The whole essence of having a baby monitor is to ensure that your child is safe. But did you know that the same gadget you trust to monitor your baby could be emitting harmful RF radiation? In 2011, the World Health Organization classified RF Radiation as ‘possibly carcinogenic‘, in other words, cancer-causing.
In the average home, there are many sources of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation such as cellphones, TVs, microwave ovens, smart meters, wifi routers, etc. Baby monitors, (depending on which type) are among the largest source of RF radiation. For instance, while a mobile phone only emits at full power during calls, a baby monitor emits constantly at full power day and night, as long as it is on. The most saddening thing is that some parents unaware of this fact go ahead and place the monitors close to the baby.
Studies have shown that the younger the baby the more electromagnetic radiation they absorb and the higher the effects. This is explained by several factors. One, their bones and skull are thinner. Their cells are multiplying faster hence more vulnerable to genetic damage, and their immune system is also less developed than that of adults.
Below is an image comparing how electromagnetic radiation is absorbed in the head of an adult, a 5-year old child, and a 10-year old (from left to right).
Possible effects of electromagnetic radiation on children:
- Crib death and DNA damage in infants and fetuses-by a British physicist Barrie Trower
- Problems with brain development- Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy, a former assistant of Imperial College London, showed that radiation causes random and useless neural connections causing a larger skull in autistic children, and that there has been a 60 fold increase in autistic behavior patterns and disorders in the recent years.
- Negative impact on the male reproductive system
Although there is not yet a definitively proven link between exposure to electromagnetic frequencies from baby monitors and adverse health effects, it is our opinion that as a parent you can do more research on your own and make the right safety decisions for your baby’s well-being. On our part, we echo what the World Health Organization says, “Because there are suggestions that RF exposure may be more hazardous for the fetus and child due to their greater susceptibility, prudent avoidance is one approach to keeping children’s exposure as low as possible.”
If you are still determined to use baby monitors, there are two ways you can help reduce exposure to radiation:
- Choosing a low frequency monitor
- Placing the monitor at a safe distance from the baby’s crib (at least 2 meters away, the further the better).
The safest low-frequency monitors are those that emit low band frequencies from 40 to 900 MHz. These monitors use analog frequency modulation, like an FM radio, and have the least radiation emissions. The downside of these monitors is interference, interception, and poor signal quality with distance.
The second best option is digital monitors that transmit at 1.8 to 2.4 GHz. These monitors have higher emissions than the analog type but some give you the ability to reduce radiation emission using voice-activated features (VOX). During the VOX mode, the monitor uses low frequency which only transmits audio, but it can automatically turn to a higher frequency to transmit video if the baby cries. The other benefit is that your feeds are encrypted for security. However, just like analog monitors, the digital types are also susceptible to interferences when placed near other microwave sources like phones, modems, etc.
Having done thorough research, below are the lowest emission monitors in the market:
Reviews of 7 Lowest Emission Baby Monitors 2022
Safety 1st Crystal Clear Audio Monitor
The Safety 1 st Crystal Clear Audio Monitor is our first choice as the safest monitor, for the simple reason that it has a very low frequency at 49MHz. This is even much lower frequency than an FM radio.
This analog monitor comes with a convertible belt clip so you can conveniently take it with you, hands-free. We also love that it has an audio jack giving you the option of listening using earphones or without.
The Safety 1 st Crystal Clear Audio monitor works on two channels and covers a range of 600 feet. The audio is clear save for static issues experienced by some reviewers, which normally result from interferences from other household items using microwave frequencies.
As for how this monitor is powered, the base unit must be always plugged in using the included while the parent unit can use 3 AAA batteries or be plugged in as well.
Pros
- Lowest emission
- Cheap
- Lightweight
- Easy to set up
- The receiver has a headphone option
Cons
- Not the clearest audio
- It has static noises sometimes
Sony BabyCall Baby Monitor
Our second safest monitor is the Sony BabyCall Analog Monitor. This one has a frequency of close to 900 MHz, of course, it is much higher compared to our first choice, but it is still an analog monitor and not yet up to the microwave range. If you didn’t know, the microwave range of the spectrum starts at 1 GHz, which makes this monitor only 100 MHz short.
There are so many things to love about this monitor. First, it comes with a baby unit and two receivers; this gives more ears for the same price. Another feature that we like is that it has 27 channels so you can switch between them until you get the one that has minimal interference or much clearer. It is labeled as water-resistant so that helps with minor accidents that can happen from time to time- just don’t drop it in the bathtub.
Like you would expect from the Sony brand, this monitor has better clarity and can pick every whimper or rustle. We also love that it is voice-activated so you can set it to sleep and send alerts only when noise levels get to a certain level.
To power, you plug the baby unit while both parent unit devices use rechargeable batteries.
Pros
- Clear with good volume
- Can be used with other monitors
- Has multiple channels to stop interference
- It has a voice-activated mode
- Little interference and static
- Has a clip for carrying
Cons
- Expensive in comparison to other analog monitors
- It does have a bit of static from interferences even after changing frequency
- It loose connection frequently
Babymoov Expert Care
If you are not a fan of audio monitors, there are still ‘a bit safe’ digital options you can explore. The Babymoov Expert Care is a good example of digital monitors that do not emit electromagnetic or microwave level radiation. The other benefit of going with a digital monitor is that you get more useful features technologically advanced than with analog monitors.
There are several other things we like about the Babymoov Expert Care monitor. First, it is expandable to include two transmitters, this gives you more eyes if you have two babies. It also allows you to communicate to your baby like a walkie-talkie (but it’s one-way) and you can set it into VOX mode so that the receiver can be in sleep mode and alerts you only when your baby starts to cry. Both these functions help to reduce radio frequency emission than if it was a two-way talk and the monitor remaining full time.
The Babymoov Expert Care monitor may also be suitable for you if you are looking to get one that has a long range; if you have a large property or one you can take on camping. It claims to transmit to 3300 feet. Also because both the baby unit and parent unit use batteries. The baby unit uses 3AAA batteries and the parent unit uses rechargeable lithium batteries
The other extra feature of this digital monitor is an LCD screen displaying temperature readings from the baby’s room, and the transmitter can be a night light for the baby’s nursery.
Pros
- VOX mode
- Talkback function (one way)
- Rechargeable batteries
- The baby unit can use batteries or plugging connection
- Has the longest range
- Expandable to two transmitters
- Has temperature sensors
- Has night light
- Three alarms (acoustic, visual, vibration)
Cons
- Some customers complain that it fails to pick noises sometimes
- Does not have many reviews
Bebcare Baby Monitor
Bebcare Baby Monitor is unlike any we have seen so far. It is a smart monitor designed to give you reliable monitoring while keeping your baby safe from radiation. Bebcare has employed its unique DSR Radio Safe Technology, which reduces wireless emission by more than ninety percent compared to other monitors.
This monitor can also come with a breathing sensor (optional), so you can relax knowing your baby is okay. It alerts you on the parent device if breathing stops.
Being a smart monitor, it offers convenient features like built-in lullabies and white noise cancellers to soothe your baby and a two-way talk function. It also has customizable alerts with five-level sound indicators on the parent unit to indicate the sound level in the baby’s room and a vibration option, so you can monitor noise levels with the monitor muted. Plus, you can make sure the baby’s sleeping environment is comfortable with the temperature sensors.
Bebcare Baby Monitor is also ideal for those who want to monitor across multiple rooms because it is marketed as reaching 2000 feet. The parent unit can be powered by plugging or batteries while the baby unit is just plugging.
Pros
- Has starry night light and lullabies for soothing the baby
- Two-way talk
- Light sound level indicators
- Breathing and temperature sensors
- Clip-on monitor for hands-free application
Cons
- Does not have many reviews
First Years Crisp and Clear Audio Monitor
Like we said earlier, analog monitors are the safest, that’s why we bring you yet another of this type, the First Years Crisp and Clear Audio Monitor. Being an audio monitor, the monitor allows you to hear your baby but also goes further to show you the intensity of the noises in your baby’s room via sound level lights. This is a pretty cool and useful feature if you are in a noisy place or for users who are hard of hearing. From glancing at the lights you can tell if your baby is silent, whimpering, or crying.
Regarding powering, both baby and parent units can be plugged into the wall but the parent unit has the option of using batteries.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Has lights for different sound levels
- Great voice clarity
- Perfect for those with hearing impairment
- Belt clip
Cons
- Customers complain that it has a lot of static
- It is a bit pricier for an analog monitor
Babymoov Zero Emission Video Monitor Camera
Next on this list is a monitor labeled as having zero electromagnetic wave emission. The Babymoov Zero Emission Video Monitor is a smart monitor with audio and video output that is transmitted to the Babymoov app on your smartphone or tablet. You can also use their dedicated receiver (sold separately)
This monitor has the kind of features that you find on Wifi monitors. In addition to seeing and talking to your baby, this monitor has motion sensors so that it alerts you if there is movement in your baby’s room. It also has temperature sensors, night vision for nighttime video monitoring, and lullabies in the app. And it allows up to four users to stream simultaneously.
Pros
- Zero-emission
- Has video and audio
- Unlimited range
- Has temperature sensors
- Has Motion detection
- Multi-user
Cons
- The camera keeps losing connectivity,
- There are problems with the app
- Customers report that the temperature gauge is incorrect
- The picture quality is fuzzy.
Phillips Avent Video Baby Monitor
The next monitor on our list is a digital monitor that operates at 2.4 GHz. Now that’s so high, but the reason why the Phillips Avent Video Monitor qualifies to be on this list is that it has two options for lower emissions. First, using the sound-activated mode (VOX) cuts down on electromagnetic emissions because it does not need to stay on. This is also a bonus when you want to be alerted when your baby cries without glaring at the screen all the time.
What we love about this monitor also is that it is a digital monitor with FHSS encryption to keep your video and audio transmission secure. Again, you can set it to audio-only mode, which is the second way this monitor really lowers the emission. High emission only happens when the video feature is activated.
Apart from having lower emissions, this monitor also has cool features like a camera that swivels up, down, left, and right to get the best shot of your baby, night vision so you can see your baby at night, night light, and sound level lights like we saw in the First Year Crisp and Clear audio monitor earlier. It also has lullabies to soothe your little one to sleep.
Philip Avent monitor operates in the range of 490 feet, and you can have hands-free monitoring thanks to the provided belt clip.
Pros
- Night vision
- Excellent video quality
- Clear audio
- Has lullabies
- Has VOX
- It is durable
Cons
- It has a bit of static due to interferences
- About the Author
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Hi there! I am Ashley Davis, a mom of three kids and the editor here at Motherhoodhq.com. I have been a parent since 2011 and have been doing full-time consulting as a baby sleep expert since 2019. When I am not researching or testing the next baby gear hitting the market, you’ll find me teaching my toddlers a trick or two – especially over the last few months with the lockdown. I hope you’ll find my guides and reviews helpful as you make your next purchase decision. If you have any questions, you can reach me at ashley.d@motherhoodhq.com.
