LOREX Live Snap - video baby monitor

Yes... We do have this monitor as well. In fact, it replaced the other two monitors when our daughter was old enough to be moved into our son's room. At that point she didn't really need the Angel Care Deluxe monitor anymore, and let's just say that the Graco Secure Coverage Digital Monitor only made a brief pit stop in our household. 

And now of course, we wonder how we ever made it one day without our Lorex video baby monitor??

So here's the scoop. If you are looking for a video monitor, this is truly a great one to get. Lorex actually makes video security cameras and other security systems, so it's hard to go wrong with this company when it comes to "surveillance" of your precious ones... We have two cameras, and although the kids now share a room, we still use both cameras. One points towards the older one's bed, the other towards the younger one's. You can have up to four cameras hooked to it, and you can see all of them on the monitor, either individually or together on one screen.

The sound is great, we haven't had any issues with static. The picture is very clear both day and night (it has a high contrast, bright 2.4" LCD screen) and even more importantly, it is private and secure. It doesn't get any interference. This was actually a huge issue for me and one of the reasons why I felt that I didn't want a video monitor before. I had heard plenty of stories of video monitors getting interference from the neighbors video monitor to the point where you'd see the neighbor's child on your monitor and they'd see your sleeping baby on theirs. I guess that's fine if you know the neighbors. Creepy if you don't. And even creepier to think that pretty much anyone can start keeping an eye on your baby through their video monitor... Anyway, that is obviously not an issue with this particular brand.

It comes with rechargeable camera/s (just like the video monitor) so you can unplug them for a few hours and move them wherever you want them. You can talk to your baby/child through the monitor, which has come in handy a few times for us now that our older one is 3+. You can also snap images with the monitor if you want. We've never done this so to us it's not a very useful feature but it also doesn't make this product any less great in my mind.

The only thing that has occasionally bothered me with this monitor is that the digital wireless signal only goes up to 450 feet with a clear line of sight, which means that concrete walls and dense objects reduce signal strength. We can't be outside in our yard with the older one while the younger one is sleeping and still see her. But in the grand scheme of monitors, it's not a big deal. I love this monitor and we've found ways to work around it (for example, I leave the monitor on the stairs or near the front door and turn up the volume so I still hear her, even if the monitor is not in my pocket).

Finally, I'd say that the monitor and the camera/s are quite small in size and they work overseas as well with a different electrical plug, so you can easily pack them up and take them with you on trips.

If this monitor had a temperature display feature as well, I'd be over the moon :)

Pros:

- Private and secure.

- Great sound, zero interference.

- You can attach up to four cameras to it.

- Rechargeable cameras so you can move them around for a few hours.

- You can talk to your child through the monitor.

- Great picture day and night (in the day time it's full color, in the night time it's black and white for a clear image).

- Small in size.

- Easy to travel with.

- You can snap pictures of your baby with the monitor...

Cons:

- "Only" 450 feet digital wireless signal with clear line of sight.

Graco Secure Coverage™ Digital Monitor (with 2 Parent Units)

When we had baby #2 we moved our Angelcare Deluxe Sensor and Sound Monitor to her bed and got this plain sound monitor for our older child's room. We did quite a bit of monitor research before we ended up with this one. In addition to great sound, one important factor for us was that it wouldn't interfere with our phone and other electronics. The Graco Secure Coverage Monitor is digital which makes the sound clear and guarantees privacy, and the 900 MHz frequency that it operates on does not interfere with other technology in the house. 

It comes with a vibrate alert button that we never used. I actually didn't quite understand the need for the vibration alert on a sound monitor, but I'm sure it can be useful for somebody else.

The low battery alarm on this device is loud and slightly annoying and I'm not sure it's really all that necessary. The lights on the parent unit turn bright red when the battery is low, so it's hard to miss that it's time to charge it...

All in all, it's a good monitor for what it is. So if you are looking for something simple that does the job, this is definitely a good choice.

Pros:

- Great sound.

- Doesn't interfere with other technology in the house.

- 2000 ft range.

- Simple, good sound monitor.

Cons:

- Loud alert to signal low battery.

The Angelcare Deluxe Monitor

The Angelcare Deluxe Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor combines a sound monitor and a movement monitor in one single system. It's a brilliant device for paranoid new (and second/third/etc time) parents. The alarm goes off if the sensor pad doesn't detect any kind of movement, such as breathing, in 20 seconds. Of course, it also works as a high-quality sound monitor and you can use the newer models as both, or as either or.

I have to admit though, that I don't know if this device can actually save a life. I know the alarm goes off if you pick up your baby and forget to turn the monitor off. We've certainly done that. We've also had a few heart-attack provoking false alarms because our baby moved too far from the sensor pad for it to detect any breathing. But I don't know if there has ever been an incident where this monitor saved a life because the parents were able to get to their baby in time to rescue it from SIDS or something else that caused it to stop breathing... So while that remains the ultimate question I'm very grateful that I have never had to personally find out.

We used our Angelcare for both kids as infants and it probably made us sleep calmer. It certainly kept us from having to check that our child is breathing 100 times per night. I could just quickly glance at the base monitor's blinking light in the middle of the night to know that everything was alright, although our son hadn't made a sound in what seemed like ages as far as hungry little babies are concerned. 

I also liked the large temperature display feature on the parent unit because our house goes from hot to cold very quickly in the evenings and I didn't have to be in the same room with the baby to know what the temperature was. 

The sound monitor is very sensitive as well, and picks up even the slightest whimper.

Would I buy this again? I believe the answer is "yes". It sells for around $130 on Amazon and in this case I think it's definitely worth the money. That's because I'm still slightly paranoid, even after two kids, and I'd rather find out in 20 seconds if there is a problem than any later... 

Pros: 

- Movement sensor and sound monitor all in one.

- Soft night light on nursery unit.

- Room thermometer on parent unit.

- Alarm will sound if no movement is detected in 20 seconds.

- Sensor pad is very sensitive and picks up movement even if baby is not on top of it. 

- The monitor automatically converts to battery in case the power goes out.

- Adjustable sensitivity.

Cons:

- If baby moves too far from sensor pad to the sides of the crib, the alarm will go off. It's a little bit hard to go back to sleep after such an event...

Baby Björn Little Potty

I think this potty is quite average as far as potties go. It is Baby Björn's smallest and lightest potty, which makes it great for traveling. It looks good too, but this is of course part of what you pay for with Baby Björn products. It ranges between $15 and $27.99 on Amazon depending on the color. (It comes in red, blue, pink and white).

The reasons why I think it's just average are because it's low to the ground and not that comfortable for a kid (even with its soft lines), nor is it easier to clean out than other generic ones out there. Neither of my kids ever liked to use it or sit on it for longer periods of time so it wasn't a great potty for potty training. In fact, my little girl seems to fall too far into the potty when she sits on it and has a hard time getting out. So maybe it's not meant for kids with tiny bottoms...

If you want a great looking, more traditional potty and don't want to buy the Baby Björn Potty Chair because it's big and takes up space in your bathroom, I would probably get the Baby Björn Smart Potty instead of the Little Potty. The Smart Potty is still small enough to travel with you, but it's way more comfortable for small bottoms than the Little Potty is, and easier to clean. The one good thing about the Little Potty (other than its good looks) is that the front of the potty is high enough to prevent accidents, especially with little boys.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Small, light-weight.

- Easy to bring with you. 
- Has a high front to prevent "accidents".

- Looks great.

- It's made out of PVC and BPA-free plastic.

- OK as a 2nd potty or travel potty.

Cons:

- Small bottoms fall too far into the potty.
- Not all that comfortable to sit in for longer periods of time (thus, not great for potty training but ok for traveling).

Baby Björn Potty Chair

There are actually differences between potties out there. Granted, most do the job just fine. I mean, the point of a potty is to "capture things" and in that sense a potty is a potty...

However, the Baby Björn Potty Chair might just be slightly superior to the potty next door. Although it's a bit pricey (nearly $30) and I don't know if there is something equally great out there for less, it's a very, very good potty as far as potties go. I've come to realize that all the other more or less generic potties that we own (in various places) have something that make them work less well than the Baby Björn Potty Chair. Some are hard to clean out without "dribbling" between toilet and faucet, others are not as well designed to capture things (especially when it comes to little boys). The product designers at Baby Björn were really onto something when they created this potty. 

For one, both our kids like to sit on it for what must seem like ages for an impatient little child, because it has soft lines and an ergonomic design with backrest and armrests. In fact, one doesn't necessarily notice the armrests until your child rests his/her arms on them because the backrest is so well designed. The front of the potty is high enough to limit "accidents" even when it comes to aimless little boys (at least this has been the case with our son). The potty is also easy to empty out and clean and has a leak guard that prevents spills. It is made out of PVC and BPA free plastic which is a big bonus in our household. Lastly, it looks great in your bathroom (at least to an adult). 

So as much as I feel that the price is a bit high for a potty, I have to give it both thumbs up. It does everything it's supposed to do just a little bit better. And it lasts for a very long time.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- It's sturdy and ergonomically designed.

- There is a leak guard that prevents spills.

- Has backrest and armrests for little arms to lean onto.

- High enough in the front to limit accidents.

- It has a rubbery strip on the bottom which helps keep it in place.

- PVC and BPA free plastic.

- Looks great.

Cons:

- Of course, anything sturdy with a backrest is slightly bigger than a portable potty.

- Pricey, but I think it's worth it.