A baby monitor is an electronic device that allows you to hear your baby crying even if you are in another part of your house.

A baby monitor comes in two pieces. The transmitter, which is placed in the nursery and the receiver that is placed in whatever room you are in.

Standard baby monitors can transmit up to six hundred feet but there are some deluxe models that can transmit up to three thousand feet.

A baby monitor receiver runs on batteries (so that it can be portable and you can carry it around the house with you), while the transmitter is plugged into an outlet. Most will have back-up batteries in case of power failure.

When you are shopping for a baby monitor, it is important to test it before you buy. Most retailers understand your needs and will have no objections. You are looking for a clear sound. If you hear static, then move on to another brand. Remember you get what you pay for. It is better to spend a little more now and have the assurance that your baby's needs won't go unattended because you didn't hear him or her.

As you would expect, some baby monitors are very basic whereas others have all of the possible 'bells and whistles'. Some of the features you may wish to consider when buying a monitor are as follows:

An indicator light on the receiver that will alert you when the batteries are low and need to be changed. You don't want to think that all is quiet in baby's room only to find that in fact your batteries have run out.

Another light display on some monitors will allow you to see if your baby is crying without turning up the volume. There is a set of lights on the receiver. The louder your baby cries, the more lights are lit up.

If you have a large home or enjoy working in your garden, it is possible to buy multiple receivers for different areas of your home.

For those who want to monitor the baby even more closely, there are some baby monitors that have motion detectors, and even video so you can see what your baby is doing.

There are a few disadvantages to having a baby monitor. It is sometimes possible to hear conversations of nearby neighbors if they are using a cell or cordless phone. This has been a concern since the inception of cordless phones and can create a problem if you have a cordless phone in your own home also. Baby monitor companies have recognized this problem however and have developed monitors that have multiple channels. With these, all you have to do is change the channel and the problem is eliminated.

The peace of mind a parent gains from knowing that baby is sleeping happily is imeasurable. A carefully chosen baby monitor helps to give you that peace of mind wherever you are in your house.