Nowadays, parents have numerous technological tools to ensure the safety of their babies.
Thus, you have the choice of nanny cameras and baby monitors, just to name a few of these tools.
Amongst all these tools, monitors are probably the most popular because of their ease of use, affordability and efficacy in many instances.
Monitor Description: Generally speaking, a monitor is a mini-radio system utilized in the remote listening of the baby's sounds.
As such, it is made up of two basic parts:

• Transmitter - This is equipped with a sensitive microphone, which can pick up the sounds coming from the baby.
  Usually, it will be placed near the baby's crib on a shelf for better uptake of sounds.
  
• Receiver - This is equipped with a speaker, which is then carried by the baby's caregiver or placed near him/her.
  It can receive the signals from the transmitter, thus, alerting the caregiver as to the baby's movements.
  

Depending on the model, a monitor can be the basic type (uni-directional) or more advanced in that parents can talk back to the infant (bi-directional) and even play music via remote control.
Still others have video capability that allows parents to actually "look in on" their young wards from the other side of the house.
Monitor Uses: Of course, the monitor is used to, well, monitor the baby's movements especially when he is awake.
In many ways, it serves as an extra pair of eyes and ears over the baby because of its audio and video capabilities.
However, it must be emphasized that a baby monitor is not an effective safeguard against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
In fact, there is no evidence that it prevents SIDS! Thus, if you are using a baby monitor for this purpose, you might want to rethink it lest you assume a false sense of security.
You should also consider that the reception on a monitor may not be crystal clear as want it to be.
This is because there are numerous interferences that can and will affect reception from electronic products to normal conversation.
So, again, even with a baby monitor, you still have to check on your baby regularly.
Monitor Shopping Secrets: Despite these challenges, you will still want to consider a baby monitor especially if you live in a large house.
To help you choose the right one for you, here are tips on shopping:

• Look at your needs and home.
  If you want the works, then go for a baby monitor with audio and video capabilities as well as one that lights up in place of sounds.
  This is in case you want to turn down the audio to work on some papers.
  You should also look to a clip-on receiver if you move around a large house.
  
• Look at your appliances and gadgets.
  As much as possible, purchase a monitor with a different frequency than those of your appliances, your phones and even your neighbors' monitors.
  The best way to do this is often to go digital.
  

With the right choice of a monitor, you can practice vigilance over your precious little baby virtually the whole time.
Ultimately, it is a small price to pay.