Suggestions on good baby monitors?

Q. I have a set of Fisher Price Sounds n Lights baby monitors, and their ability to pick up the tiniest sounds is great, but at random times they will just squeal extremely loud in a high pitched noise. It will even wake up my 5 week old daughter. She is a preemie, and she's only at 37 weeks now - so she's having stomach problems that hurt her, so the sleep she can get is precious for her.

Does anyone have any really good experience with a certain monitor? This is my first baby and I'm getting used to waking up to her cries - so I'd like the sensitivity of the monitors to be the same as these, I want to hear her LOUD and clear on the monitor. And the high pitches isn't due to other electronics, I just have an electronic clock in her room. Sometimes if you get close with a cell phone it'll do it - but 90% of the time it just does it randomly and loud loud loud!

Any mothers with advice, I'd appreciate it :)

Answer
I'm going to recommend the Sony Baby Call Monitor. We purchased it because it was the only one on the market that would not affect the cell phone usage in the house (and we figured they were all pretty much the same otherwise). You can get it on Amazon.com for about $30: http://www.amazon.com/NTM-910YLW-Sony-Baby-Nursery-Monitor/dp/B000S35QLC/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1WDSCNEPMTGUH&coliid=I3CN073HZ5ZDKX
It also comes in a set with two receivers.

We liked it because you can adjust the sensitivity. There's a wheel on the side to adjust the volume of your baby's cry. This way, you can get used to her waking you up without being shocked out of your own sleep. Plus, our daughter made lots of noises in her sleep that kept us awake. We were able to set the volume so we didn't hear those noises, but did hear her crying.

The only experience they have with squealing, is if you unplug the baby's monitor from the wall. It's more of an alert system, so you hear the squeal on your end when someone's messing with the other monitor.

Also, the receiver gets real staticky when the microwave is on.

What is the best baby monitor on the market?

rhyno

Was thinking audio-only, but am interested in the newer video systems as well.

Answer
I have tried a few, and I have found that Fisher Price monitors are the best. Both in terms of sound quality and longevity. I don't have the latest version but baby bargins book always gives good advice on purchases.

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what is the best baby monitor on the market? price vs functions?

best baby monitor on the market image

i want to buy a baby monitor, but dont know which one to buy ... so many to choose from. Ive narrowed it down to the following: Sony NTM-910, Babycare Angel Sounds, and Philips SCD488.

Answer
Consumer Reports Top Three

The First Years Crisp & Clear Plus 3813B

Evenflow Constant Care 3000

The First Years Safe & Sound 3808

How did our parents raise us without?

Busy Barbi

$900 strollers
High tech camera baby monitors
jumpers/bouncers/activity tables
$2,000 in infant furniture
etc?

And do we really need all this stuff now? I just got an email from a baby store informing me how badly I need a $900 stroller

Any product you see on the market you just can't imagine needing?

Answer
Pffft, My parents got it ALL OVER your parents. They raised me with no microwave and only one TV. I got schoolhouse rock instead of baby mozart

P.S. You forgot a diaper genie

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What is the best, safest and most accurate thermometer to use on a baby?

best baby monitor on the market image

Oliver P

I know there are a bunch of thermometers on the market, my wife and I are currently using a stick thermometer to measure our infants temperature, she has fevers quite often these days, mainly due to teething, and we find it really difficult to get an accurate measurement. Any other parents have any suggestions?

Answer
A baby ear thermometer is by far the most gently and accurate way to take a child's temperature. While I am not a doctor, I'd stay away from glass thermometers and rectal temperature readings, especially on a child that moves around a lot.

While Temporal scanners are wonderful, they are on the expensive side. I highly recommend using a Infra-Red baby ear thermometer. They take the temperature in under 2 seconds, and before the child has realized you are trying to do something, you have an accurate reading taking using an infra-red bean against the inner ear.

The built in history on most baby ear thermometers is also useful when monitoring a child's fever.

Take care of that little bundle.
Love
Barbara

What are the best long-term investments in today's market for someone at age 18?

Q. I am 18 years old. I realize the importance of investing for retirement early because of the impact that the "baby-boomers" will have on the nation's social security fund. I have been looking around at different types of investments (Mutual Funds, Roth IRA's, etc.), but I don't really have a concrete answer of what looks best. If I can't get one here I might just have to get a financial adviser.

Thanks for your help

Answer
First- long term is a somewhat flexible view, or should be in that you must always be prepared to modify positions according to changes in market and economic conditions. When the recession hit, I advised a friend to make a change with a particular stock he owned in order to profit from the recession. He did not follow the advice, as he thinks he's a long-term investor. That one error cost him $425,000 as of today, and the stock is only 70% back. When it's fully recovered to pre-recession value, the number he missed out on by not adjusting his strategy will be $696,000. You have to play the hand on the table- not the one that existed last week or might next year.

Roth is a good way to go, however the limits on what you can contribute will prevent it from becoming as large as it might be otherwise. I use both an IRA and and a conventional account, and I manage two other family accounts. My best portfolio has grown 593% in 33 months, so I'm doing a bit better than your average investor.

Starting young is a huge advantage. Starting at 18, it's entirely possible to be a millionaire in your 30's. You won't do that with the slow growers however. Many super winners we bought in the depth of the recession are close to normal price, and no longer hot buys. However, the real estate market in still in a recession induced depressed state. That means stocks in that market are still down, and will grow from the natural recovery of real estate as well as from individual success, making them multiple winners. Many of the REITS (real estate investment trusts) will gain from 3-10 times the current cost in the next five years, and will pay fat dividends as well. The time to get in on them is now- and like everything else, there will be a time to get out and move to something new with stronger potential when the conditions change.

You must consider what risk exposure you want to take, what gains you hope to achieve, if you will manage it yourself or give it to a broker (never again in my case) and much more. IF you will not monitor it yourself, play it safe. Nobody will take better care of your money than you will.

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What is your favorite baby or toddler item on the market right now?

Q. What is your all time favorite baby or toddler item that you have seen or purchased recently? - Any category...
What brand is it? How has it made your life easier?

A. I have two favourites
my favourite toy is "sophie the giraffe" i was blown away by the price, $20 for a rubber giraffe, but my daughter absolutely loves the thing, it's hand made in france from all natural rubber and if painted with food grade dye so it's safe, it's so soft and it has taken a real beating from my little one and still looks great.

my favourite piece of equipment is the angel care baby monitor, my daughter started having sleep apnoea episodes around 2 months, when she stops breathing the monitor sounds an alarm so we can get to her right away.

Original Question

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What are the best long-term investments in today's market for someone at age 18?

Q. I am 18 years old. I realize the importance of investing for retirement early because of the impact that the "baby-boomers" will have on the nation's social security fund. I have been looking around at different types of investments (Mutual Funds, Roth IRA's, etc.), but I don't really have a concrete answer of what looks best. If I can't get one here I might just have to get a financial adviser.

Thanks for your help

A. First- long term is a somewhat flexible view, or should be in that you must always be prepared to modify positions according to changes in market and economic conditions. When the recession hit, I advised a friend to make a change with a particular stock he owned in order to profit from the recession. He did not follow the advice, as he thinks he's a long-term investor. That one error cost him $425,000 as of today, and the stock is only 70% back. When it's fully recovered to pre-recession value, the number he missed out on by not adjusting his strategy will be $696,000. You have to play the hand on the table- not the one that existed last week or might next year.

Roth is a good way to go, however the limits on what you can contribute will prevent it from becoming as large as it might be otherwise. I use both an IRA and and a conventional account, and I manage two other family accounts. My best portfolio has grown 593% in 33 months, so I'm doing a bit better than your average investor.

Starting young is a huge advantage. Starting at 18, it's entirely possible to be a millionaire in your 30's. You won't do that with the slow growers however. Many super winners we bought in the depth of the recession are close to normal price, and no longer hot buys. However, the real estate market in still in a recession induced depressed state. That means stocks in that market are still down, and will grow from the natural recovery of real estate as well as from individual success, making them multiple winners. Many of the REITS (real estate investment trusts) will gain from 3-10 times the current cost in the next five years, and will pay fat dividends as well. The time to get in on them is now- and like everything else, there will be a time to get out and move to something new with stronger potential when the conditions change.

You must consider what risk exposure you want to take, what gains you hope to achieve, if you will manage it yourself or give it to a broker (never again in my case) and much more. IF you will not monitor it yourself, play it safe. Nobody will take better care of your money than you will.

Original Question

When is it safe to give a baby rice cereal?

Q. At what age? My baby is almost 7 weeks old. Is it too early to mix a little rice cereal in with his formula? Thanks!

A. It is recommended by most doctors that you wait until a baby is at least 6 months old before introducing ANYTHING other than breastmilk or formula! There are a lot of good reasons for waiting this long and there are many informational baby care books on the market that will give you guidelines and great advice for this, and many other, parenting questions. However, many baby care books still say that it's okay to start introducing solids at 4 months, and this is outdated. The newest research says that you should wait until 6 months.

One of the main reasons that you should wait for solids is to avoid causing your baby to have food allergies. The intestines of infants are not able to digest many proteins at such a young age. The proteins pass whole into the baby's bloodstream, rather than being absorbed by the intestines. This phenomenon is called "open gut". The baby's body doesn't recognize those proteins and so decides that they are foreign invaders (pathogens) and then produce antibodies to fight that protein. The baby might not have a reaction the first time you introduce the food, but subsequent feedings could trigger allergic reactions! You do NOT want to set your baby up for a lifetime of food allergies and there is absolutely no reason to give him anything except formula or preferably breastmilk, for many more months.

When your baby is 6 months old and you do start introducing solids, you should introduce them very slowly, waiting four days between introducing every new food. This way, you can monitor your baby for any food allergies and you'll be able to know which foods are problematic. It's very hard to pinpoint problem foods when your baby has received several items in the same day/s.

Finally, you should be aware of the foods that are choking hazards and that are most allergenic and avoid those foods until the recommended age.

Here is a great article that will answer all your questions, from kellymom.com. Kellymom is a fantastic website with vast amounts of useful, scientifically accurate information. Here's the article: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

Congratulations on your wonderful new baby. Take it slow, enjoy him while he's little and don't rush him into things before his little body is ready. He was made to thrive on breastmilk/formula for the first six months, don't mess with nature. : ) Good luck!

Original Question

Ways to save money with having a baby?

Q. I want to try for baby over the next year, and I posted a question on what the costs of having a baby are (such as everything that needs to be purchased) and someone suggesting asking a question about what ways there are to save money with having baby (thanks for the suggestion!!!)

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

A. -get whatever you can secondhand- from garage sales, craigslist, friends, wherever

- limit the stuff you get and choose ways of caring for your baby that take less stuff. For example, my partner and I plan on getting a baby sling and not a stroller. A sling is cheaper and we think it will be better for the baby to be carried by us close to us where he/she can see our faces and the faces of other people (as opposed to seeing knees and feet whenever we go out anywhere.) Other examples- if your baby is sleeping in the same room as you, no need for a baby monitor and if you cosleep, no need for a crib/baby bed. (Common practice in the country where I live and it helps prevent SIDS - Asian countries have lowest SIDS rates in the world and highest cosleeping rates)
There are a lot of choices like this, and different options, so don't give in to the marketing that says you need an expensive crib, stroller, toys, etc. Do the research and figure out what things will work for you. (Different people will have different things they consider necessary- some moms I know swear by their strollers and cribs, it's just not for me and my family.)

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