Pregnant women generally take good care of themselves, realizing that everything they do will have an impact on the baby they are nurturing inside themselves. They take every precaution possible to avoid anything that is harmful to their baby. The baby’s safety is already paramount in her mind. After nine months of anticipation, the baby finally arrives. Realizing how vulnerable the baby is, the parents’ protective nature is engaged. They will do anything to prevent harm befalling their newborn. Ideally, they would keep an eye on their baby around the clock. The reality is, though, that parents must divide their time between taking care of the baby and fulfilling their responsibilities to others and themselves. Keeping watch of the baby around the clock is simply an impossible task. Fortunately, the wonders of modern technology have produced baby monitors that ease the minds of busy parents.
Baby monitors are high tech devices that serve as a constant watch over the baby. Essentially, they are radio transmitters that release an FM (frequency modulated) signal typically in the range of 48,830 to 48,890 MHz. These appliances have two parts – a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is placed within eight to ten feet of the baby. When the baby makes a sound, a signal is transmitted to the receiver. The receiver is carried by the parent so they can hear any sounds from their baby instantly, no matter where they are in the house. As a rule, the transmitter is plugged into an electrical outlet as it is stationary, and the receiver is battery operated because of its mobility.
Baby monitors generally assist parents in keeping an eye (or ear) on their baby without always being within sight of the child. This helps them get other things done, or even take a nap without worrying.
Since baby monitors were first introduced, significant improvements have been made. There are models that not only allow for sounds to be heard, but also display video images of the baby on the receiver. Some of them play soothing music to calm the baby. They are no longer simply an electronic device that alerts you when the baby cries.
Some top of the line devices feature sensors that are placed under the crib mattress which detect even the faintest of movements, including the baby’s breathing. When no motion is detected for 20 seconds or so, or if the rate of breathing is below standard, an alarm is activated to notify the parents. This can be extremely valuable for monitoring potentially life threatening situations. There’s no doubt about it, baby monitors are a parent’s best friend.