As a parent, peace of mind is priceless and a baby monitor can be that saving grace. When your baby is born, it can be an extremely challenging time. There are so many things you need to learn: like how to work the steriliser, which way to wear the sling, and how to put down the pushchair, just to name a few. The list of parenthood worries is endless. Then throw in some long nights with little sleep, and it’s no wonder you begin to worry about well everything. Cue the Nanit Pro. The Nanit Pro states that it is “The world’s sharpest camera with intel that tracks the quality of sleep, breathing motion monitoring, and unmissable moments.”
During childbirth, a hormone called oxytocin is released. This hormone affects your nervous systems and increases your hearing after you have given birth. It’s mother nature’s way of making sure that you respond to your new baby. But sometimes, when you are sleep deprived, this can work against you. Sometimes you will hear phantom cries, usually when you are in the shower or when your hearing is obstructed. It is completely normal. Many parents report that when their babies were firstborn, instead of resting when their new bundle of joy was asleep, they watched over them like a hawk.
Bronze winner for Best Baby Monitor in our 2023 Mother&Baby Awards, the new Nanit Pro Camera and Wall Mount is a smart baby monitor that not only gives parents the ability to see their child remotely but also tracks their health, wellness and development. I have spent two months testing the product, and here is my full Nanit review.
This Nanit also won Bronze for Best Baby Monitor at the 2024 Mother&Baby Awards.
What is a Nanit?
The Nanit is a smart baby monitor. It has gained popularity with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Zoe Sugg (Zoella). It allows parents and guardians the ability to see what their baby is doing in real-time. The device works by sending the data directly to your smartphone. It means that wherever you are, you can see what is going on in your baby’s crib.
But this isn’t just any smart device: it is one of the most advanced baby cameras available. As well as alerting you when your baby wakes, this technology also tracks sleep patterns, breathing and room temperature.
The Nanit also compiles all the data recorded to give you a breakdown of your child’s sleep routine, making it a lot easier to understand your child’s sleeping habits. Nanit has designed wearable sensor-free bands which work with the app to allow you to track your child’s breathing and notifies you of any changes. It all comes at a price - The Nanit Pro will set you back more than £200+. In this Nanit Pro Camera review, we will break down all of its key features.
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If smart technology is your thing, you cannot beat the Nanit. Shy of walking into your baby’s bedroom and feeding them itself, Nanit does it all. It has a host of features. Here’s our review of Nanit’s key features.
1080p resolution – This is a high-definition camera with good picture quality. Regardless of the time, you will be able to see your baby clearly through your mobile telephone.
Background audio - It allows you to use your phone on other apps and keeps your baby monitor live in the background.
256-Bit AES encryption - Although no smart device is completely safe from hackers, Nanit’s encryption makes it difficult for them to gain any information.
Secured user accounts - I love this feature. It means that multiple family members can be invited to the app. There is a two-step authentication process for added security.
Sleep trends & analysis – The Nanit App compiles all the information gathered whilst your baby sleeps. It includes how long it took your baby to fall asleep, how many times they woke in the night and how long they slept uninterrupted. You can compare the data across time to get a good gauge of your infant’s sleeping patterns.
Breathing motion alerts – If your baby’s breathing rate falls below the recommended rate, your Nanit will sound an alarm. As a new parent, I would hoover over my sleeping baby, poking and prodding him to check that he was still breathing. This feature is so reassuring for parents.
Compatible with Nanit breathing wear – One of the smartest features which set Nanit apart from other baby monitors is its breathable babywear. The Nanit Band comes with the Nanit Pro, it has no electrical element and can be worn by your baby when they are sleeping. The Nanit camera tracks breaths per minute - by reading subtle changes due to movement in the fabric’s custom-designed pattern and alerts you if your baby needs you. It comes in two sizes small (0-3 months) and large (3-24 months).
Save & share – Through Nanit App, you can take a screenshot from your baby monitor or download part of your video history straight to your mobile phone.
Two-way audio – The two-way audio allows you to talk to your baby and hear them crying or making noises. I found this feature very useful as sometimes using the voice feature gave my baby enough reassurance to re-settle himself without me having to go into the room.
Video history - If you want to look back and see what happened in the night, you can with the Nanit. It has a video history which means you can revisit it any time of the night or day.
View from Anywhere – Usually one of the most annoying aspects of a baby monitor is range - one step too far, you can no longer see your baby. Some cameras can still be within the walls of your house and have this issue – which can be very frustrating. The Nanit Pro does not have this problem. You can view your baby monitor from anywhere, which is impressive.
Safety – The Nanit Wall Mount allows all the leads and wires to be secured safely out of reach from your baby.
Pros
The Nanit has so many pros for me: it’s difficult to pinpoint which features exactly make the Nanit such a good baby monitor, although I will try. It is an implacably well thought out product. It solves so many of the fears and worries that any parent face. From getting the temperature right to knowing that their child is safe and well, here are my top three pros.
Breathable wear- Whenever you bring a new baby home it is an anxious time. They seem so small and vulnerable. I know I spent hours just checking that my baby was okay. This breathable wear allows you to monitor your baby’s heart rate without disturbing them.
Encryption and security – As someone who has had a bad experience with a cheap baby monitor, this is now very high on my must-haves list. Cheaper baby monitors can be hacked. It is worryingly more common than you would think. The Nanit uses a two-step verification process and encrypts all of your data. Although this isn’t to say it cannot be hacked, it does makes it harder.
Sleep trends and analysis – There is nothing more satisfying than when your baby sleeps through the night. The Nanit saves and documents this and keeps a record of the longest night’s sleep. It also allows you to see how many times your baby woke up and how long it took them to settle. It is helpful for parents who are suffering from a non-sleeper. I love this feature.
Cons
For me, there are very few cons to the Nanit Pro. However, the two that I found could be deal breakers for some.
The price tag – For some, this baby monitor will be too expensive. The most popular monitors range from £40 to £120. The Nanit is significantly more, especially if you opt to add breathable wear alongside. This device will set you back in excess of £200. Do I personally think it’s justified in its price? Absolutely. Would I have been able to afford one on top of all the other new baby costs? Probably not.
Alexa – The Nanit states that it works with Amazon’s Alexa, but I found this feature didn’t work. When I visited the Alexa app and read the reviews, others stated that the feature was constantly buffering. This meant that I had to use my phone rather than my Amazon Echo Show.
Set-Up – If you’re a DIY avoider, like me, the Nanit Pro with Wall Mount is not simple to set up. It requires some basic DIY abilty. All the tools required are given, and there are instructions. However, this was enough to put me off and shout to my husband to grab his tool kit. Even as a qualified electrician, it took him 20 minutes.
Testing the Nanit
Performance – I have tested the Nanit for more than two months, and the performance is pretty impeccable. I have never struggled with interference or range issues. When I visited other cities, I was still able to check into my little one, which was very reassuring.
Usability – Nanit is very user friendly. They have very helpful demonstrations and tutorials of all aspects of the device. When you first set up your account, there are helpful videos to walk you through all the features.
Build – It is built to last. The Nanit is a high-quality device, and that is evident in its design. It has protective trunking to protect little fingers from the wires. It is a sleek device which would sit nicely in any nursery.
This is one of the most expensive baby monitors available on the market. The full bundle will set you back almost £400. At this price point, it is a luxury baby item. For so many parents, this just isn’t a price they can afford, and there are so many cheaper options available on the market. However, I do think it is justified in its price. It is not your standard baby monitor. It has so many skills and capabilities, it offers a community forum for advice, and it truly does ease so many parenting woes.
Final thoughts
If you can afford it, I would 100 per cent recommend it. This is the best baby monitor I have ever seen or used. I do like it. It has so many smart features that others do not. The amount of reassurance and peace of mind this product brings is irrefutable. However, if it isn’t within your budget, it is not a necessity. There are plenty of other baby monitors that work efficiently and will also allow you to check on your baby.
This product made my life easier because it allowed me to check on my infant without moving – after a long hard day, this is heaven-sent. On days when my baby wouldn’t settle, I was able to use the sound effects to soothe him into asleep. The breathable technology gave me peace of mind, and the rangeability meant that when I was away I could check back in.
There isn’t much I would change about the Nanit Pro. For this price, I may want a stand along with a parent monitor, so I wasn’t reliant on my phone battery.
It is undoubtedly an amazing product. If I had this product when my first baby was born, it would have saved me hours of stress worrying about his breathing and if he was safe. The fear of your child’s well-being as a new parent is indescribable. The Nanit has created a device and a community of support. It is much more than a baby monitor. It feels like Nanit helps you through those difficult nights and celebrates the easy ones.