Baby monitors? Which to buy?

Hello ladies,

This month, i'm wanting to know what you need to consider when you're buying a baby monitor. It's for Practical Parenting's "mums guide' slot so i need your insider info!

What factors do you have to think about, what brands do you use and is there anything you wish you'd known before you picked yours. Is it worth getting an expensive one or are there any good bargains?

Thanks mums!

Kimberley x

a must for a baby monitor are:

1. night light

2. volume control

3. portable parent unit (rechargable battery)

4. talk back control

i'm using a tomy at the moment. trust the brand. they also have the latest product.

i had a leap frog digital advanced one, which was quite perfect for my little one,The monitor was really easy to set up and you can hear and 'see' any sounds in the baby's room very clearly using the parent unit and its noise indication lights. You can even turn the sound down on the parent unit and just use the lights to monitor the room. The lullabies are very clear, not jangly at all, and you can set to 'Play all' for some gentle background music and even select/turn these on or off from the Parent unit if you want to. The display is very clear on both the baby and the parent monitor with big digital digits,to show you the temperature and a backlight so that you don't have to turn the light on to see it. I've also used the torch on the parent unit and like the travel bag to keep everything together for when we go away.

I've got the Angelcare Sound and Movement monitor and it's brilliant. I love having the sensor pad, and it can be used without the sensor pad for when we have travelled. The parent unit is rechargable, has got a temperature display, can be muted for 2 minutes, volume control. It has a night light feature which is optional too. Background noise can also be on or off, and the sensitivity can be turned up or down too. I have the background noise off so it only clicks on when my daughter makes a noise. Brilliant purchase.

I have a Tomy Walkabout one,not sure which model,it's 6 years old.,still  working well

I chose it because it because it's rechargeable or plug in,has a room thermometer,volume control.You can have no volume,just lights too.

Hi i bought the Tommy Tippee sensor mat one for my little boy! Its fantastic quite pricey but worth. It comes with a mat that you place under the matress. If the mat detects no movement/ breathing a high pitch noise is emitted, so u can check on baby.
my sister had one called angel care but this version is better and also comes with a night light on the Baby's end

hope this helps Kate x
P.s Good luck with everyhting x

The newer model Angelcare monitor has a nightlight too. Friends of ours have the older one and I agree there are missing features. I've been very pleased with the Angelcare one - I had one problem with the parent unit and when I called Angelcare they sent me a new one straight away!

I'm still looking for the perfect monitor but would like one with a rechargeable parent unit and video screen but with the price of this kind technology being so low these days I think baby care companies are taking advantage of worried parents by charging so much for their products. A wireless netbook and a cctv camera could be left on constantly for a fraction of the cost!

Summer Slim and Secure Video monitor is brilliant.  I swapped the Lindam for this, and is far more superior.  I can put Alejandra to bed upstairs and not have to keep going in to check on her.  It also comes with TV output cable, though we have not needed to use since the parental monitor is excellent quality, and the sound is really clear.

Gemma Black wrote (see) 

I've got the Angelcare Sound and Movement monitor and it's brilliant. I love having the sensor pad, and it can be used without the sensor pad for when we have travelled. The parent unit is rechargable, has got a temperature display, can be muted for 2 minutes, volume control. It has a night light feature which is optional too. Background noise can also be on or off, and the sensitivity can be turned up or down too. I have the background noise off so it only clicks on when my daughter makes a noise. Brilliant purchase.

I have this one too and absolutely love it!  The sensor pad works better now we're using a sleeping bag and not trying to tuck covers into the crib mattress, which is a relief!