When you’re a brand new parent, there are plenty of concerns regarding your newborn. This is also what we experienced and felt when our babies were born a couple of years ago. You feel a limitless love and obligation to keep them as safe as possible. That’s why modern technology has allowed us wonders like baby monitors — allowing you to keep better track of your baby than ever before. By using devices like these, you can easily tell if your kid is soundly asleep. But the question is: do baby monitors result in dangerous Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) emissions?
The answer is — yes, potentially. While the harmfulness of EMF radiation for humans has not been decidedly proven. Still, doing your best to minimize the amount of EMF exposure that your baby is subjected to would be a good idea. With that in mind, you’re probably wondering – what is the safest baby monitor? Don’t worry, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the safest baby monitors in terms of EMF exposure.
How Do Baby Monitors Work?
Today, every single device we use in our homes is becoming more complex. Everything from refrigerators to baby monitors makes use of EMF signals. You’ll find that plenty of contemporary baby monitors have WiFi connectivity and video transmission features, along with the basic video capabilities. However, such technologies could turn out to be harmful due to increased EMF. In the very least, having electronic devices with lots of complex features near your baby while he’s sleeping may disrupt his sleeping patterns.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to understand how baby monitors function.
Generally, we divide them into digital and analog baby monitors. The analog ones only transmit audio, and they’re the ones we recommend using — seeing as they emit the bare minimum of EMF. Regardless of which type you get, all of them have two units: one that transmits signals and is near the baby, and a receiver that you keep near your person. Most of today’s monitors are handheld and portable.
All monitors are wireless, regardless of whether your particular model is digital or analog; though we recommend the latter, both use wireless signals.
Do Baby Monitors Emit Emf?
In short – yes. These monitors are, just like any other electronic devices, sources of radiation. So, if your question is: do audio baby monitors emit radiation, that would be a yes as well. As we’ve mentioned above, even if your monitor does not emit video signals, the audio still travels wirelessly.
Are Baby Monitors Harmful for My Baby?
If you take the needed precautions — no, they are not.
At least not in any significant measure, studies have shown. Still, we need to take into account that the effects of electromagnetic radiation on human health have not been fully explored by science. We are only beginning to delve into the influence radiation has on the brain of a child that is still in development. What we know concretely is that a person’s brain keeps developing until their early twenties. In this period, the brain is still growing (at slower paces later on, obviously), so the individual’s skull is not yet thick enough because it needs the elasticity to grow. If we take these factors into account, it would be reasonable to conclude one thing — if it does turn out that EMF radiation is harmful to humans, children will definitely have been more vulnerable than grownups.
When you’re buying a baby monitor for your child, you need to work on striking a perfect balance between safety and technological comfort. In most cases, using audio monitors that don’t have as many features is the safest course of action. We’ll also give you some tips on how to use a baby monitor more safely.
You may not know this, but sources of EMF do not affect everyone the same. The single most important factor you need to remember while choosing how you’ll utilize a baby monitor is its distance. Or, rather, its proximity to your baby. People are more affected by radiation if they’re closer to its source; baby monitors and infants are no exception.
So, before using a baby monitor, you need to keep the following in mind. Firstly, these devices emit radiation all the time — this is true for both the parent unit that you have on your person, and the base transmitter near the baby. In fact, many of these have distance warnings in their fine print. And these warnings state that you should keep the base unit away at least 8 inches from your baby.
5 Best Low EMF Baby Monitors
Now that we’ve taken a look at the basics that you need to be familiar with while choosing a baby monitor with low EMF properties; it’s time to give you some specific examples of models that could be a good pick.
Sony Babycall Monitor
Compared to some of the other baby monitors that we’re going to examine here, you may find the Sony Babycall to be somewhat basic or traditional. However, there’s one thing that you can’t deny it — it’s exceptional at its job. For people who want advanced features that the most up-to-date models have, you won’t have much luck with Sony’s Babycall. On the other hand, as we’ve mentioned before — that’s not really the main thing you want with your baby monitor. Instead, you want it to be trustworthy, long-lasting, and have low EMF emissions.
In that regard, this model will prove to be a good one, seeing as you’ll easily be able to hear your baby at long distances. Its operational frequency is set at 900Mhz, meaning that it has an impressive range for such a basic model. This is crucial for the safety of your baby, as this model will allow you to place it at a safe distance from your child, and still hear everything that you need to. Naturally, the default range is one thing — in reality, the range won’t depend on the frequency alone. Obstacles in your environment and the way your interior is set up will have a major influence on the range of your baby monitor.
However, this monitor is definitely something that allows you to achieve the biggest possible range. You get an incredible 27 channels on this thing — so if you find that the current channel is catching too much static and interference, you can try out other frequencies until you fine-tune it to your best. With so many options, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one that provides you with the clearest sound.
Additionally, parents who aren’t tech savvy will appreciate this even more. Those looking for a no-fuss straight-to-the-point monitor will love this Sony model. Plus, you don’t have to spend time recharging these and changing the batteries — both the receiver and the transmitting unit can be plugged in simultaneously and charged.
So, you can charge both of the monitor devices and make sure you’re always able to move them around. Let’s face it, while your baby’s napping, the last thing you want to do is to remain stuck by your end of the monitor. This gives you the freedom to move around the house. We do have to mention one downside — the newer versions of this model don’t run on regular AA batteries, but on a special Sony battery pack that’s rechargeable. While this is great in some respects, many people prefer this generic type of battery.
In conclusion, the main draw of the Sony Babycall is its ease of use. Sure, there are some features lacking from this model that more complex ones have. For instance, you can’t transmit video or talk back to your baby via this model. On the other hand, its basic feature set guarantees a lower output of electromagnetic radiation; which is a bigger priority for parents more concerned with health and safety.
The Sony Babycall Monitor is available over on Amazon, you can check the price and additional info here on Amazon.com.
Safety 1st Crystal Clear Audio Monitor
Up next, we’ve got a great model for parents who want to simultaneously stay close to their baby, but also have the ability to move around a larger household. In that regard, the Crystal Clear Audio monitor is perhaps your best pick here. The manufacturers have advertised this model as one being capable of achieving a range of 600 feet; more than enough for any kind of household. In fact, you can even go out into the garden and relax there while your baby sleeps — without thinking about whether you’ll know when they wake up.
On the other hand, this monitor does offer only a couple of channels for interference minimization. However, even at the longer ranges that it’s capable of, most users report that the default 49Mhz frequency works pretty well. Of course, take this with a grain of salt, seeing as the amount of interference you’ll experience is pretty specific depending on your household. So, those two available channels may turn out to be not enough if you do experience issues with interference.
You can use batteries to power the monitors, or simply plug them in and not think about whether they’re charged. Just like most audio monitors we’re reviewing here, Crystal Clear gives parents the flexibility they need from a low-EMF baby monitor. Plus, the intuitive design of the monitor means that even the most tired parent will be able to use it with ease.
Sure, the design may seem a bit too basic to some people. But this standard monitor does come with a few nifty extra features. For instance, you have a headphone jack which can be useful if you’re experiencing too much interference without headphones; or if you’re worried that you won’t be able to hear your baby. Also, it features increased portability with an optional belt clip that you can use to take the monitor anywhere with you hands-free.
To find out more about the Crystal Clear Audio Monitor and read what other parents say about it, please check it out here on Amazon.com.
Babymoov Expert Care Baby Monitor
Having a baby monitor that emits low EMF levels does not mean you have to settle for a lower-quality model. For instance, this high-tech Babymoov monitor basically gives you everything you need. Even though it’s a digital model, it’s audio only, so it gives out a reasonably low output of EMF energy. In fact, this model was manufactured using a revolutionary green energy scheme, meaning it emits smaller energy levels by orders of magnitude.
If you want a low EMF baby monitor that gives you the quality of sound that only a digital signal can — this is the best of both worlds. Plus, the digital signal means that you can access a truly ground-breaking range of more than 2,500 feet. And remember, you won’t get the same interference you would with an analog model, so you’ve got higher chances of achieving the default advertised range. The location of your household and its interior structure will play a far lesser role in the interference levels here.
As for the power options, you’ve both an AC charging unit and a lithium battery you can recharge whenever you want; an admirable level of versatility, to be sure. And besides this, you’ve even got the option to run the baby unit on nothing more than a couple of AAA batteries. Even a power outage won’t disrupt your daily family routine.
The increased levels of functionality that come with this Expert Care Monitor mean that you have an ease of use you’re probably not accustomed to. For instance, you don’t have to fiddle around with the channels on your own; there’s an automatic finder that will select the very best digital frequency in an instant. Also, you’ve got a mechanical alarm that will always signal when you’ve got low power in either of the units, or you’re leaving the intended operating range. And on top of all that, there’s a belt buckle attachment for the receiver.
If you want to completely safeguard your baby from potentially harmful EMF waves, this particular monitor has one excellent option. Namely, you can set it to only transmit when your baby makes some sort of movement or noise. That way, most of the time the monitor won’t emit any waves at all, reducing the overall amount of emissions to something truly negligible. There’s also a nightlight so you can easily find it in the room without disrupting the baby’s sleep with external lighting.
The product is available over on Amazon.com, you can check the price and additional info here.
Philips AVENT Baby Monitor
As we’ve mentioned before, most parents who want to protect their child from harmful radiation will choose an audio baby monitor. However, if you’re certain that you’re looking for a video monitor, there are a handful of excellent, low-EMF options out there. Among them, the Phillips Avent model is probably the very best. If you’re conscious of the need for more security for your baby’s room, this is the perfect choice.
The monitor uses a frequency-hopping technology that reduces the risk of someone accessing the monitor without authorization to minuscule, as well as any potential interference of other kinds.
Also, how many times have you spent clumsy minutes trying to pinpoint where the baby monitor is in the middle of the night? Or, how much cursing under your breath have you uttered while you’ve searched around the house for where you’ve left the portable receiver? If that’s the case, Phillips offers an excellent wall mounted option. You can install the fixtures easily, giving you a great spot to keep the monitor and always know precisely where it is.
The video screen itself isn’t bad, giving you more than enough clarity to see if your baby is okay without any doubt. Plus, visibility won’t be an issue during sundown either, as the monitor comes with an infrared night light. If you don’t experience any interference with the video transmission, you’ll be more than satisfied with the product.
Finally, there’s one ease-of-use feature that’s definitely an awesome quality of life improvement — the talkback mic in the baby transmitter. You can use your voice to calm the baby down without even entering its room. If you feel like the baby is waking for no good reason, you may want to do this instead of going in yourself. That could only stir the baby up further and awaken it completely.
Philips AVENT Video Baby Monitor is available here on Amazon.com where you can also check additional info and prices.
D-Link HD Camera
Lastly, here is another less traditional option for a low-EMF baby monitor. You can use a D-Link HD camera to look after your baby and make sure that it’s alright. Sure, after a superficial glance, this might seem like nothing more than a simple camera. And its primary purpose is definitely not being a baby monitor. However, that shouldn’t distract you — after some light tweaking, you’ll be able to use this as one of the best low-EMF monitors around.
The camera gives you access to a great 720p crystal-clear video, as well as night vision across 16 feet — more than enough for most rooms. And, most importantly: it allows for remote access, which is all you need in a video baby monitor.
The biggest selling point here is that there is no EMF to be concerned about with this camera — you can hardwire it, completely eliminating any wireless electromagnetic signals! At the end of the day, setting it up may require more tinkering, especially if you want a wired signal; but it’s definitely more than worth it when it comes to your baby’s safety.
You can find the D-Link Camera to use as a wired Baby Monitor here on Amazon.com.
We hope that this buyers guide was useful to you and helped to choose the right device for you and your baby. If you have any questions on the single products we introduced here please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time!
