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By Helen Walters
Baby monitors are an essential part of baby gear. When you
have
the baby asleep in the crib, you don't have to keep constantly
checking to make sure that he/she is all right when you have a
baby monitor. You have one part of the monitor in the nursery
and the other in the same room of the house where you are.
Every move and sound that the baby makes come through the
speaker so it is almost like you are in the same room.
The transmitters in the monitors work best when they are
within
10 feet of the baby. This is why you should have the monitor
on
a nightstand near the crib, but yet you don't need to have
them
so close that when the baby gets older, he/she can reach out
and
touch it. You can carry the receiver with you or leave it
plugged in by your bed during the night. The basic models have
a switch you use to turn them on and off and to adjust the
volume. You can also use batteries when you want to take the
receiver with you, rather than having to plug it into an
outlet
in each room.
Some of the monitors on the market have a light display that
flashes to let you know when the baby is crying. You don't
need
to have the volume turned up if you use this feature, but it
does mean that you have to keep looking at the monitor. Top of
the line monitors have a camera (a video monitor) that you can
attach to your VCR. This lets you watch the baby without
actually being in the same room.
There are also disadvantages to using a baby monitor. If you
have a cordless phone, the baby monitor can pick up the
conversation so you need to be discreet. Even talking in the
same room as the baby will transfer the sound of your voice to
the receiver, so you can't complain about visitors that won't
go home. In once case we had neighbors with the same monitor
on
the same frequency and we could hear their entire night-time
routine if our monitor was on. You also have to make sure that
you keep the monitors away from bathtubs and pools because
they
are electrical devices.
Overall a baby monitor is a very useful thing to have. They
give you a sense of comfort and let you get on with your day
while your child is sleeping. Never forget that a monitor can
NEVER replace proper parental care. Never leave your baby
unattended for long periods (even while sleeping chech on them
from time to time).
About The Author: Helen Walters provides a variety of
information on issues important to parents.
www.greatbabygear.com/baby-monitors.html is home to a
growing collection of articles and reviews of growing
selection
of baby monitors from major manufacturers.
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