Even when you’ve invested in the best baby monitor, the audio and video you will get from it is only as good as where and how you place it. Most importantly, careful placement of a baby monitor is essential to ensure your baby’s safety after you have spent a great deal of time choosing a baby monitor.
The best baby monitor location is close enough to have an optimal view of the baby but far enough that the monitor and cord aren’t a safety hazard in your baby’s sleeping environment.
To help you decide where to put baby monitor in order to get the most out of it without risking your baby’s safety, this guide will walk you through the process of determining the best location to mount it and show you how to mount or position it properly.
Where to Put Baby Monitor 101
Read the Manufacturer’s Guide
Reading the guide or manual that comes with your baby monitor is one of the best ways to learn how to use your specific model of baby monitor safely.
Not only will it explain how to mount the baby unit properly, it will include the safety risks to be wary of and the precautions you should take to ward off those risks.
Be sure to peruse the safety tag attached to the cords too. After all, you can never be too diligent when it’s your baby’s safety on the line.
Determine the Best Angle
With the safety precautions outlined in the manufacturer’s guide in mind, it’s time to decide the angle of placement that will give you the best view of your baby in their sleep and of other important items in the nursery or bedroom such as the windows.
Now, the best angle will depend on the kind of baby monitor you have, such as an audio baby monitor or a video baby monitor. If you own an audio type, the angle may be the least of your concern.
If you have a video monitor, is your monitor camera designed to provide a wide view like the Summer Infant Wide View 2.0 or the Nanit Plus monitor? Does it allow you to tilt, pan or zoom the camera remotely?
In this case you will have plenty of flexibility with placement since you can always adjust the angle. If your camera unit isn’t adjustable, determining the best angle becomes even more important.
So how can you tell the best angle? It’s simple. The camera should face the baby directly, without anything such as furniture in the way.
Audio is important too so make sure the monitor can pick your baby’s coos and cries and transmit them clearly. Generally, the best locations for the best angle of view are:
- High Up On a Wall: So how high should your monitor be? As high as surveillance cameras are mounted – the top edge next to the ceiling. This angle will give you an unparalleled view of the whole bedroom or nursery.
- On a Shelf: If you prefer not to mount the monitor permanently on a wall, you can put it on a shelf that’s high enough to give you a good view of the baby. Once you decide on the best video monitor location, adjust the angle of the camera until you find the optimum angle. If you’ve decided to mount the monitor high up, you can ask your partner or friend to hold the baby unit where you want to mount it so you can determine whether the sound and video are clear.
Tips on Best Baby Monitor Placement for Newborns and Toddlers
While all the baby monitor placement safety precautions apply to both newborns and toddlers, what you want to get from your baby monitor will depend on whether your little one is an adorable newborn who sleeps soundly most of the time or a playful toddler who can sit, stand, and play in their crib.
- Since a newborn is always lying down, whether asleep or awake, a vertical position will give you a clear view of your baby in their crib.
- If your baby is already in the toddler stage, however, the vertical position isn’t ideal. A lower angle will allow you a good view of your toddler in their sleep as well as when they are wide awake and playing in their crib.
Set It Up at A Safe Location
Mounting the unit where you will be able to see and hear your baby is important but setting it up at a safe location is even more important.
So how can you tell a safe location for mounting baby monitor? Well, it should be far enough that your baby can’t stretch out and reach it or fall down trying to reach it.
The safety of the monitor is important as well. These things don’t come cheap, even if you get an affordable baby monitor – it is still an important investment. Set it in a place where it isn’t likely to get knocked down. Next, learn how far away should your monitor be for safety.
How Close Should Your Baby Monitor Be?
According to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, the minimum distance between your baby and the monitor and cords should be at least 3 feet or one meter.
This audio or video baby monitor distance is close enough to get clear audio and video of your baby yet far enough that the baby can’t grasp the monitor or the cable. Another reason for this minimum distance is to protect the baby from exposure to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the monitor.
How Do You Mount Your Baby Monitor?
Once you’ve decided where to put baby monitor and adjusted the camera angle, it’s time to mount the monitor. When it comes to mounting baby monitor, you have three options.
You can mount it on a wall, put it on a shelf, or attach it to the crib if your monitor allows you to do this safely. The next section will show you how to go about it.
How Do You Attach A Baby Monitor to a Crib?
Though attaching a baby monitor to a crib can seem like the perfect way to set up the baby unit to get the clearest video and audio, many proofing experts advise against it. The monitor unit itself and the cords attached to it present too many risks when in such close proximity to a baby.
However, some Wi-Fi baby monitor models such as the Motorola Halo+ Over-the-Crib baby monitor or Lollipop baby monitor allow for safe placement at crib when your baby is a newborn. So how do you attach a baby monitor to a crib safely?
- First and foremost, read and follow the manual the unit came with.
- Choose a position far away from the baby, preferably 3 feet away from the baby.
- Use a baby the provided accessory or a monitor clip to attach the monitor firmly so it isn’t wobbly or likely to fall.
- Secure the wire far away from the baby’s reach. Cords on the edges or on the inside if the baby’s bed are a strangulation hazard.
How to Mount Baby Monitor on Wall?
Mounting a baby monitor on the wall is considered the best video monitor location by parents and baby proofing experts alike. It provides broad coverage of the room and is high enough that the monitor and cords are out of reach.
Wall mounting baby monitor involves drilling holes and requires the use of a mounting kit. If your unit was specifically designed to be wall-mounted, it might have the mount already built into the unit.
Some monitors such as the VTech’s Safe and Sound Pan & Tilt video monitor come with easy mounting systems that make the installation a breeze. Others include screws you can use to attach to the wall, while a few others only indicate the type of screws you can use.
Now that you’ve already determined where to mount baby monitor camera and the best camera angle, here is how to mount baby monitor on wall.
- Determine where to drill the holes. Your baby monitor kit probably includes a sheet with the holes distanced properly. Use it to mark the points where the screws will go in.
- Drill the holes.
- Screw the base your baby monitor came with into the holes.
- Clip the baby monitor onto the base.
- Secure the cord to the wall.
How Do You Mount A Baby Monitor Without Drilling the Wall?
Even though wall mounting offers some appealing advantages, it comes with disadvantages as well. Namely, you can’t move the monitor easily and you have to drill holes into the walls.
Luckily, there is a good audio or video monitor location if you prefer to mount the monitor without drilling the wall: on a shelf.
You can put it high on a chest of drawers, a dresser, or a wardrobe. Besides not having to drill the wall, you will enjoy a lot of flexibility with this option. You can reposition the monitor, fine-tune the camera angle, and move the baby unit around as you need to.
Ideally, the shelf, dresser, or wardrobe you plan to use should be high enough to give a good view of the baby. The ideal place to set up the shelf for a good view is in a corner.
Simply place the monitor on the shelf, having the best camera angle in mind as you do this. Secure it using a stand, a clip, or double-sided tape. Finally, secure the power cable out of reach.
Other alternative mounting baby monitor solutions you can use that don’t require you to drill in your wall include:
- Baby monitor mounting kits allow you to mount the baby unit anywhere you want whether it’s the wall or the side or top of a library.
- Baby monitor shelves are exclusively designed for holding baby monitors securely. They come complete with an opening for the cord.
- Baby monitor tripods give you plenty of flexibility in placement as they are designed to wrap around items such as the curtain rod in the bedroom or nursery.
- Baby monitor stands are great for holding the camera unit on a flat surface such as a shelf or dresser.
- Baby monitor mounts are great if you want the ability to fine-tune the camera angle, as they have a flexible arm that allows you to do this.
How Do You Secure A Baby Monitor Cord?
Whether you opt to attach the monitor to a wall, mount it on the wall, or put it on a shelf, it’s crucial to secure the baby monitor cord out of the way. Hanging cords present a serious strangulation hazard to your baby. And, they also don’t look good.
The best way to secure a baby monitor cord is to secure them to the wall and use a plastic cord tube cover. The Yekaye Wall Cord Hider and the Legrand Cord Organizer and Hider work great for this.
Fix the tube to the wall and run the cord inside of it. Alternatively, you can drill two holes into the wall and slide the wires through them so they are inside the wall.
If you prefer to avoid this hassle, you can invest in a baby monitor with a cord-less camera baby unit. An example of a cordless monitor is the Hello Baby HB65.
Where You Should NOT Put Baby Monitor
- Don’t place the monitor where it’s likely to come into contact with water.
- Don’t put the baby monitor too far away from a power outlet. Power extensions will only add another hazard in your baby’s room.
- Don’t set the unit such that it’s directly over your child’s head.
- Don’t place the monitor on an unstable shelf where it can fall over.
Conclusion
No doubt a baby monitor is one of the best parenting inventions ever. When used properly, it can enhance your baby’s safety and your peace of mind. However, it can also become a safety hazard if it isn’t used properly.
Deciding where to put baby monitor comes down to two things: You should be able to hear and/or see baby clearly, but the baby shouldn’t be able to reach the monitor or the cord.
Based on these criteria, high up on a wall or on a shelf is the best place for the baby unit. If you have a newborn, place it at a higher angle. If you have a toddler, a lower angle is best.
As for how far away should your monitor be, 3 to 6 feet is the optimal baby monitor distance.
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns about where to put baby monitor camera or audio unit, please feel free to add to this baby monitor location guide by leaving a comment below!
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