In the past, many parents would have spent at least a few moments staring at their sleeping baby looking for the gentle rise and fall that indicates life. Worrying is a natural part of parenting.

Often, parents had good reasons to check and double check and then come back to check one last time. Many babies have had fatal accidents while they were left (presumably) safely sleeping in their cribs. That was life before the ubiquitous baby monitors.

A baby monitor is actually a radio transmitter that allows you to listen in on your little one at all times of the day and night. Monitors are compact, two-part gadgets. There is a transmitter fixed within 10 feet of the crib and a receiver that is placed in your hands, or somewhere near you. Once it is turned on it will amplify any noise your baby makes.

Reception-range and designs vary. Some allow you to speak softly to your baby through the talkback intercom; others enable you to see your baby with a built-in camera. Some monitors show sounds via light display so you can monitor your baby even when the volume is turned off. High-end models offer a choice of channels to improve reception. Baby units even come fitted with a night-light.

Baby monitors are really very useful during infancy. Any time your baby gets up from sleep, whether it is for demanding a feeding, a change of diapers, or just plain old comfort, you are alerted in a jiffy. Baby monitors are tools that help alert parents to the dreaded attack of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Some models have an optional sensor pad that monitors your baby’s breathing, and sounds an alarm if no movement is detected.

The biggest advantage of a baby monitor is that it offers most parents that essential element of security. Now mommy can take a nap, or cook in the kitchen without having to wonder about the baby. When the baby is peacefully asleep, you know that he is totally safe because your baby monitor will alert you the moment your little one wants you.

Says one Mom in San Francisco,” My listening unit is the most important device at home. I don’t go anywhere without it.” Once you begin using a monitor, you feel incomplete without it.

Even these electronic godsends, though they seem indispensable, have their shortcomings. Interference from cordless phones and concrete walls sometimes sets off a false alarm, which means that you may be hearing things that are not there! Some monitors pick up transmissions from other baby monitors and give you a minor heart attack while you rush to your baby’s side. “We never discuss anything private when the unit is on”, a mother of two says – you never know who is listening.

Important features:

• Compactness: A compact model is easy to carry around.
• Sound-activated light: Sometimes, other children may accidentally turn the volume off. Alternatively, if you are watching TV or talking on the phone you may miss your baby’s cries if this feature is not present.
• Low-battery warning: If your batteries are low on life, you may not hear your baby calling; and your baby may not hear your wonderful rendering of “Rock-a bye-baby.”
• Right bandwidth: Some high-end models offer a wide bandwidth for better clarity.