What Is a Car Baby Monitor, and Do I Need One?

Some car baby monitors, like the—Yada Portable Car Baby Monitor—use a traditional camera that can be strapped to the back of the seat that is in front of the baby’s car seat. The corresponding monitor screen is used much in the same way as car navigation devices, and it should be installed near the center of the windshield.

The most convenient types of car baby monitors are wireless, which means you don’t need to worry about any cords between the camera and the monitor. While you’re driving, all you need to do is turn on the camera and the monitor to receive a live feed of your child during the trip.

There are also cameras available that work in both daytime and nighttime conditions. If you do a lot of driving at night, it’s worthwhile to look for a camera that includes night vision in its features.

A car baby monitor is not a necessity like a car seat. However, if you spend a lot of time in the car or are planning a long road trip, it can make things easier—and safer—for everyone. If you can afford a couple hundred dollars, it can be a wise investment that helps keep you and baby safe while in the car.

Another option that provides similar safe monitoring results for the driver is a baby car mirror. Baby car mirrors make it easy to check on the baby with a simple glance in the rearview mirror. They are also significantly less expensive than baby car monitors, but that cost savings comes with very limited functionality compared to a camera monitor.