Should you use a baby monitor?

As a parent you want reassurance that your baby is safe, 24/7, and using a baby monitor is a great way to keep an eye on your little one as they sleep, from anywhere in the house.

Monitors can notify you of disturbances in your baby's sleeping space, and let you check in on them and feel connected without disturbing their precious sleep.

Some parents love the comfort that a baby monitor brings, while others manage without one. If you're wondering if a baby monitor is right for you, let us run you through the benefits of having a baby monitor and some key points to consider to help you decide for yourself.

Baby monitor advantages

• You can easily check in on your little one: This is one of the major advantages of having a baby monitor. You can check on your baby from the comfort of the couch and have peace of mind that they're sleeping soundly without a trip to the nursery.
• You can monitor them from all around the home: A portable baby monitor means that you can get move around the home, have a shower or bath, and get on with your evening, while also being reassured that your baby is sleeping soundly and knowing that you'll be notified if they wake.
• Compact and convenient: Most monitors nowadays are compact and well-designed, meaning that they don't take up space or look cluttered.
• You can keep an eye on their movements: As they grow, toddlers sometimes get into the habit of hopping out of bed for a mid-night escape mission. If you have a monitor, it'll notify you of this right away, so you can go and settle them back into bed before they get up to any mischief.
• You won't wake them up: Having a baby monitor means that you can keep an eye on your baby without running the risk of waking them up by going into their nursery.
• Sleep training help: Once you begin sleep training, your baby monitor will really come in handy. It'll mean that you can check on your little one without entering the room to see if they need you or not when they cry. If your monitor has a two-way talk function, you can soothe them remotely to help them settle back to sleep independently.
• Watch when you're away from home: If you're out for the evening or away with work and baby is at home with your partner, a babysitter or their grandparents, having a Wi-Fi connected monitor means that you can check on them from just about anywhere using an app!
• Travel buddy: It can be stressful trying to settle your baby to sleep in a new environment when you go on holiday, but having a baby monitor helps you feel reassured that they're safe, meaning that you can relax and really enjoy your break.
• Capture cute moments: Lots of monitors now come with record or snapshot functions that mean you can capture precious (or funny) moments and share them with friends and family.
• Night vison: Most baby monitors come with a night-vision setting which means that you can keep your baby's room nice and dark, but still be able to keep a clear eye on them.
• Better sleep for you: Having a baby monitor lets you feel confident that you'll be notified if your baby stirs, meaning that you can snooze soundly and don't need to check in on them constantly.
• Something for every budget: A baby monitor is a pretty big investment for new parents, but there're tons on the market, with options available for every budget level. From high-tech ones that monitor everything from movement, light and humidity levels, to simple and straight forward ones that let you watch over your baby from a distance.

A few things to be aware of when using a baby monitor

• Don't get square eyes: If you're already feeling anxious about your baby's safety, it can be tempting to constantly watch your monitor, which can make sometimes make you feel more on-edge than if you didn't have one at all. Try not to obsess over your monitor and remember that it will notify you of any changes that you need to be aware of, so there's no need to watch it constantly.
• Safety first: You should make sure that your monitor is set up in a safe place and that any wires out of your baby's reach to reduce the risk of accidents, trips, falls, and strangulation.
• Think about security: If your baby monitor comes with an app, you should make sure that you use a secure password and never use the default password, as this can leave your device open to hackers. You can look for a monitor that uses two-factor authentication for your privacy and protection.