Is driving and watching over your newborn proving to be a challenge? Have you tried watching your bundle of joy as you drive with the back seat mirror? It does not help much, especially if your car model is a minivan or large SUV.
When we are on the road, we all want our young ones to be as safe as possible. And if your baby is under 2, then you most likely have an excellent rear-facing baby car seat. While the car seat will help keep your little one safe, you must invest in the best car baby monitor.
An attached car baby monitor will allow you to keep watch on your baby without having to turn around and take your eyes off the road as you rove around.
Having a car baby monitor will also mean that you do not need to keep re-adjusting the back seat mirror to see how your rear-facing tot is doing.
How Does A Baby Car Camera Work?
Your baby car camera works the same way as your home baby monitor. It has a monitor situated in easy view for the parent while the camera views the baby. With the lens facing your bub, their picture is transmitted to the monitor located in the driver’s view.
With an in-car baby monitor, you do not need to keep glancing over your shoulder to see how your little one is doing. You can comfortably check on them by quickly glancing at your dashboard.
A monitor for the car will ensure you get a safe trip, as it is a safety gadget designed to help you stay focused on your driving. It will help eliminate the inconvenience and potential danger of turning and making arm-reaching motions in a bid to check on your bub.
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Essential Features Of A Baby Car Monitor
Allow us to help simplify the information behind the technology of baby car monitors. We have identified the key features to look for when purchasing the right baby monitor for your family and one that will most definitely fit your lifestyle.
The essential features to look out for when buying a car baby monitor include:
1. Camera
Gone are the days of grainy outdated car baby monitor displays. Getting a high-quality video resolution camera will highly depend on the model of the car monitor you purchase. Generally, the more expensive the baby car monitor is, the more clarity you will get from the camera.
An anti-glare camera lens will ensure you get the best video quality of your young ones as they get lost in their world and you concentrate on the road. The cameras can be installed anywhere in the back seat or attached to your little one’s car seat. It might help to look for brands with cameras on stuffed toys, as this will also visually entertain your young one.
Some models of car baby monitors will allow you to add up to four lenses, and you watch all the combined lenses on one screen. This will help if your bubs are twins or you have many kids to watch while you drive.
2. Safety
A tech that puts safety first is the real deal. And while you are not always on the road, it is wise to ensure that a baby car monitor can be a safe option whenever you plan to take your young one on a road trip. And we agree that while it is not as necessary as a car seat, it will help make things easier on the road.
Ensure that the car video monitor is installed per the manufacturer’s guidelines for safety precautions.
3. Night Vision Feature
If you drive a lot at night, you need to purchase a car baby monitor with night vision features. A baby car camera with a night vision feature will allow you to see your little one without having to turn on the car lights which is a risk of upsetting your little one.
This will make driving in the dark stress-free even when your bub tags along!
4. Video Monitor
Most baby car monitors will use a small screen, with the average being around 4 inches wide, similar to a GPS screen or slightly larger. This monitor that looks like a GPS navigator has various features (that allow you to personalize the monitor), such as side buttons that will enable you to adjust the brightness and contrast of the screen.
Other features will include volume, camera angle, and zoom, which can be altered using buttons on the side of the top of the monitor.
5. Wireless
A wireless car baby monitor is most practical, especially inside the vehicle. With the wireless monitor, you do not need to worry about wires running through the car and the risk of unplugging them, meaning you have to turn to see what your little one is doing.
What’s more, loose wires around your baby pose a significant risk. The monitor must be plugged into the car’s cigarette lighter/electric outlet. You, therefore, need to ensure that your little one is not in a position where they can reach the wire.
6. Installation
Depending on the model you purchase for your bub, most monitors have to be set up differently. But the majority of them have straightforward installation instructions.
Some car baby monitors have a suction cup for the rear-facing and headrest straps for the front-facing car seat. Then position the camera, which includes a bracket with a lateral and vertical pivot point to the back of the rear car seat so that it faces your bub.
The installation process only takes a few minutes, but you need to read the product’s instruction manual to ensure you and your baby are safe when using the gadget.
Example of how the Itomoro Baby Car Mirror works
7. Power Source
A car baby monitor power source can either be electrical or battery-operated. Some electric-powered car video monitors must always be plugged into a 12-volt electricity source to work. This means a wire must run along with the car, which is 16 feet long on average.
We’d recommend you purchase a car monitor that is battery-operated as it is more convenient though a bit on the pricey side. A battery-operated monitor is also simpler and moderately effective. Also, most battery-operated monitors will only need two 2AA batteries to operate.
The best part of the battery-operated monitors is that they notify you when the battery is getting low, ensuring that you charge regularly. You can also get some extra batteries for emergency purposes.
8. Baby Monitoring App
Baby monitors have an app that allows you to receive an alert to check if your kid is still in the car when you reach your destination. This app helps save babies’ lives, as forgetting your young one inside the vehicle may sometimes become fatal.
3 Best Car Baby Monitors
Let’s have a look at the top three baby car monitors that will help you make the right decision on what to buy.
1. Yada Tiny Traveler Car Baby Camera
The Yada Tiny Traveler car baby camera model is a brand that has smart design features and an excellent camera. The Yada baby viewer is the best baby monitor with a camera with an impressive 4.3″ color screen with night vision capabilities for your peace of mind as you drive in the dark.
The lens uses 12V of power that transmits wirelessly to the monitor. With the Yada car monitor, you do not have to worry about electromagnetic waves passing through your baby’s body as it has a cable connection as opposed to a Wifi.
Key Features:
- With the Yada car baby monitor, you can enjoy wireless technology, which is a safer option for your little one.
- The Yada baby monitor is ideal for sedans, SUVs, and tracks.
- With its three different mounting options, i.e., windshield, headrest with straps, and the single pole headrest mount, it has remote capabilities for a clear view of your child.
- Thanks to its large screen, it has a capability of a view range of up to 300 ft, making it ideal for family vehicles.
- This model is easy to install with a nifty strap that sits on the headrest of your car seat.
Possible Cons:
- The night vision is not so clear as compared to the day camera
- It’s a bit on the pricey side compared to other baby monitors.
- It may be frustrating to install
2. Itomoro Baby Car Mirror With Camera
The Itomoro baby car mirror with a camera has a display that can be easy to adjust for easy lens positioning. The unit has a 4.3″ monitor placed on the vehicle’s center console, allowing you to glance at the dashboard screen quickly.
With a night vision function, you can drive without insecurities and worries, even at night.
Key Features:
- Itomoro baby car mirror offers distraction-free driving thanks to its display on the dashboard, which gives you an easy glance.
- Thanks to its High-resolution camera and LCD monitor, it provides high picture quality.
- With its wide 140-degree view angle, you can see your baby’s entire body.
- Compared to other models, the Itomoro baby camera is easy to install.
Possible Cons:
- Even with the night vision function you may need to install lights in the back of the vehicle during the night.
3. Zooby Kin Jordan Giraffe
The newly upgraded zooby Kin Jordan Giraffe boasts a large 4.3” split-screen, allowing you to see more of the backseat. It has an anti-glare monitor that is complete with a night vision means you do not have to worry should dark find you in transit.
Most importantly, instead of a giant metal and glass eyeball staring back at your child, they can fix their eyes on a playful plus toy containing the camera.
Key Features:
- The newly upgraded zooby Kin Jordan giraffe has an easy mount bracket with suction cups for the dash, ensuring it stays in place even on off-road drives.
- With an easy setup, you have to turn the camera, the monitor, and the power to a powerful 2.4Ghz wireless technology.
- The zooby Kin does not require an internet making it 100% safe from hackers.
- Thanks to its extended battery life, you can first charge the Zooby Kin at home, then use the car charger for supplemental charging.
- Being a portable wireless travel baby monitor, you can use it to monitor the baby in the car or at home, in a hotel or anywhere along your journey.
Possible Cons:
- They might need replacement batteries while in transit as the batteries do not store energy for long.
Baby Mirror Vs Baby Monitor For The Car
Is a car baby monitor better than a baby car mirror? The answer is YES and NO, depending on whether you find a car mirror inconvenient.
Observing your little one through a car baby mirror is the most popular option amongst parents. But its most significant inconvenience is that the baby mirror keeps shifting, and you must constantly adjust it for a clear view of your baby.
You will need suction cups when installing baby mirrors in the back window, thus blocking the rear window. A baby mirror is also a risk to your baby’s face.
We are for the baby monitors if it comes down to choosing the best. This is because baby monitors are inbuilt with extra safety features and allow you to sing to your tot when they are crying to soothe them.
Is Using A Car Baby Monitor Safe?
Taken alone, most baby monitors are relatively safe as long as you respect the other health and safety recommendations.
Using a baby monitor with you as the driver might not be the safest option, as even a glance will mean your attention is distracted from the road. Most especially if you are driving alone, the risk of an accident is too high.
If you plan on using a baby monitor on the road, you should have a front seat passenger who will help you look at the monitor.
If you do not have a passenger on your car ride, ensure that you have mounted the monitor to the dashboard. This ensures that it doesn’t slide off and falls on the car’s floor.
A car baby monitor is not a risk, but how you use it in the vehicle will ensure its safety or a risk hazard.
More Essentials For Road Tripping With Your Baby
Got a family road trip with infants coming up? You may also be interested in:
- Our review of the best portable bottle warmers for car trips – easy-to-use devices that are battery-powered or plug into the dash for quick and convenient bottle warming on the go.
- How to safely travel with breastmilk by car – pre-pump for infant’s next feed and safely store your precious cargo in a suitable car cooler.
- Best Baby Toys for The Car – a selection of soft and entertaining toys that your bub can play with independently while you’re driving.
- Top tips for road-tripping with a newborn – guiding you through your baby’s first road trip.
- How to make sure your baby is warm enough in their car seat, not too hot, not too cold, how to layer your baby in a car seat properly, and how to keep them cool in their car seat when it’s hot outside.
- Never forget an important road trip item again! Grab our downloadable Road Trip Checklist and tick everything off as you pack ready for your next big family adventure.
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