Baby monitors: 4 things to know before you buy

1. Know…yourself and the level of surveillance you can handle. Some parents feel reassured knowing they can see their baby at all times with an audio/video baby monitor. Others find it nerve-racking and feel like they have to be hypervigilant. Decide which category you fall into before you go shopping. If you sense that an audio/video monitor will be overwhelming, go with just an audio monitor instead. Having a monitor should make life easier, not be a constant source of worry.

2. Know…your neighbors. If you have nearby neighbors with babies, consider a digital monitor. If you want to be sure the images and sounds transmitted by your monitor are heard and seen only by you and not by neighbors who might have a similar model (or a cordless phone using the same frequency band), go with a digital monitor, not an analog one. Choosing digital will also ensure that the sounds and images you see and hear are coming from your baby and not the neighbor’s.

Analog monitors operate on a particular frequency band—typically 900-megahertz (MHz) or 2.4-gigahertz (GHz)—much like a radio, sending signals from monitor to receiver in a straight shot. Digital monitors also operate on specific frequency bands, but they encode the signal as it travels between the monitor and the receiver, making it nearly impossible for the sounds to be heard by others. Digital also reduces the possibility of running into interference from other electronic devices. Though they may look high-tech, many monitors are still analog. To find a digital monitor, look for “digital” somewhere on the packaging.

3. Know…your phone and the other wireless devices in your home. To minimize the possibility of interference, select a monitor (either digital or analog) that operates on a different frequency band from other wireless products in your home. Besides baby monitors, many wireless products—including cordless phones, home networks, and Bluetooth devices—share the 2.4-gigahertz (GHz) radio frequency bands. As a result, they’re likely to interfere with each other. As we mentioned, interference can cause static on a baby monitor, a cordless phone, or wireless speakers; it can also disrupt a wireless computer network or the video on a home security system or baby monitor.

If you buy a monitor and interference is a problem, try changing the channel. Most wireless products, baby monitors included, allow you to change their channels to solve interference problems, which is as easy as pushing a button. If that doesn’t work, and you can’t take the monitor back (more on that below), try keeping conflicting devices as far away from each other as possible; for example, keep your cordless phone and your baby monitor in different rooms.

4. Know…the return policy. Before buying or registering for any wireless product, such as a baby monitor, be sure the store or online vendor will let you return or exchange it, in case you can’t get rid of interference or other problems. If you receive a monitor as a baby shower gift and know where it was purchased, try it before the retailer’s return period. Return policies are often spelled out on store receipts, on a sign near the register, or on the merchant’s Web site.

You’ll need to return the item before the retailer’s return period runs out (usually 30 to 45 days from the date of purchase). But if the return clock has run out, don’t feel defeated. Persistence and politeness will often get you into overtime. Keep the receipt and the original packaging.

Learn more about nursery, crib and play yard safety in our Safety blog post.

Recall: Recaro Signo car seat

Yesterday, NHTSA announced the recall of 5,444 Recaro Signo child restraints because the central front adjuster strap on some seats may slip within the metal adjuster (A-lock) that controls the tightness of the harness, thus endangering the safety of the passenger.

The seats were manufactured from February through September 2008. Recaro is in the process of notifying owners of the recall and will replace any defective seat.

Owners can contact Recaro customer service at 1-888-473-2290 or visit NHTSA's Safer Car Web site.

Eco-friendly nursery: How and when to paint baby's room

Right up there on the excitement scale with creating your list of baby names is pondering the endless possibilities for making your baby’s room special.

The look of your baby’s nursery is important and that often starts with a fresh coat of paint.  Here are painting tips that can make the project--and the room--healthier for the whole family.

* Paint the nursery at least two months before your baby arrives. That allows time for fumes to subside before your baby comes home. Use a paint that’s labeled low-VOC or zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are solvents that are released into the air as the paint dries and may be irritating to a baby--and some adults. (See our interior paint report for more information.)

You may want to wear a mask as you paint, available at hardware stores and home centers. If it’s practical, paint the nursery and other rooms in your house in warmer months so you can keep the windows open, suggests Philip Landrigan, M.D., a pediatrician and head of the department of Community and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. To reduce other fumes, thoroughly air out new furniture and anything made of plastic or wood.

* Be on the lookout for lead. If your home was built before 1978, you can presume that it contains lead-based paint. If paint on walls is not chipping or peeling, it’s less likely to cause toxic exposure to lead, but even intact paint can be a hazard, particularly on windows and doors that generate lead-contaminated dust when disturbed by impact or friction.

Don’t sand paint that may contain lead or attempt to remove it yourself; that’s a job for a contractor who is licensed for lead removal work. If you have lead-paint sanded, do so several months before your baby is due; both parents should be out of the house for the duration of the sanding, says Dr. Landrigan.

For more information on how to safely combat lead paint hazards, go to www.hud.gov./offices/lead/healthyhomes/lead.cfm.

See our newborn necessities checklist and infant car seat tips for more information.

Infant car-seats: Test your savvy

If you’re expecting a baby, an infant car seat should be high on your to-buy list. You’ll need one to bring your baby home from the hospital and for every car trip after that. Take our quick quiz to find out how much you know about infant car seats and whether you’re using one safely.

1. T or F: It’s safe to use a convertible car seat instead of an infant car seat for infants.

Answer: True. You can start your baby out with a convertible car seat in the rear-facing position. However, we think infant car seats are preferable because they tend to fit small infants more securely and offer the convenience of a carrier that detaches from the base. Many strollers are now also designed to accommodate infant car seats, or you can purchase a car-seat carrier stroller frame that will accept many infant car seats.

2.  T or F: You can use an infant car seat in the rear- or front-facing position.

Answer: False. Infant car seats are designed to be used only with the baby facing the rear of the car. Never use one front facing. They’re for babies up to 22 pounds; a few can be used up to 30 pounds or more. Be sure to observe the height limit of the infant seat as well. If your child outgrows the seat in height before his weight, or vice versa, he’s ready for the next-phase car seat, a convertible model used in the rear-facing position.

3. You can secure an infant car seat base to your car by:
 A. Using LATCH connections.
 B. Using a vehicle safety belt.
 C. Either A and B.
 D. Neither A nor B.

Answer: C--both A and B. Nearly all infant seats have a base that secures to your vehicle with LATCH connections or a vehicle safety belt. LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, includes belts that hook or “click” into the base to metal anchors in the car. If you have more than one car, buy an extra base for the second one. You can also strap most infant seats into a car without a base, using the vehicle safety belts.

4. T or F: Three-point harnesses--two adjustable shoulder straps that come together at a buckle in the seat itself or at a crotch strap—are the norm on infant car seats.

Answer: False. The vast majority of infant car seats now have an adjustable five-point harness system--two straps over the shoulders, two for the thighs, and a crotch strap. But there are a few three-point models still around. We recommend the five-point version.

5. When using an infant car seat as a carrier, be sure the seat is:
 A. In an upright position.
 B. At a 118-degree angle.
 C. Properly reclined.

Answer: C. Properly reclined. When carrying your baby in an infant car seat, the seat should be positioned so that your baby’s head doesn’t fall forward, which can inhibit his breathing.

6. T or F: It’s safe to hook an infant car seat onto a shopping cart.

Answer: False. Slots underneath many seats help them attach to the frame of a shopping cart, but the American Academy of Pediatrics and many manufacturers don’t recommend using them this way, and neither do we.

7. If your baby falls asleep in his infant car seat:
 A. Let him sleep there all day if he wants to. Consider it a portable crib.
 B. Move him to a full-size crib as soon as you can.
 C. Let him sleep there for two hours before moving him.

Answer: B. Move him to a full-size crib as soon as you can. With an infant car seat, you can move your baby from car to house or vice versa without waking him up—a plus for both of you. But don’t let your baby sleep in an infant car seat when you’re not in the car and don’t leave him in the seat for long periods, even after taking the seat out of the car. Move him to a firm, flat surface, such as a full-size crib. That’s the safest place for a baby to sleep.

8. T or F: Most babies only use an infant car seat until they’re 6 to 9 months old.

Answer: True. Much sooner than you think, your baby may outgrow an infant car seat and become too heavy for you to use the seat as a carrier. Know the manufacturer’s weight and height recommendations. You may find yourself having to buy a convertible car seat by the time your baby is 6 to 9 months old. That short stint may not seem practical or cost effective. However, our advice is still to start with an infant seat before moving up to a convertible seat because it’s more secure and compact for infants. We consider them the safest way to transport the youngest babies.

See our car seats section for car seat ratings and more.