Video Baby Monitor

[torontokids]

For those of you that use a video baby monitor during nap time, which monitor do you recommend? Which ones should I stay away from?

I want it to have good night vision, 2 way voice (back in your cot Johnny!), option to add more cameras.

Also, if you know of where to pick it up at a good price, that would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!

[playfelt]

No help with info but love the option to be a voice in the woodwork with the kids thinking we can see them even when we aren't in the room.

[torontokids]

Playfelt, have you had any parents express concerns with leaving the children alone during naps? Parents have questioned this (during interviews) as my youngest sleeps upstairs. I explain that I get the little ones in their cots and run the baby to her crib and come back and stay in the daycare until they are asleep. I have a dedicated daycare space that has been completely child proofed (I even removed the hot water taps!) The worst that can happen is they could get up and play with the toys.I am looking at the video monitor to make families feel better. Are parents in their children's rooms watching their kids breathe?

[playfelt]

Most families don't have video monitors at home. Those that do tend to be very fussy and not a good fit for most home daycares anyways with their selfish demands so rarely take them into care. Not saying all are like this but I am grandma not new mom so many of the ways I do things are old fashion by todays standards - not wrong just not the latest trends and many families actually are glad to see that it is ok to not follow the latest lists of must haves/must do.

Babies sleep in playpens in upstairs bedrooms and older kids nap on mainfloor on mats (in diningroom which has been converted to a playroom). I stay on the main floor during naptime. We have a fairly open staircase to second level so noises travel well. Our main playroom is in the basement and I can hear noises travel through the walls quite well so it is possible to hear kids as they cry as they wake although we are usually back up on the main level before babies wake up.

I have used a regular monitor placed in the hallway upstairs to pick up extra sounds but not something in each room. Is there risk yes. But so is there risk with a video monitor - it is unlikely that you are going to simply sit there and watch the screen the entire naptime so what is the point of it. You will be doing activities with the kids not napping and during afternoon nap you will be eating lunch, prepping snack, running a tub of laundry, cleaning toys, cleaning a bathroom or kitchen, whatever again not vegging in front of a monitor watching kids sleep.

If I had kids sleeping in the basement and I was on the main level I could see it more as sound doesn't carry up as well as it carries down and it would be a way to monitor other things like smoke or fire too. But again only if you are actually looking at the monitor.

If it brings parents peace of mind in your area then you may need to install something like that but if you are doing it just for you then decide what is the best way to go and you may be able to save yourself some money.

[torontokids]

Anyone have input as to a good brand?

[Judy Trickett]

Anyone have input as to a good brand?

I have one. BEST daycare piece of equipment I have ever bought. I love it.


http://www.amazon.ca/Lorex-LW2003-Vi.../dp/B003Q6CU12

[sunnydays]

I think it depends a lot on the layout of your house and the way you have things set up too. I looked into buying one when i first moved to our new house where I have a dedicated basement daycare. However, I quickly discovered that our house has no sound proofing between floors and our stairway to the basement is very open and I can hear the kids really well from the main floor (I tend to stay in my family room which is right at the top of the stairs). If your house is set up so that you cannot hear the kids well down there, then you should probably have some type of monitor for sure. I looked at the one Judy suggested...it looks great!

[Dreamalittledream]

I have one. BEST daycare piece of equipment I have ever bought. I love it.


http://www.amazon.ca/Lorex-LW2003-Vi.../dp/B003Q6CU12

I bought this one too! You can get extra cameras too (it allows up to 4), I have a camera in my playroom and one facing out so I can see the driveway (I have a bus that drops off a little guy, so it's great to just run up quick when his bus gets here). Love that I can zip to the bathroom and still see all on camera.

[DeeDee]

I love my summer infant baby touch monitor it has all those options your looking for, I've been using mine for two years now with no problems. I like the fact that I can have up to 4 cameras scanning all the time. It has the two way voice and night vision. Zoom and it can pan around the room to see everywhere.

[Vtorrance]

I agree I love my summer video monitor. I never wanted to be one of those parents who had one but my son was very colic and the only way he would sleep was with a blanket pretty much across his face. So I broke down and got this one so I could make sure he was ok and breathing without getting out of bed a million times. Great for seeing in the dark and love the 2 way voice. Good investment.