Video-based baby monitors are common these days, so when it came time to pick out a monitor for our son’s nursery before he was born, I assumed we’d go with a screen.

An online search for The best baby monitor You’ve got a dizzying array of options, from HD streaming video and smartphone connectivity to multiple cameras that can pan, tilt and zoom.

The number of high-tech features felt overwhelming, and I questioned whether some of these gadgets were really necessary to keep our son safe. My husband felt the same way, and we started thinking: do we really need a video monitor? We talked it over and decided that when it came to our monitor, we were going old school.

We quickly found a simple VTech model that looked perfect. It had a parental handset with radio connectivity, five volume levels and a belt clip. It was the most bare-bones we could find, but it had a few extra bells and whistles, including a room temperature sensor and a glow-in-the-dark star ceiling light projector.

Plus, it was an added bonus that our basic monitor cost much less than most video options. We paid around $40, while some video models can reach into the hundreds.

When our son was about 2 months old, my husband and I started using the monitor for his sleep, and we haven’t looked back. While I totally understand why parents might choose a video-based option, here’s why the no-frills model works best for me and my family.

It made me less anxious

It may seem counterintuitive, but not having to constantly watch over my son has actually helped protect me while he sleeps. Parental concerns in the bay. If I had a video feed of my baby at my fingertips, I strongly doubt that I would struggle to take my eyes off the screen. I could imagine myself constantly looking at the monitor to make sure he was still okay, and I believed that this frequent checking would leave me on edge and distracted.

With the audio monitor, however, I am able to visually isolate myself when the baby goes to sleep in his nursery. I love being with my son, but it’s also important for my mental health to find these short moments throughout the day to be apart from him—times when he’s out of my sight and I can spend a few minutes reading, watching the news, or resting my eyes.

And when my husband and I are home together, we can put those precious things to use Bedtime break To chat, eat together, or catch up on a TV show. Because we’re not staring at a screen, we can be more present with each other, and it helps us stay connected as a couple.

At all times, while our son is sleeping, we remain fully accountable to him. Our monitor is sensitive and when the baby makes a sound, one of us is in his crib in a second. I can’t imagine being any more responsive if we had a video model.

It feels more secure

Unlike many video models, our monitor uses radio technology instead of a Wi-Fi connection. This means it’s impossible to hack remotely, which gives me peace of mind.

have been Current accounts Of parents hearing the voices of strangers through their Wi-Fi-connected video monitors, that definitely worried me. There are ways you can protect Wi-Fi-based cameras from hacking, including choosing strong passwords, keeping the firmware up to date, and using two-factor authentication. However, using a low-tech radio model completely bypasses the risk of remote hacking, which appealed to me.

Another benefit of our non-Wi-Fi model is that if our home internet ever goes out, we’re still covered.

Believing the audio

There is a certain amount of trust that comes with choosing an audio-only monitor. Even though I can’t see my son in his crib, I have to trust that he’s okay. It can be scary, absolutely, and I remember feeling a little nervous the first time we left the baby upstairs with the monitor. But now, a few months later, I have no worries.

It helps remind me that we are doing everything right to keep our son safe in his sleep. We are following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Safe sleep recommendationsPut the baby to sleep on his back on a firm, empty mattress with a fitted sheet and no BumpersBlankets, or toys that may pose a suffocation hazard. Because we are so aware of his sleep environment, I am confident that when my son is in his crib, he is completely safe.

I’ve also come to this realization: the prospect of 24/7 visual surveillance even when my son and I are in the same room is delusional. My husband and I take turns sleeping in his nursery through the night, but even when I’m fast asleep in bed next to my son’s crib, I’m not watching him. Even though I had a video monitor, I wasn’t watching it while I was sleeping. I only have my ears to rely on – and so far, they haven’t let me down.