Purchasing a baby monitor is absolutely essential before you give birth and bring home the new addition to your family. In fact, it should be the very first thing you shop for and install into the nursery. Every year these systems make a life or death difference for so many families. Of course you need one, so that only leaves you to determine which type of system will suit your family best.

It all starts with knowing what is being offered on the market right now. If this is your first child or it has been awhile since you purchased baby products, you may be quite surprised at what technology has made possible for these products.

The most affordable monitors are the ones that only monitor sound. They will pick up any noises from your baby's room so you can monitor it wherever in the home you happen to be. You can now purchase sets that come with more than one handheld monitor so you can have them in different areas of the home or leave one with each parent.

While hearing the noises your baby is making will alert you to when they are waking up or having difficulties, there is something very comforting about being able to actually see the baby. If you purchase a video monitor set this is now entirely possible.

The size of the screens vary greatly, with of course the larger screens running a lot more than the tiny ones. While you may only be able to afford a small screen, it may be better than having no image at all even if you can't make out small details in the room.

If you thought those were the only two options, you are missing something. Motion detectors can now be added to your monitoring system to keep you even more tuned into your baby's crib.

As long as you ensure the sensors are properly placed under the crib mattress, motion sensors can help with the fear that all parents have over SIDS. If your baby remains motionless for a period of time (usually over 20 seconds) it will set off an alarm so you can go check to make sure they are okay.

Some motion systems come with audio as well, but others do not. You may want to add in an audio or video system in addition if yours does not.

Which one of these options is best for your home will ultimately depend on how much money you can afford to spend on your system and how small your home is.

In a smaller sized home you may only need a basic audio set since you will be able to hear more from your baby's room in most areas of the home. Yet, in a larger home you can be too far away from the room to know when problems arise or even that the baby is awake. Therefore, larger homes will absolutely need voice if not video capability.

The motion detector baby monitor is not going to be necessary in every nursery, but you may want to consider it if you are dealing with a sick child or are extremely worried about SIDS. It is an extra expense so once again your budget is going to be the main concern.