Cheap Baby Monitors

First time parents often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices they have to make. Take baby monitors for example. There are dozens of models to choose from. How is a mom and dad to know the difference between cheap baby monitors and the expensive ones that look more complicated than the cockpit of an airliner?

Is price really an indicator of quality? Is it really necessary to drop $300 on the latest model with all the bells and whistles? Or are the cheap baby monitors just fine?

An infant monitor is one of the most important purchases you are going to be making when setting up your little one's nursery. Think of it as an umbilical cord that connects the two of you at all times. You can be downstairs watching television, doing laundry in the basement, or sleeping in your own bedroom. But no matter where you go you'll feel secure knowing that your baby monitor is there to let you know when your bundle of joy needs you.

Now let's talk about some of the baby monitor features you'll see so you can make an informed choice. And don't let some pushy salesman talk you into buying something you don't need. Its your baby and the ultimate decision is up to you.

All infant monitors allow you to hear your baby if he starts to cry, but some even have small cameras in them so you can see your baby too. You can point the camera towards the crib and then use either a handheld or a loarger desktop screen to keep an eye on your baby. Video baby monitors are relatively expensive and some parents feel they aren't worth the added cost.

If you're a parent who wants to use baby's nap time to get things done around the house then you'll want a long range baby monitor. While most infant monitors only have a range of a few hundred feet, you can find models that work up to 1000 feet and beyond. So you can go anywhere around the house or yard and still stay in touch with baby. A belt clip will also come in handy so you can keep your hands free for other activities.

One thing to keep in mind is frequency. No, I don't mean how many times the baby will wake you up at night! I mean the radio frequency the baby monitor uses. Many of them use the same frequency as other devices such as cordless telephones. If your phone and baby monitor use the same frequency the result will be a whole bunch of static. A lot of parents blame the cheap baby monitors when in fact the monitor itself works just fine, just on the wrong frequency! So be sure to doublecheck which frequency your cordless phone uses before purchasing a baby monitor.