers you at night. Then if you hear something you feel you need to check on, simply click the button and the video comes back on. I read the reviews for this product. Many people say they could not get a signal. I never had a problem. I also read that they can interfere with wi-fi. My husband is a web developer... he never would have allowed wi-fi interference!

I highly recommend this monitor to all my friends. The only con I can think of is that I have had to change the channel due to static. Seriously, it's a flick of a button and I've had to do it maybe 3 times in 7 months. No biggie! I know you can get an extra camera for this monitor, but I don't need one yet. Here is what one person commented: "We bought a second camera to go with the monitor we already had. I love being able to switch back and forth between my two kids' rooms. Only issue is if the monitor is too close to one camera, you can have interference when trying to check on the other one."

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265802

Hope this helps.

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Baby Monitor Trouble!! Please Help.?

Bri Ana

My daughter is 4 months old and shares a room with us. We are fixing up the attick so we can hang out up there. I would like to be able to see her and here her on my cell phone. I have the samsung vibrant..The video baby monitors are so expensive and i dont have the money to buy one. I was wondering if there was a way to set up a wireless web cam and make it so i can see it on my phone and there wont be any delays. Please help me out.
Thank you!

Answer
Yes. You will need to get a webcam and set it up to stream onto a web page that has privacy settings. Then you will need to watch this webpage stream from your phone. That's the only way I know. Otherwise, you could always get a baby monitor on eBay, they are usually quite cheap there.

Any suggestions for baby heart monitors?

preshus316

I'm 13 weeks pregnant and would like to purchase a baby heart monitor to listen to the baby's heart beat. Can I get one now at this stage or wait until my 3rd trimester?

Answer
You can get one at this stage. There's called fetal dopplers. You can get one from ebay for anywhere between $50-1000.00

You'll hear from quite a few people to buy those cheap ones at Kmart and Walmart. Sure, they're cheap. Around $20. But, you won't hear a heartbeat on them. I have twins, can't hear either one of their heartbeats, and I'm 17 weeks. But I can hear them move around, kick the monitor when I'm pressing on the belly, hear my own heartbeat, or all the water that I just drank gurgling around...but no twins' heartbeats. I heard the kids playing outside far better than anything else that thing could pick up. I took it back and bought a real one on ebay.

You'll want a 2.5 Mhz or a 3.0 - I personally would suggest a 3 if you want to start that early. Your baby should have a heartbeat at this time. My doctor heard ours at 10 weeks.

If you don't hear a heartbeat this early, just remember that you're not a doctor. Doctors have more experience finding the heartbeats, and when a baby is that small, it's not that easy.

I bought one, although I am not a doctor, and although I can feel both of my twins move, to settle my fears. Every day I check to make sure that I hear both heart beats. Then I go on about my day.

I'm adding a link to one from ebay. They have a lot of them on there. Just so you can see that it's similar to what the doctors have in their offices.

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What is the breeding cycle of a gold fish?

Prince Bre

I think my gold fish are about to breed,egg tubes are clearly visable and i need to know where they lay there eggs and how to take care of the eggs.Ive never taken interest in this b4 because ive never heard of them breeding in tanks,only ponds, so all feed back is badly needed and will be greatly appreciated and wish me luck because this is freaking crazy!

Answer
I've never had them breed in an aquarium, either - you must be doing something right, if they are that happy in your tank!

Basically, the male goldfish (the one with the breeding tubercles visible) will begin chasing the female(s) around, and they will put up quite a commotion with how fast they are swimming and nudging one another. This racing around and nudging is how the male will induce the female to release her eggs - when she does, the male will simultaneously release his milt (sperm) so that it can fertilize the eggs.

The eggs initially look like very coarse grains of salt and are very, very sticky. They will stick to most anything - sides of the tank, any decorations, plants, etc. Since the fish will likely begin eating their own eggs almost immediately, if you want to save them and hatch them, it is good to have spawning ropes, fry plants, or something else that you can remove to another tank so the adult fish can no longer pick at them.

If your fish just "look" like they're going to spawn, but haven't actually done it yet, you can sometimes induce spawning by doing a major (like 50% or more) water change. You can do this daily for two or three days or so to see if you can "encourage" them to do their business. And, in my experience, my koi and goldfish almost always spawn in the wee hours of the morning - at about dawn. Not sure if "inside" fish would do the same, however....

Once spawning has been completed, be sure to check your tank's water parameters. All the extra exertion and milt in the water can make your ammonia spike unexpectedly and lead to filter crash - it is bad enough in a pond, so I imagine that in a smaller tank, it would be even worse. Don't worry if your fish act "off" for a day or two, either - spawning is hard work and it may take them a bit to recover.

It will take about a week, depending on the temperature, for the eggs to hatch. If your eggs are cloudy and/or fuzzy, they probably were not fertilized - not uncommon if your male is small and/or this is his first spawn. They have been known to "shoot blanks" during their first season. If you have any clear ones, however, keep them at about 70 degrees F and you should have little baby goldfish fry soon enough.

Keep a close eye on water parameters (ammonia and nitrites at zero, nitrates as close to zero as you can get them and certainly no more than 20 ppm). Once the eggs hatch, continue to monitor water quality. You can feed the fry boiled egg yolk mashed in water, daphnia (water fleas), or baby brine shrimp until they are large enough to eat fry food but they need to be fed frequently - like 5 or 6 times a day when they are so tiny.

Hope this helps - good luck!

Did you deliver prematurely? Why?

ilovenephi

Did you deliver prematurely?
Do you know why (what caused it)?
How early did you deliver?
How did you deliver? (C-Section or Vaginally?
How big was your baby(s)?
Did he/she have to stay in the NICU? How Long?
Or were they in the regular nursery? How Long?
How are they doing now?

Answer
Yes, three times.
I have a shorter than average cervix, that just doesn't like to stay SHUT :-)
I delivered 1 baby at 35 weeks, and 2 and 36 weeks - (preterm labor with all six of my children ranging from 22 weeks to 4 weeks)
All were born vaginally
my 35 weeker was born weighing 5 pounds 7 oz - he was in the NICU for 5 days (mainly because there was an infection going on in the hospital and they gave him antibiotics prophylacticly - then he had trouble holding his temp and then he got jaundice!

My 36 week 1 day baby was 5 pounds 5 oz - and was in the NICU 9 days. He needed CPAP, couldn't hold a temperature, got jaundice, and wouldn't breastfeed well enough to gain weight.

My 36 week and 0 days baby weighed 5 pounds 9 oz and came only needed monitoring in the NICU for about 2 hours. (Cord was wrapped around neck, needed cut on the perineum and he was having trouble breathing without grunting). He came home with me the next day - although was re-admitted at 3 days old for jaundice (in hospital on pediatrics floor another 3 days).

My 35 weeker, is the biggest of all my kids. He has only been sick enough to see a doctor ONCE in his life! (except well visits of course) Loud and hyper!

My 36 week 1 day baby has autism (PPD-NOS) - is very small but smart as a whip. He will be 8 tomorrow - but compares to a five year old in many ways. Pretty healthy I guess.

My 36 and zero baby - has always been laid back. Has always developed on time - and been pretty healthy his whole life.

hth!

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Nintendo Wifi USB Connector Issues?

Jeff B

I have had this thing for over a year now and it has started giving me issues lately. This is what it does: it connects fine, 3 green bars, and my computer says someone connected, then it disconnects me and says "Unable to connect to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Confirm connection settings and access point settings."

And a 52103 error. I tried looking up this error on nintendowifi.com, checking these settings, turned off the firewall for the USB connector, unplugged it and plugged it back in, and even reinstalled it. Some days it works perfectly, but if I unplug it, it won't work for about 24 hours.

Any help or does anyone know how to fix it (or at least what the problem is)? This thing worked yesterday.
No one around me has a wifi network (I checked with a laptop a while back :P) and I have talked on my cordless phone and been connected at the same time before (recently). The microwave is off and far away and I turned off the baby monitor and it still didn't work.

I am not using a router, I am using the USB Connector (little white thing with the blinking light).

Answer
It's probably interference from a neighbor's new wifi network.

change the channel on the router - there are 11 of them, pick a new one that is as far away from the current setting as possible.

Cordless phones, baby monitors, microwave ovens also use the same 2.4 GHz frequency can can cause problems.

Having problems with wifi cutting in and out?

Brad

Lately when I've been using my laptop the internet has been cutting in and out and I cannot figure out what the problem is. This first started happening about a month ago about 2 weeks after we received road runner. I restarted my computer one day and when it signed on to the network there was a limited connectivity icon for the wireless network card.

The first thing I obviously tried was to recycle the modem and router. I turned those off and plugged the scientific atlanta modem back in that was supplied by time warner, then about 3 minutes later when the modem was booted I plugged in the wireless netgear wpn824v2 router. I had the same problem.

The second thing I did was check the WEP key, which I did have set wrong but when I fixed it, again, it was the same problem. I know for a fact it is correctly set now.

The third thing I did was update the wireless network card driver on my laptop (which is a toshiba satellite a205-s5804 btw) This did not fix anything either.

The fourth thing I did was check for interferences. I went into the room that the router is in and I sat down and the computer connected to the internet fine. I figured it was the printer we have since we just hooked it up the day before. I unplugged the printer went back into another room and thought it was fixed, untill a few days later it the limited connectivity icon popped up again.

From that day forward I have been able to reconnect the computer to the internet just by going into the room the router is in and leaving, only to find that 12hr - 2 days later it is giving me the limited connectivity icon again and not letting me connect to the internet.

I am connected using mode g and b, and it has been set like that for a long while with no problems.

Answer
The most likely cause interference from a cordless phone or a baby monitor. Go into the router configuration utility and try changing the channel.

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How do I set up my Mac's iCam to video my puppies while I'm at work?

sheprescue

I have 4 bottle babies I would like to monitor while I am at work to see what they are up to and I have an iMac with the iCam inside. Is there a way to set it up so I can view the puppies from my work computer?

Answer
You can download Orb for Mac here:
http://corp.orb.com/download/Orb20Setup.dmg
which will let you stream just about anything from your computer (including a webcam) to a browser, your phone, gaming console, etc.
As long as your work doesn't block it, you can get to the stream by logging into mycast.orb.com and opening the stream with your work computer's video player, like windows media player on windows.
If it is blocked and you have a capable phone, like an iPhone, BlackBerry, etc. you can watch it there.

Video baby monitor with ip capabilities?

Jack

Twin baby girls on the way and my wife and I are looking for a video baby monitor. I would happily throw down some more dough if they made a video baby monitor with ip capabilities so I can watch them at work. I would buy just a good ip camera but I cant find anything that can link a wireless handset to it. If there are any solutions without having both a monitor and then a separate camera please let me know. Thanks.
The ip setup isnt the big deal. The problem is that we'd like to set up a portable monitor (as seen with regular vid baby monitors) to use around the house. The home portable monitor would be the primary use, while the ip settings will be my selfish way to still be with all three of my girls =)~... Let me know if theres means to accomplish =) thanks.

Answer
I have heard of a friend-of-friend who uses the following setup as a dog monitor (to watch the dog from home via webcam) which might work for you:

1. wireless IP camera setup to view whatever you're after,
2. create a skype account to run at home,
3. set the skype account to use the IP camera for video calls and
4. set the skype account to auto-answer incoming video calls.

he can then video-call from his own skype account at work to the dog's account and see what's going on throughout the day. and the camera can be moved to a new location without moving the computer.

the catch is, you can't operate the panning of the IP camera via skype. if you need this, perhaps something like Team Viewer might be better - it's a remote desktop app free for non-commercial use, that will let you remote in to your home computer and access the IP camera controls that way (Team Viewer is REAL easy to use).

for your case, I suppose you'd want sound as well, so seek out an IP camera with mic (if you want to hear them) or with both mic and speakers (if you want them to hear you too).

**Edit** Oh, I see what you mean - you want a portable receiver unit with a screen to relay the video to. I had a poke around and came up with not alot.

I can find wireless cameras with receivers (usually 4 cams + 1 receiver) - ie. glorified baby monitors,
and I can find a couple of iPhone apps to receive a signal from an IP Camera (see links below), but no IP Camera portable receiver.

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what is the "normal" temperature range for an infant? - taken orally -?

lizette811

i know it's different if you take it rectally or under the arm, but what is it orally?
i have a pacifier thermometer, so it stays in her mouth, and gives an accurate reading.

Answer
A babies "normal" temperature is the same as an adults 96.5 to 97.5. If you use an oral thermometer to take an axilla temperature (under the arm), it should be about one degree less.
In babies up to 6 months, rectal temperature is the most accurate (meaning it is closest to your core temperature) as oral and axilla can have too much environmental interference (readings of lower temperature because babies don't hold still or have their mouths a little open.)

The pacifer thermometers although they sound like a great idea are not all that accurate for a few reasons; because they read on top of the tongue, air temperature can influence readings, babies mouths do not seal completely around the pacifier again allowing enviromental air temperature to decrease reliable readings, and if baby is chewing, not sucking (and how do you explain to a baby not to do this) the don't read very accurately. The pacifer thermometers can help you monitor a temperature trend, up or down but for a reliable reading, invest in a quick read thermometer. You can by thermometers that read in ten seconds that can be used orally, axillarly or rectally and are very accurate. You can usually keep a baby mostly still for 10 seconds (forget the 60 seconds other digital thermometers take, you will not get a child to hold still for that long.)

What usually happens to premature babies once they are born?

Bekki

I am about 7 months pregnant but am expecting my daughter to be born premature within the next week or so. But I have no clue what happens to premature babies once they are born. I know some have to be put in incubators, but what else? Will I be in the same room as her?

My daughter also has a suspected muscle disorder/syndrome, will this affect what happens to her after she is born? Please answer, I feel like I have no clue what to expect.

Answer
Usually a baby will be sent to special care nursery that is born premature. This is also called NICU. The baby won't be with you but you can call down anytime and go down to see your daughter.

Premature babies tend to have trouble with a few things, breathing, feeding, and keeping their temperature up.

In the NICU she will be monitored closely by monitors and a nurse who will only be caring for 1-3 patients. Most likely, you will be discharged before she will.

She will probably be in an open crib. She will probably have some help for breathing. This can be a ventilator (tube in mouth), C-pap (continuous positive air pressure), its like a mask that can be removed and covers the nose and mouth. Or oxygen that goes into the nose by nasal canula.

She will have a heart monitor on, she will have an O2 saturation monitor on her toe. She will have her arms padded so she cannot bend them to pull out anything. She may be placed under a warmer. She may be placed under UV light for a high biliruben level, this is quite common, even for babies not in NICU. Depending on how stable she is, you may or may not be able to hold her.

She may have an IV for tube feedings which are a yellow bag. This is TPN-total parental nutrition. She may have an NG tube (nasal gastric) going up the nose. Its teeny tiny. She may have the IV in her head because its easier to put in there.

The NICU has alot of beeping going on which can be unnerving. Ask alot of questions.

Babies in NICU come in all sizes, my youngest son was in NICU for 6 days. In our hospital NICU the rooms hold 3 patients. My son was the smallest patient in the room. He was 8 pounds 5 ounces and 22 inches long. When my oldest son was in NICU for a week he was the largest baby in NICU. He was 5 pounds 15 ounces, and 19 inches long. Not all small babies go to NICU.

Your baby will go to NICU for certain for 24 hour admission to watch her closely. It is possible that she will not stay there and be discharged, and brought back up to your room. This however is unlikely.

Premature girls tend to do better than premature boys. NICU is the safest place for her to be. Good Luck.

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what are some times that most people don't think to register for when having a baby shower?

Gypsy woma

I know clothes the furniture and basic baby needed items but what are some things that you just had to have but most people don't think to register for?

Answer
Baby monitor, sling to carry baby around in (while you have 2 free hands), baby gates and other baby protection items (outlet plugs, door knob covers, cabinet ties) just to get a jump start on when the baby is old enough to crawl.

:) baby registry items?

Q. I am 12 weeks pregnant and I wanna start getting my baby registry ready early. of course, I don't know the gender yet. because of my young age (I'm 18), I haven't ever thought about what I would add to a baby registry. what are the basics that every baby registry should include? thanks in advance :)

Answer
These may be more than just basic but I thought I would list things that I found useful....
*Crib mattress
*Swing
*Play yard
*Waterproof mattress pads
*Diapers (more 2-3 sizes than newborns! They don't stay in newborns that long)
*Bouncy Seat
*Play Mat
*Stroller
*Car Seat
*Mirror for car - to see the baby when they are in back seat
*Simple toys
*Crib Sheets
*Baby Sleeper Wedge
*Sleepers without footies (more like a gown) - very easy to change a diaper at night when you don't have to shove feet back in footies all night long :D
*First aid and grooming kit
*Wipes!
*Diaper Bag with changing pad
*Jumperoo for when they can sit up!! - wonderful toy for when your hands are full!
*Monitor

Don't register too early as patterns or colors you want may be out of stock or no longer available. Baby themes and such change constantly! Congrats and good luck :D

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Problem with my wifi extendor?

Alex

I recently bought a wifi extender to reach my new desktop up on the top floor in my room from the basement 2 floors down. It works fine except sometimes it just disconnects from the internet entirely. What's weird is that it'll show I'm still connected to the extender but it just says that internet access is unavailable as if it just decided to turn off. When it goes off I check both the extender and the router and they both are fine, all greens lit. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer
You don't mention what frequency range you are in. If it's 2.4 (g or n) you may be experienceing interference from a household device like a microwave, cordless phone or baby monitor.

The signal will still be strong but the interference will scramble the packets and the encryption will fail.

Wifi problems ?? Help ?

grc

As soon as I go into my bedroom, I lose wifi connection on my iphone but it connects perfectly on my laptop. What's going on?

Answer
Different WiFi devices vary in wireless range and performance.

Wireless signals are affected by many factors including distance, wall density, electrical interference, directional antenna range, etc.

All of these factors will affect your actual wireless range. As wireless connection quality varies the connection speeds are renegotiated. The WLAN connection between your WiFi device and your wireless router may start at 150 Mbps and end up at less than 10 Mbps or drop entirely.

High performance routers generally have a much better wireless range than their cheaper competitors.

However, Just because a particular wireless router model works good at one location does not guarantee that it will have similar performance in a different location due to variances in the factors listed above.

You should try to centrally locate your wireless router or gateway up high and away from dense walls and electrical and 2.4 GHz wireless interference such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors, etc.

You could also try adjusting the position of the router or relocating your device closer to the wireless router to obtain a stronger signal.

If you still have a weak wireless signal you can either get a wireless extender or a wireless adapter with better range for your WiFi device.

For a iPhone you cant replace the wireless adapter like you can on a laptop, so you'll need a stronger WiFi signal.

Devices such as wireless extenders can expand your wireless range. The wireless range extender receives weak wireless signals and repeats them to extend the signal range to greater distances.

Here are the two most popular highly rated models on Amazon.

Securifi Almond - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087NZ31S/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0087NZ31S&linkCode=as2&tag=excharge-20

Netgear Universal WN3000RP - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YAYM06/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004YAYM06&linkCode=as2&tag=excharge-20

Good Luck...

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Do I really need a baby monitor?

Scarlett

I'm looking at what I still need to get for my baby and I'm wondering if I really need a baby monitor? We live in a single level apartment and will continue to live in apartments and I believe the only time I wouldn't be able to hear him is if I'm in the shower but I have really intense hearing for example if I hear my cat meow at night I wake up lol. I'm just wondering if its something you actually need or if its more for people who have bigger homes who maybe may not be able to hear what goes on in the house? Just looking for peoples personal experiences. Thank you!

Answer
If you are in a smallish house, and baby will always be with in range, then I wouldn't bother.
We never had one with our first in our old house, as our rooms were RIGHT next to each other, and even with the door closed, we could hear him snoring!
However, we are in a different house now and I am due in 10 weeks and I have a monitor for when I start sleeping our 2nd son in his room, as it's at the other end of the house.

what's the best type of baby monitor?

penmaster

we're having our first baby and we're not sure of all the listening monitors out there, which one is best?

Answer
From my ConsumerReports.Org subscriptions:

Baby monitors
Baby monitors are an extra set of ears--and, in some cases, eyes--that allow you to keep tabs on your sleeping baby. There are two basic types: audio and video/audio. Both operate within a selected radio frequency band to send sound from the babyâs room to a receiver. Each monitor consists of a transmitter (child unit) and one or more receivers (parent units). Video/audio monitors have a small wall-mounted or tabletop camera to transmit images to a video monitor.

A baby monitorâs challenge is to transmit recognizable sound (and/or images) over a distance with minimal interference--static, buzzing, or irritating noise--from other electronic products and transmitters, including cordless phones that share the same frequency bands, cellular phones, appliances, and even fluorescent lights. Interference can also be hearing someone elseâs conversation, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to decipher the sounds coming from your monitor. Interference can also mean fuzzy reception in video monitors. Overall, interference is probably the biggest complaint parents have about baby monitors.


SHOPPING SECRETS

Feel free to skip this purchase. Some parents are reassured by the constant surveillance of a babyâs every whimper and movement. Others find it nerve-racking and feel like they have to be hypervigilant. Decide which category youâre in before you go shopping. A monitor isnât a must-have. If you live in a small house or apartment or want a break when your baby is sleeping--which is legitimate--itâs OK not to have one.

Consider your home and lifestyle. You may appreciate a monitor with both sound and lights, so you can âseeâ your babyâs cries. The louder he cries, the more lights light up. If youâll be taking business calls during naptime, for example, it can be helpful to turn the sound down low and rely on the lights. A video monitor can serve the same purpose, though we believe an audio monitor with lights can suffice. Similarly, if you live in a large house, you may want a monitor with two receivers rather than just one. In general, look for monitors with features that make it easy to move about, such as a compact parent unit that clips onto your belt. Try it on before buying, if possible; antennas have been known to poke the wearer.

Factor in your phone. To minimize the possibility of interference, choose a baby monitor that operates on a different frequency band from other wireless products in your home. A 2.4GHz cordless phone and a 2.4GHz monitor can interfere with each other. The 2.4GHz frequency band is widely used for cordless phones.

Consider digital if you have nearby neighbors with babies. If you want to be sure the sounds transmitted by your monitor are heard only by you and not by neighbors who might have a similar model (or a cordless phone using the same frequency band), go with a digital monitor, not an analog one. This will also ensure that the sounds you hear are coming from your baby and not the neighborâs. Analog monitors operate on a particular frequency band, much like a radio, sending signals from monitor to receiver in a straight shot. Digital monitors, on the other hand, encode the signal as it travels between the monitor and the receiver, making it nearly impossible for the sounds to be heard by others, and reduces the possibility of running into interference from other electronic devices. (Learn more about wireless interference.)

Learn the return policy. Before you buy or register for any wireless product, such as a baby monitor, be sure the store will let you return or exchange it, in case you canât get rid of interference problems. If you receive a monitor as a baby shower gift and know where it was purchased, try it before the retailerâs return period (usually 30 days) runs out.


WHATâS AVAILABLE

The major brands of baby monitors, in alphabetical order, are: Evenflo (www.evenflo.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Graco (www.gracobaby.com), Mobicam (www.getmobi.com), Philips (www.hearmybaby.com), Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com), Sony (www.sony.com), Summer Infant (www.summerinfant.com), The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com), and Unisar BébéSounds (www.bebesounds.com). Prices range from $15 to $200 for audio monitors, $100 to $200 for audio/video monitors. The higher the price, the more features and frills.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Among the models we tested, the digital baby monitors are top-rated. Short of DECT technology, thereâs no guarantee against interference with either digital or analog monitors, although digital monitors are less susceptible and more private. One digital model in particular, the Philips SCD 589, is loaded with features, and since it operates in the fairly lightly used, for now, 1.9GHZ frequency band, itâs unlikely to pick up interference. However, at $200, itâs pricey. (See our full report on this model.)

If you anticipate interference and want to spend less than $200, buy a less-pricey digital model thatâs not in the same frequency band as other wireless products in your home, and consider models with more than two channels. The other digital monitors we tested were very good: The Graco iMonitor ($90) has two parent units; a similar version with one parent unit is available for $60. The Summer Infant Secure Sounds ($50) is a good choice for privacy, though, like the Graco iMonitor, it has fewer frills than the Philips SCD 589. See our full monitor Ratings (available to
subscribers
) for details.

We suggest avoiding the Evenflo WhisperConnect Sensa ($50). It has a Pet Sensor, which is designed to alert you to any unusual movement around your babyâs crib--a cat or other pet climbed in, say. That feature worked well, but you can easily keep pets away from the crib by closing the door to your babyâs room. In addition, we found that one of the three samples we tested had an annoying problem: The âout of rangeâ alarm would go off at random. This happened over and over again with that particular sample, and once or twice with one of the other two samples we tested.

The audio/video monitors we tested have small color screens, and unlike earlier models, reasonably good pictures. However, we found them to be susceptible to interference, particularly from microwave ovens in use. Some models, such as the MobiCam ($190), let you tape to a VCR or watch your monitor on the television set. But overall, we donât see much need for a video baby monitor.

Highest rated one was the Philips Digital SCD 589 for 200$, the next one right after that was the The First Years Digital for 50$.

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baby monitor?

dirty4dirt

Any suggestions for a decent one for under 100? The reviews I've read in the $50 range haven't been great but any suggestions would be helpful.
I was looking at just a traditional monitor. I would like to spend under $50. Its hard to go by alot of reviews online because most people live in subdivisions with alot of activity.. I dont. I live in the boonies hah.. so maybe interference wouldnt be as bad..

Answer
I have the Graco Ultra Clear II Monitor with Nightlight. It was about $29 and I've been using it for 10 months with minimal problems. It gets really good reviews considering it's priced so low. Once or twice I have gotten a little static sound from it but it went away quickly and only came from the part I keep downstairs (basically the part that is upstairs with the sleeping baby has never had that problem). I do a lot of product research before I buy and it seems when it comes to non-video monitors even the pricey ones have problems.

Baby monitor with web connection where the in home monitor will work even if my internet goes down?

I am looking for a reliable video baby monitor that I can view on my computer at work, but that is independent in that it will continue to work as a monitor even if my internet connection goes down.
Brian ~ Which monitor did you choose?

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This was a catch 22 for me. Obviously to see my baby, and check they are OK was a good one. But I decided wireless technology is still in its infant days. Who knows in the future, whether exposing a baby to radiation is good for them. That's why I went with a wired monitor. So any wired monitor is the one I would choose, but that's the problem, most are wireless. Babies are especially vulnerable because their bodies and nervous systems are still developing and because they will have more time to accumulate exposure to the radiation and for any delayed effects to develop. The jury is out, but I don't personally want to be a guineepig.

I looked at http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/cv600.html,
But in the end went with just a simple wired sound monitor. You can put them closer, due to a much smaller magnetic field and hear the baby breathing . It maybe that magnetic fields dont harm the baby, but there have been some concerns in some of the trustworthy papers here in UK such as the independant.

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My mind is so clouded that I can not think straight. Can you give me a clearer picture?

brileync20

My husband is abusive. He is verbally, emotionally, & at times physically abusive. He was abusive while I was pregnant with both of our children. He was abusive after they were born. He would say things like:
you can't do sh** right
your a sick bi*** (had/have postpartum depression)
etc. etc. etc.
He is a very self-centered man. Everything is about him & he always has some sort of issue to attend to. We even had to focus on him while I was in labor. He was angry about something...
He makes it known that I am his problem. I am the reason that he is abusive. I make him this way. If he was with someone else they would appreciate him more. (We live in a big house. I work as a elementary teacher part time to keep the kids out of daycare.) He thinks that I should be more appreciative because he is one black man that hasn't left his family. But to tell you the truth, this is worst than him just leaving me. He is here but he resents being here. You know that "work" of raising children. But he wants to award of being here for his kids, but on the side he is taking out his resentment on me. Always talks about how much work he does with the kids, i.e. helping with bath, diapers, monitoring, etc. He enjoys nothing with them it seems.

It is so hard to appreciate him because he is so abusive. I can not see past the abusive things that he saids and does. That is why I am leaving. My children who are in the infant & toddler phase do not deserve to grow up in such a dysfunctional environment. I am a excellent mother. My 2 year old already knows her ABC, counting to 10, etc. etc.
Can I be causing him to be abusive? Or is he using the fact that I am weak with postpartum depression to make me feel helpless & guilty enough to stay?

Answer
Sweetheart...there is no way on earth that it is your fault that he is abusive. That is a choice he makes, every time he does it. He can stop, if he so chose.

He is using your weakness to control you and cover his own problems. You can never do anything that is deserving of any type of abuse.

You are doing the right thing by leaving. It will be very hard, no doubt. You're heart might hurt, you may think you did the wrong thing, you may feel bad because you "hurt" him. Let me tell you, you are doing the right thing, the pain will pass, and as far as hurting him...he should have thought about the pain he'd feel while he was inflicting your pain.

You are right that the kids don't deserve to grow up in such an environment. They will lead much healtheir, more productive lives if they are not afraid. Also, they will learn respect and how to treat others properly if they are not hearing and seeing daddy be mean and uugly to mama.

You can do this....your babies deserve it! And as far as being weak....you have 2 children, work, and put up with an abusive husband! I don't see any weakness there! You are strong enough to see what he does is wrong, that your kids deserve better, and you are leaving. That takes strength. Now, you will have to put "strong" into overdrive to make it after you leave him....even if just for a little while.

God bless you, I'll be praying for you and your babies! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! (Philippians 4:13)!

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