Having a baby monitor can help you keep track of your little one without having to stand close to the baby at all times. This can be convenient if your baby’s room is far away from where you are working or where you need to be, or if your house has more than one floor and you need to be on another floor. However, a baby monitor is not fool-proof. Because it works like a walkie-talkie, you can only go so far before you lose the signal, and you will need to keep it charged all the time lest you end up with a non-working monitor that can’t pick up signals because it is too poorly charged.

There are also other safety tips that will allow you and your baby to reap the benefits of the baby monitor. Here are some safety tips that you should keep in mind when using your baby monitor.

First, your baby monitor will have all sorts of adapters, transmitters, transformers, and cords attached to it. You need to keep all these out of your baby’s reach, or your baby can be entangled in them. You also run the risk of choking your baby or having your baby electrocuted because of the cords. Moreover, you can trip over them or get electrocuted yourself! Buy wires or cord organizers to keep your cords together.

Always have a fresh set of batteries for your baby monitor, if it operates on external batteries; or keep the baby monitors recharged constantly so that you do not run the risk of having it low on batteries in emergencies. Moreover, don’t rely on the baby monitor alone to keep your child safe. Not all baby monitors can pick up the smallest noises that your baby makes, and often, it is these small noises that can be telling. So you will still need to check on your baby once in a while, and you will need to take time out to look out for your baby physically.

On that note, do not leave your baby unattended for a long time. You will need to take a few peeks into your baby’s room every now and then. Don’t stop at the door – move to the crib, examine your baby closely, and make sure that everything is all right. Not all silence is good, so make sure that your baby is breathing properly before and after you leave the room.

As for your monitor, make sure that you keep it in areas away from water, such as near your kitchen sink, in your bathroom, or even on your porch, where the weather may smash it to pieces. Take care that no water gets into your monitor, whether it’s the one you’re holding, or the one that’s picking up sounds from your baby.

These are only a few baby monitor safety tips that you should follow as you start using your baby monitor for your little one. Remember, you are handling an electronic device, and you should take care of it in the same way that you take care of your other electronic devices. Keep it charged, keep it handy, and have spare batteries or even a spare monitor just in case things go away.

Nannies can be heaven-sent, especially during times when we need an extra hand to take care of our children. However, not every nanny who comes around may be the right person for our kids. Even with a thorough background check, things may not always be what they seem. To avoid nanny anxiety and keep your baby safe, here are gadgets you can use:

Nanny cam
The nanny cam is so named because it’s designed to monitor and if necessary, record the activities of the nanny with your baby when you’re not around. The nanny cam is actually a small camera that may be disguised as a small toy, a clock or a radio. It is hidden from view, which allows it to capture your nanny’s activities with your baby.

The nanny cam can be rigged to record images remotely. These images are kept on tape or as a digital file that you can review later.

Baby monitor
A baby monitor is similar to a nanny cam, although some models feature audio-only capability. A baby monitor may be placed next to your baby’s crib so you can listen in from a remote location. You could also view your baby with this gadget, since some models feature a small color LCD screen. It can even function in infrared mode in case of low light conditions.

The drawback is that baby monitors often only work within a limited range, usually 300 to 400 feet. That means you could use it to make sure your baby’s safe with the nanny from another room in the house or next door.

Security cameras
Other than the nanny cam, you could install security cameras around the house so you will have different viewing angles. This is an excellent step in case your nanny likes to bring your baby to different parts of the house. Security cameras will monitor and capture images that you can review once you get home.

Audio recorder
A portable audio recorder can be a very effective gadget to make sure your baby is safe with the nanny. A good audio recorder to use for this purpose is a digital gadget that automatically records when sound waves are produced. That way, what you’ll hear are only sounds produced by the occupants of your house namely your baby and the nanny. An audio recorder will capture sounds that will tell you whether or not your nanny is performing his/her duties in the appropriate manner.

wall clock nanny camera image