12 Places To NOT Place Baby Monitors (Explained)

Setting up a baby monitor system in your house need not be complicated.

All you need to do is ensure that it doesn’t endanger the baby yet still be safe from any hazards to electronic devices.

There are some places your monitor shouldn’t be placed. Placing them in the wrong spots can put your little one at serious risk of injury. This article will teach you what those wrong places are along with some other warning signs to watch out for as well.

1. Too Close to the Baby 

Your baby monitor should be away from reach from your baby. As many baby monitors come in designs meant to be pleasing, your baby might think it’s a toy. It would be best to consider mounting it or putting it on a shelf. And as your child grows, you need to adjust its position based on how far your child can reach.

In relation, if your baby monitor has exposed cables, such as a power source or ethernet cable, then all the more, you should keep it away from your child.

These can cause accidental strangulations, which can be fatal.

And when the child is slightly bigger, all the more you need to keep the cables tucked neatly to avoid any accidents, such as tripping.

Another reason not to put a baby monitor near your child is electromagnetic exposure. While electromagnetic exposure is unavoidable at times, it’s best to keep baby monitors away from a child due to the emissions it makes.

While a baby monitor should be within the baby’s proximity, consider putting around three feet away, as the electromagnetic emissions are similar to cellular sites.

2. Unstable Surfaces 

Don’t put your baby monitor on surfaces where it can get knocked over, such as on the crib’s railings. A baby can move a lot, resulting in kicking that could knock over the baby monitor. When the baby monitor falls over, it can get damaged or broken.

A baby monitor should be able to serve as your ears and even eyes in the room while you are away.

If it gets knocked down, you won’t be able to check on how your child is doing.

As mentioned earlier, an excellent place to put a baby monitor would be on a wall or shelf.

Read our blog here about how do wi-fi baby monitors work?

3. On a Spot with Obstructions 

You should stay clear of any area that can obstruct your view of your baby. Obstructions can block the camera or microphone, which can cause you not to see or even hear your baby crying.

As a rule of thumb, you must have a clear view of your child on a video baby monitor. You can check what the video looks like as you set up the baby monitor with the parent unit. The same thing goes for audio-only monitors, as you should also check if the sound will be able to reach the transmitter.

There’s no need to place your monitor under your bed or nightstands unless there’s no other option available.

A baby monitor should be within easy reach of parents at all times so that they can turn their devices on and off as needed without having to get up from bed or out of the chair next to their child’s crib.

4. Near a Microwave Oven 

Many baby monitors use the same radio frequencies that microwave ovens use. Having the parent unit close to the microwave in operation can cause conflicts in the frequencies and disrupt the connection between the baby monitor and the parent unit.

Now, if you need to work in the kitchen while keeping track of your child, it’s best to keep it away from the microwave to avoid any conflicts.

At the same time, the heat emitted from the microwave can also damage the parent unit.

5. Near Cordless Phones 

There’s likely an electromagnetic interference if you hear a beeping sound from the baby monitors when near the cordless phones. 

Like microwaves, cordless phones also use the same frequencies as baby monitors. To ensure a smooth operation and avoid interruptions, baby monitors are best placed away from where your cordless phone is. 

The same can be said for mobile phones, including smartphones. These phones also use similar radio frequencies as baby monitors. 

Read our blog here about do baby monitors need wi-fi to work?

6. Near Wi-Fi Routers 

Some people have observed that baby monitors sometimes interfere when close to Wi-Fi devices, including routers.

That said, the baby monitor and its parent unit should be set away from the router, just a few feet away, to avoid any interference.

It would be best to do the same to other devices that connect via Wi-Fi, such as smart TVs. 

7. Near Two-Way Radios 

For those using audio-only baby monitors, it’s highly advisable not to put them near two-way radios, as they may be using the same radio frequencies. 

In the event that you need to have a baby monitor and a two-way radio in the same room, you may have to switch channels to ensure that they do not interfere with each other.

Two-way radios have selectable channels, allowing you to use a different connection from the baby monitor. 

8. Near Water Sources 

Unless your baby monitor is certified to be water-resistant or waterproof, never put it anywhere near a water source, such as swimming pools and faucets.

Like any other electronic device, baby monitors risk getting damaged when water gets in contact. 

So, if you’re thinking of going for a bubble bath while the baby takes a nap, think twice about putting it near your bathtub. 

9. Near Heat Sources 

Like many electronic devices, baby monitors should not be placed near heat sources. Excess heat can cause components to overheat and even burn in the process.

Likewise, some baby monitors also have built-in temperature sensors, which can cause an inaccurate reading in the room. 

Thus, you need to keep your baby monitor far from heaters, ovens, and stoves, which can cause damage to the baby monitor. 

10. In Frigid Environments 

While baby monitors can withstand cold climates, they cannot withstand frigid environments.

Thus, if you need to clear your front yard of snow, it would be best to keep the baby monitor where the cold is manageable.  

11. Near Sound Sources

It’s also not ideal for you to put the baby monitor near sound sources, such as TVs and speakers.

The baby monitor tends to be sensitive to noise, and any sound that comes from these sources can trigger the monitor’s sensors. This will lead to numerous false alarms on the parent monitor, which can be annoying when triggered too much. 

As much as possible, try removing any unnecessary sound sources that can trigger the baby monitor sensors. If unavoidable, turn off any sound-emitting devices in the room. 

12. Near Bright Lights 

If you use a baby video monitor, you may want to keep it away from the lamp. Lamps tend to be too bright when close, which may not allow you to see your baby. 

Many modern baby video monitors come with night vision, so there’s no need to have an external light source to see clearly at night. 

Final Thoughts 

For the most part, you need to consider three things when finding a spot for your baby monitor and even the parent monitor: away from electronic hazards, away from the baby, and any light or sound sources that can hinder you from monitoring your baby. 

As long as you keep your baby monitor away from them while maintaining a reasonable distance from your baby, you will be able to keep track of your child while away from the room. 

Read our other blog about do baby monitors work both ways?

Sources

• Baby Gear Essentials: Where should you place your baby monitor to be safe?