Being first-time parents can be pretty stressful. Everything is all new, and it can be terrifying trying to learn what to do and what not to do. You feel overwhelmed post-birth. You have so many questions in your mind. How do you get the right room temperature? How many times should you feed them in the night? And above all, how do you keep your newborn safe? Fortunately, there are products out in the market that can help alleviate some of your worries.
Using Nest Cam as baby monitor can save you a world of trouble. As per Wired, Nest Cam indoor cameras are easy to use and simple to use as a baby monitor. It is designed as a smart security camera, which makes it an excellent device for keeping an eye on your little one. However, unlike traditional baby breathing monitor, it doesn’t have features for tracking health metrics such as breathing or sleep patterns.
But can Nest Cam be used as a baby monitor? Let’s find out.
What Is a Nest Cam?
A Nest Cam is a smart security camera by Google that allows you to monitor your home through live video streams and get activity alerts sent to your phone when something happens, save video clips, and more. It comes with a continuous recording feature called Nest Aware. It keeps your video history, so you can go back and watch it, and it sends you alerts on your phone if it senses motion in the room. It is easy to install and set up, has night vision, high-quality audio, and allows you to talk through the camera’s speaker.
Features of Nest Cam as a Baby Monitor
Using a Wi-Fi-enabled camera, such as Nest Cam, is a lot simpler to install compared to setting up other monitors that still need software to function. Being able to monitor your baby in their room gives you some extra peace of mind.
You will need to have a paid Nest Aware subscription to access all of the Google Nest Camera features. You can subscribe to Nest Aware in two ways: Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus. These subscriptions can be applied to multiple devices. Although there are some features included in the free version of the Nest Aware subscription, you may want to explore the benefits of the Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions to see which is better for you and your baby.
Nest Cam offers a two-way option, which may be perfect for your setup. You can also add your personal routines to the app, which helps customize your devices to perform certain ways at specific times.
The monitor requires Wi-Fi, and it has a feature where, if you are having internet issues, the monitor can record up to an hour in its local memory, giving you peace of mind if using the camera for security, or if you leave your baby with a sitter, and you want to see how long they sleep.
The Nest Cam also has built-in intelligence, which can differentiate between people, animals, and vehicles, and can send you alerts directly to your device. You can check your video history three hours back with no paid subscription. You can access 30 days of video history with a Nest Aware subscription and 60 days of video history with Nest Aware Plus. If you plan on using it to track sleep activity, the extended video history may be necessary, but if you are only using the camera as a baby monitor, you might not need it. Also, according to some reviews, Nest Cam has one of the lowest EMF emissions on the market, which makes it a safer option for your baby.
How Nest Cam works as a baby monitor
You will receive a notification whenever Nest detects any loud noise or movement. This notification will appear on the screen of your smartphone. You can further unlock your phone, and you can access previous notification by choosing Nest cam on the Nest app.
In the live camera feed, you can see and monitor what your baby is doing. You can also back and forth in the live stream. This live feed section has a talk button that you can tap to speak to your baby to comfort him if he’s crying.
Benefits of Using Nest Cam as Baby Monitor
If you want to invest in Nest Cam as a baby monitor, there are quite a few benefits. Here are some:
- Space-saving easy mounting: A Nest Cam is an excellent space-idea saving, and you can mount it at a high angle so it can glance down on your baby’s bed. You can also place it where your baby can’t reach it, who could knock it down if it was somewhere in their reach.
- Multi-device accessibility supported: If you want to share clips of your child with relatives or close friends who are far away, the Nest Cam could be a perfect option as a baby monitor compared to other baby monitors on the market. It allows multiple devices to access the camera, allowing grandparents or close relatives to check in and watch your baby play or sleep.
- Can also be used as a security camera: One of the advantages of using Nest Cam as baby monitor is that you have a sleek and stylish security camera when your child has grown enough. This camera is a versatile device that will work for you in any way you want.
- Regular activity alerts: When you use Nest cam as baby monitor, you get real-time alerts whenever motion or sound is detected. Additionally, when you have paid subscription, you can increase its capability and reduce false alerts for things like your pet, moving toys, and anything in between since Nest Cam can recognize a human. Also, you can include activity zones that allow you to choose which regions to watch and which to ignore.
- Talk and listen-to feature: Nest cam offers one of the most impressive features. You can use the two-way audio function if you use Nest cam as baby monitor. Instead of hurrying out of your bed when you hear your baby crying in the next room, you can use the Nest cam baby monitor’s built-in speaker and microphone to comfort your child using the talk and listen-to feature
Drawbacks and Limitations
- Poor noise detection: The Nest cam is not great at detecting noise, and is bad at blocking out ambient noise. When the video feed is open on your device, you will hear every little noise, from the fan to snores. The sound quality is sometimes bad, as though you’re listening through a tunnel.
- Completely dependent on Wi-Fi: The Nest cam requires internet connectivity to work, which means that your monitor isn’t effective if you don’t have a strong connection.
- Added cost for recording: If you want to record video, you will have to purchase Nest Aware subscription, which stores videos in the cloud for ten days. From there, you can download them, or they’ll disappear.
- No separate display: The Nest cam does not have a separate display and it pairs with a smartphone or tablet. For you to hear and see your baby, you need the Nest app open on your device. If you close the app, it will send you notifications to let you know if it detects noise or movement.
Tips for Maximizing Nest Cam as a Baby Monitor
Here are a few tips for using Nest Cam as baby monitor:
- You can use a device with the Nest app to be a monitor only, like a live feed. This would also be a great way to give a babysitter access to the camera without giving them full-time access to their phone.
- You can also pair the Nest cam with an old-school audio monitor, which allows you to monitor for audio without running the battery-draining app consistently or depending on the tiny alert noise to notify you that you should check in on the camera.
- Place the camera up high, pointing down to allow you to see the whole room and then zoom in on the crib when your baby is sleeping/
- Instead of drilling it, use an excellent 3M sticky strip to attach the mounting plate to the wall.
Google Nest Cam Baby Monitor: What’s in the box
Wondering what you’ll get in the box when you purchase a Nest Cam? Here’s everything that will be included in the Nest Camera package:
- 1 x Camera unit with base
- 1 x Power Adaptor
- Wall anchors and screw
Conclusion
Can the Nest Cam be used as a baby monitor? Absolutely, yes! It has many advanced features and can be a good option for your system, despite not being designed as a baby monitor. It works perfectly well when combined with an affordable radio monitor or used for its live broadcasts. Nest Cam works as an excellent baby monitor as well as a home security camera.
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