Technology has invaded all aspects of our lives. We use our mobile phones for literally everything: traveling, transport, card payments, entertainment, on top of the traditional calling and messaging. Some of us love all the new conveniences brought by technological integration.
But when it comes to our babies, we are continually looking for betterment, safety, and security, while keeping it simple. Here’s a comparison of video and audio baby monitors and which option is the best for your baby.
Video Monitors vs. Audio Monitors
We’ll plunge into the dichotomy of baby monitors with the most advanced technology – video monitors. The main advantage is clearly that, compared to audio monitors, you can also see your baby. Video monitor manufacturers simplified their technologies, making these products affordable, and simple to set up and start recording your baby straight away.
One of the main concerns, especially for first-time parents, is that you become obsessed with checking on your baby all the time, just because it is easy, quick and you want to reassure yourself that your baby is safe. This is reasonable, however, there are multifaceted aspects to video monitors.
A significant improvement of video monitors comes in the form of a signal. Before, you had to have access to your own monitor all the time to check on your baby. Nowadays, most video monitors, if not all, use Wi-Fi to send the signal straight to your mobile phone. This makes it easy since you already have your phone with you all the time.
Video monitors have the advantage of allowing you to check on your baby at any time, even if you are not home. If you tend to worry a lot, this might be the one for you. The other side of the coin is that you might tend to turn into a helicopter parent, especially if you suffer from postpartum anxiety or you normally worry too much. A video monitor could make you even unhappier and more anxious.
Another lovely advantage of a video monitor is that we can quickly check on our babies without risking waking them up – sounds nice, doesn’t it? Most new parents and even experienced ones tend to check on their baby during nap time or bedtime. A video monitor allows you to do just that without disturbing the little one.
Lastly, since it is a relatively new tech, there is still room for improvement. Some newer systems/apps/technologies can suffer from glitches; they are quite serious too. For instance, the system can completely go down, interrupting the connection with your baby; other people with bad intentions have even hacked some systems. To minimize this, make sure you properly consider your options when you buy a video monitor to reduce the risks associated.
The main drawback of audio monitors is that they are outdated – this technology was used around three decades ago. Proponents of audio monitors state that they are simple, easy and purely better than video monitors.
Best Situations for Video Monitors
A video monitor is a must if you have more than one baby. Some video monitors come with a maximum of four cameras per unit, allowing you to supervise your babies in different rooms or when you are away. For instance, you can keep an eye on your toddler playing in one room and also check on your napping baby at the same time without waking the baby up. Similarly, if you have two children in one room, the audio monitor might send confusing signals – which baby is crying and why?
They also come with a nice variety of features. They display room temperature, allow you to play lullabies to soothe your baby, monitor humidity, and even program your feeding times.
Which One is the Best?
Unless you are a strong proponent of old school technology, video monitors might seem the wiser option. The variety of features and convenience make the best use of today’s technology, allowing you to supervise your baby easily. Moreover, some models have really competitive prices, even compared to audio monitors.
The main issue is falling into the trap of helicoptering, which could bring you more anxiety. Make sure this is not the case, and you will have a great experience using your video baby monitor. Also, have a look at their setups before choosing a model to minimize the risks of system failure and hacking. If that is a major concern for you, you might be better off with just an audio monitor, but most video monitors now have strengthened security options.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there is no shortcut to baby safety. But today’s technology definitely makes it easy to monitor them, checking on them while sleeping and even monitoring the environmental conditions int their rooms. When it comes to video or audio baby monitor options, you need to consider the above factors and make a decision that most appropriately suits you and your family’s needs .