When to Start using a Baby Monitor
There is no hard and fast rule…
You can start using the baby monitor only when you know it is the best for the kid.
When to start using a baby monitor depends on the age, situation, and activity of the baby or infant, or toddler. But keep one thing in your mind no device can replace real human supervision. Use this only when you think there is no other way to defend it.
Age of your child
The actual reason for putting a baby monitor near your child is to check the baby repeatedly. So, it does not matter where you put the baby to sleep, separate or in your room. But make sure to depend on the monitor for a crucial time only. In other times, the more, the better to check the baby yourself.
Newborn
Another thing to bear in mind that not to ignore the sleeping position or sleeping practice for the newborn. The monitor helps you notify a situation but not solve it instantly. You must make all the arrangements at your best for the sake of the baby’s safety. Minimizing the loss is the main reason behind using a device. The very first days of your baby should be in your own hands only. Track the sleeping and feeding time closely, then get a device to observe the baby at the necessary time.
Infant baby
Infant baby means when the baby crosses the age of neonatal. Usually, it refers to 6+ months. At this age, babies are going through a transition period in their activities including sleep. The way that they sleep and wake up frequently is troublesome to adjust. An infant monitor is the best to watch for their picky sleep and crying. Make yourself habituated to the chart of your baby’s activities, it would be best to go along with the technology for the betterment and safety of life.
Toddler
It is up to you which time is proper for using the baby monitor for your child. You may decide to wait till your baby turns into a toddler. To watch a toddler, you may need a video monitor as this age is full of activities, and they are in a vulnerable position all the time. Make the home baby safe as best as possible whether you use the monitor or not. Using a monitor assists you to take care of the babies and does not replace you.
The Activity of the Baby
When your baby is within 6 months, it is better to watch the baby yourself as much as possible. You can use a movement or breathing monitor which is perfect for this age. The time baby starts to roll may need a little more care than before. So you can adopt a movement tracking device to assist you. A breathing monitor can help you keep the baby from SIDS problems.
After 6 months a baby enters infant age. This age starts with some magical movements of infant development like full rolling, crawling, standing, tendency to come forward, etc. So, this is more vulnerable. You can select audio with a video baby monitor, it can be analog or digital. From this age sometimes you may feel that the change is unpredictable and quick. You need to take care of your baby all the time and in all possible ways. You can get a help of a smart monitor as this type of monitor can track the baby at a long distance. The baby starts moving from place to place by crawling or dragging the body in different ways. So, it is better to use a monitor for long distances.
When your kid gets ready to communicate with you, applying a two-way communication device is better. Thus, you can talk to the kid and make him or her calm. By communicating through the monitor, you can handle a toddler even to prevent doing harmful or uneven tasks or things. That means you can solve some future mishaps by using an infant monitor like trying to climb out of the crib, jumping out of the bed or hanging from a portable cabinet, etc.
Situation of your Home
No Supporting Hand
Giving birth to a child is not an easy task. Physical and mental support is necessary at every point. When you have a lack of supporting hand then, it would be hard to look after your precious ones. This hard time can be managed properly with an infant monitor. In this case, you must use this from the very beginning of your childbirth. You can use the simple audio-video baby monitor or analog option as for a new child you cannot be far more from your child.
Working Mother
Maternity leave is 6 months all over the world. So, if you are a full-time working mother at home with a 6+ month baby you may use a digital audio-video monitor so that you can check on the baby between your work. Even if you are a mommy of a toddler then the two way connected smart monitoring device is more appreciable.
If you go out of home then a WIFI connected baby monitor is the best. You can keep an eye on the baby or child from a long distance when there are other temporary helping hands at home.
Naughty toddlers with an infant sibling
You may have two children one of them is a toddler and another one is an infant. In most of cases, the toddler is very unstable and sometimes treats the baby harmfully. Obviously, it is unconsciously done. You must be careful in all the ways. To minimize the losses, you can take them under the surveillance of a smart monitor with two-way communication. This type of communication helps you make the older child behave carefully.
Noisy Environment
If your house is in a noisy environment then try to go for a DECT monitor as it calls for digital enhanced cordless telecommunication. As it can not be enhanced you may need to add several monitors for diverse rooms to check multiple children. the best benefit of DECT monitor is that it is 100% interference free.
Final Verdict
The decision of using a baby monitor, audio or video, analog or smart; depends on wholly the caregiver’s situation and the condition and the development of the baby. So, you can never follow others. You need to see the newborn safety, infant safety toddler safety points here because every child is unique and unique at every age.
Frequently Asked Question
Do you need a baby monitor in the first 6 months?
It depends on your personal need. If you keep the baby out of your room, then definitely you need it. At the same time, you need the breathing or movement monitor if you are away from your baby for some time at home. You can use a night camera monitor for the newborn if it sleeps in another room.
At what age should you use a baby monitor?
You can use a baby monitor at any age from birth according to your need and activities at home. Type of monitors which is best for which age is written in the content.
At what age do you take the baby monitors out of the room?
The direct answer is when your baby can make itself out of the scene of the monitor, you can no longer get benefit from a single monitor in a specific room. So, it is time to take the monitor out of the room.
How long should you use a baby breathing monitor?
The breathing monitor can be helpful from birth to one year of age and it is especially applicable for premature babies as their lives are more vulnerable. They should be taken care of frequently and more closely than other healthy babies. Low birth weight babies and premature babies can have some development problems which need to be monitored heavily.
