Pregnancy is finally over, now you are ready to go home with your little bundle of joy. Having a baby is a wonderful thing; it brings endless moments of joy to the new parents. Parents, especially first-timers, would love to spend every minute of the day and night with their baby, but it's just not possible. With a baby monitor, you can still hear your baby's breathing and hear every little movement, which is almost as good as being in the room with them.

A baby monitor is actually a radio transmitter that enables you to listen in on your little one at all times of the day and night. Baby monitors are compact, two-part gadgets. There is a transmitter that is placed near the sleeping infant and a receiver that the parents keep near them. The receiver will amplify any noise that your little one makes.

Basically there are three kinds of baby monitor available in the market namely: audio, audio-visual, and movement or breathing monitors. You are entrusting the safety of your baby to the monitor when you are not in the nursery, so you would want to make sure that you purchase a reliable unit.

The audio monitor, which is the most popular kind of baby monitor, has two types, namely: analog and digital. However, there are interferences, which let analog monitors lose their capability. Mobile phones and cordless phones cause analog monitors to function poorly. The more modern monitors, like so much else these days, use digital technology (Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology). This would mean a clearer signal, and an increased range of operation.

Audio/visual baby monitors let the parents see and hear their baby. These monitors consist of a camera unit with a microphone and a receiver unit with a TV screen and speaker. It is very important to make sure that the microphone that is attached to the camera is ultra sensitive so that you can even hear a pin drop.

There are also sensor baby monitors, which consist of sensitive pads that go underneath your baby's mattress. Sensor monitors alert you if the sensor pad detects no movement from your baby for more than twenty seconds, it is capable of detecting even the tiniest of movement. These monitors are very helpful in the prevention of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

We can never be too cautious and vigilant when it comes to our little ones. The peace of mind that parents gain from knowing that the baby is sleeping happily is immeasurable. So, a carefully chosen baby monitor really helps to give you that peace of mind wherever you are in your house.

A baby monitor is a wonderful aid, but it is not a substitute for proper supervision, so always make certain you can get to your baby immediately if required. Reliable baby monitors can be purchased online at a variety of models and prices.