The nursery monitor has become one of the most popular gadgets in a nursery and for good reason -- it adds an important element of safety. In addition, it is simply reassuring to know that when your child is in bed at night or at naptime you can still hear what is going on.

A nursery monitor provides radio contact with your youngster from any room in the house and many of the better models will even work out in the yard. They are a real help if you have more than one level or a larger home. Also, bring them with you on vacation. They are a great way to keep an ear out for your little one in unfamiliar surroundings.

How They Work

There are two types: portable and plug in. What is truly amazing about these products is that most are so sensitive that you can actually hear your child breathing!

 

Portable: A radio transmitter is set up in your child's room and the receiver travels with you.

Plug In: These operate through your house's wiring and are more like traditional intercoms. They must be plugged in to work.

 

Features

Monitors range in price from $30 to $60 and come with a variety of different features. Most portable models have a belt clip for the receiver and operate off of AC current or batteries. Look for portable receivers that plug in as well as operate on batteries. Most of the time you'll be able to plug it in to save batteries.

 

Privacy

Before you buy, check with your neighbors to see what type of portable monitor they have. If you live close enough and each have the same monitor, they may not work well. In addition, it can provide some embarrassing moments if your neighbor inadvertently tunes in on you! To avoid this problem, buy a portable monitor that has multiple channels and coordinate use with your neighbor, or buy a different brand.

 

TV Monitors

While a nursery monitor is a very popular item used by many families, installing a TV monitor should only be used in unusual circumstances. There are a number of companies offering products that allow you, literally, to keep an eye on your child as he sleeps. Unless you have some special health reasons for such close contact, such surveillance is not healthy for either of you.

 

Remember When Buying

Check to see that it has a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) mark. This means that UL has tested and evaluated representative samples of the nursery monitor and determined that they meet UL's safety requirements. Nursery monitors are tested solely as intercoms, or one-way, wireless transmitters/receivers, for fire and shock risks only. They are not tested for reliability, sensitivity or other characteristics that may be specific or suited for "listening" to infants. In other words, they may not pick up sounds of deep breathing, choking or other sounds associated with crib conditions, sickness or injury. Look for portable receivers that plug in as well as operate on batteries. This will allow you to move about more freely and still be able to hear what is going on.

Check with your neighbors to see if they have a portable nursery monitor, and if they do either buy a nursery monitor that has multiple channels or buy a different brand to ensure that you will be listening to your child.

 

Recalled Products - Nursery Monitors

Follow the instructions below for recalled products. Recall remedies should be available indefinitely. If the manufacturer does not help you, alert the Consumer Product Safety Commission at (800) 638-2772. Do not use the product until it is repaired or replaced in order to ensure the safety of your child.

WHICH ONES: Gerry Baby Products of Denver, Colo., recalled about 86,000 rechargeable baby monitors, Model 618, sold under the Clear Choice brand name. The model number is found on a silver plate on the front of the monitor's AC adapter. The monitor consists of a "baby" unit, a parent unit, and a recharging base for the parent unit and AC adapters. All of the units are white with a light blue accent color. Because it houses the battery, only the parent unit presents the hazard. Mass merchandise and baby stores throughout the United States sold the baby monitors from April 1996 to March 1998 for about $40.
PROBLEM: When an electrical short occurs, the rechargeable battery can cause the monitor's "parent" unit to smoke and flame. Gerry has received at least one report of flames and four reports of smoke coming from the monitor's parent unit.
WHAT TO DO: Disconnect and throw away the blue battery pack from the parent unit immediately. Consumers should contact Gerry Baby Products, anytime 24 hours a day, at (800) 273-3521 to receive a free replacement black battery pack with a safety fuse.
RECALL DATE: 4/98

WHICH ONES: Safety 1st of Chestnut Hill, Mass., recalled about 25,000 batteries sold with their model 49226 nursery monitors. The monitor comes with a parent's unit (receiver) with charging stand, baby's unit (transmitter), AC adaptor and battery. The receiver holds the battery and displays the date codes for the units involved. These units have date codes between 00097 and 03097 imprinted on a white sticker on the back of the receivers. The monitor is made of hard white and gray plastic and both the receiver and transmitter are labeled "Safety 1st" and come with flexible antennas. The monitors are packaged in a cardboard display box labeled in part, "Safety 1st.Rechargeable Monitor...Cordless...Model No. 49226." Retail stores nationwide sold the monitors from June 1997 through August 1997 for between $35 and $45.
PROBLEM: The dry cell battery can rupture and irritate the skin. Safety 1st has received 76 reports of batteries rupturing.
WHAT TO DO: Stop using the monitors immediately, and call Safety 1st at (800) 964-8489 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday for instructions on returning the recalled batteries and receiving replacement batteries.
RECALL DATE: 10/97

WHICH ONES: Gerry Baby Products Company, of Thornton, Colo., recalled approximately 990,000 Model 602 Gerry Deluxe Baby Monitors. The two-piece monitor sets resemble walkie-talkies. The monitors have pale gray and royal blue plastic casing. A red "on" light and a blue "Gerry" label appear on the front of each monitor. The back of the monitors are embossed with "GERRY DELUXE BABY MONITOR MODEL 602" and the manufacturer's date code. The date code appears as a circle of numbers, with an arrow pointing to the number of the month and the two-digit year number on either side of the arrow. This recall involves monitors with date codes "8806" (June 1988) through "9005" (May 1990). Juvenile product and baby supply stores and department stores sold the recalled monitors nationwide from June 1988 through May 1990. The monitors were packaged in blue cardboard boxes labeled in part, "Gerry Deluxe Baby Monitor...Listen to Your Baby from any Home Location...Gerry Baby Safetronics..."
PROBLEM: Wires inside the monitor may be improperly connected, resulting in the product overheating with the possibility of the monitor causing fire. Another contributing factor is when blankets or other bedding are placed around or on top of the monitor blocking ventilation. Consumers should not place any monitor in the crib, among blankets or bedding, or in any position that interferes with ventilation for the monitor. Gerry is aware of at least one fire involving a Model 602 monitor with this manufacturing error.
WHAT TO DO: Consumers who own Model 602 monitors should contact Gerry (Evenflo) toll-free at (800) 672-6289 for instructions on how to return the recalled monitors for a free replacement monitor. For more information, consumers should call Gerry, or write to the company at Attn: Building R-602 Recall, 1500 East 128th Avenue, Thornton, CO 80241.
RECALL DATE: 10/96