A modern trend in parenting is the use of baby monitors to ensure the well-being of babies at night and during naps. Parents are constantly bombarded with information about sleep safety, SIDS and newborn breathing problems, so naturally they want to do everything they can to keep their babies safe. Unfortunately, most baby monitors produce continuous high levels of microwave radiation, directly targeting your baby while he or she sleeps, so well-intentioned use of baby monitors can cause more harm than good.

Let's look at the unique dangers of EMFs (especially microwave frequencies) for babies and young children, discuss modern baby monitor options and their risks, and then talk about what we can do to keep our babies safe.

"There is no safe level for children when it comes to microwave radiation" - Barrie Trower

Barrie Trower is a former Royal Navy microwave radiation expert with some of the best microwave training in the world. He has worked with microwave warfare, bomb disposal and radar, so is well aware of the dangers of microwave radiation, which he says has been used to create "sophisticated stealth weapons".

These days, he gives lectures specifically warning of the dangerous effects of these EMFs on babies, children and women. Children have less developed immune systems than adults, and immune system depression is the first thing that happens with EMF exposure. What's more, because babies' and children's bones are still soft from growth, EMFs penetrate more easily into their bone marrow and all their stem cells, which are essential for maturation. Their skulls are thinner and softer, allowing EMFs to penetrate deeper and harder into their brains. The skull doesn't fully harden until the age of 20, so this is still a problem during adolescence. Children also have a lower body mass, so they absorb a higher ratio of radiation to body mass than adults.

Embryos, fetuses, infants, children and women (because of their complex and sensitive hormonal systems), in that order, are the most affected by EMFs, followed by the elderly. Young, healthy men are the least affected by EMFs.

"The damage to the DNA [to the eggs in the ovaries] caused by microwave radiation is irreparable. It is passed from mother to daughter, generation after generation, forever."

The risk is particularly high for female children, as they are born with all the eggs they will ever have, already formed in their ovaries. EMFs damage these sensitive eggs, increasing the risk of DNA mutations and birth defects in their future children and grandchildren. The longer a girl is exposed to EMFs, the greater the risk of damage to her eggs. Egg damage cannot be repaired once it has occurred.

Baby monitors - A threat to your child's future

The baby monitors most widely used today are wireless monitors with video cameras using DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology. These devices expose your baby (and you, if you're wearing the receiver) to very high levels of EMF. Some of them, like the Owlet, even attach the transmitters directly to the baby! Not only do such devices expose babies to high levels of short-range radiation, they also have a high incidence of false alarms due to the natural, irregular breathing of infants.

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against the use of portable monitors. Yet parents continue to use these dangerous devices because they perceive them as convenient and are convinced it's the safest option, completely ignoring the damage they inadvertently cause to their child's health.

Oram Miller, a building biologist who uses a radio frequency detector to test EMF levels throughout his clients' homes and advises them on options to improve the health of their homes, has discovered that wireless baby monitors produce microwave radiation twice as powerful as WiFi routers, and five times as powerful as a wireless tablet. Often, the highest EMF levels in an entire home are found in the baby's room.

The FCC doesn't think this is cause for concern, as it's well below their arbitrary safety limits, limits for which no studies exist to prove safety. Significantly, FCC limits in the U.S. are tens, hundreds, even thousands of times higher than those in most other countries (of recommended microwatts per square meter). These monitors would probably be illegal in many countries.

Oram Miller reports that a growing number of people in the U.S. are complaining of symptoms that have been linked in scientific studies to EMF exposure, including headaches, ringing in the ears, numbness, tingling, learning difficulties and memory loss.

Smart diapers - Because your baby doesn't get enough radiation

As if babies weren't already exposed to unprecedentedly high levels of EMF, some geniuses at major diaper companies are trying to convince parents to buy their latest invention - the SMART diaper. In the race to digitize every aspect of normal human life, many people are now being duped into placing a Bluetooth sensor that emits microwaves 24/7 right next to their baby's reproductive organs. It's pure madness. Of course, these companies say nothing about the potential dangers of constant EMF exposure to your little baby's most sensitive parts.

They extol the benefits of this product, pointing out that you'll always know when your baby needs a diaper change. There's another great way to know when your baby needs changing - you could try being close to him frequently and really listening to him. But perhaps having so much physical interaction with your baby in this modern world, where parents are always busy with things far more important than their children, is too much to ask. We hope that soon we'll have real robots that can do those messy diaper changes for us, so we'll be free to have even less interaction with those stinky little creatures.

I hope the above sarcasm is loud and clear. Babies need regular, loving physical interaction with their parents. This is essential for bonding and for the proper development of their brains and nervous systems. We are surrounded by increasing amounts of technology that distract us from the importance of family time and harm our children. Using SMART diapers is another step towards interacting with our babies only when "totally necessary", while exposing them to unnecessary and harmful radiation during the most developmentally sensitive period of their lives.

What can we do to stay safe?

"Reduce usage, and increase distance." - Oram Miller, building biologist

The good news is that there are many things we can do to stay safe! If you find that your lifestyle requires the use of a baby monitor, you'll be relieved to know that there are several safer options. The best way is to use a wired monitor, rather than a wireless one. The D-Link model uses an Ethernet cable, or if Ethernet isn't feasible for you, they have optional AC adapters that plug into the wall and work through your power lines. The wired connection significantly reduces EMF output. If you decide to go this route, just be aware that this wired monitor sends data using electromagnetic interference (EMI) over your house wiring, producing a lot of dirty electricity. Even without a filter, wired monitors are still a much better option than a wireless device.

With growing awareness of the dangers of EMF for babies and children, safer options for baby monitors continue to be designed and produced. Some other products transmit only audio, which emits less EMF than more audio-based video monitors. Others have sensors that transmit wireless frequencies only when they detect movement or noise, reducing EMF output time by up to 90%.

Another simple way to reduce EMF exposure is to move the baby monitor away from the baby. It is recommended to keep it at least 10 meters away.

It's always possible to get rid of your baby monitor altogether, or not use it in the first place! Co-sleeping (positioning your baby's cot right next to your bed) or bed-sharing during infancy is by far the safest way to keep a close eye on your baby during sleep. During daytime naps, you could carry your baby in a baby carrier while he sleeps, which has the added benefit of regulating his heart rate and breathing. When babies are in direct contact with a caregiver's body, they train themselves to our breathing and heart rate. If you need to relax alone, work around the house or do chores, you could let your baby nap in the room where you plan to work.

Conclusion

Whether you use a baby monitor or not, your baby will inevitably still be exposed to certain EMFs in your home, potentially from cell phones, WiFi, smart meters, your home's wiring, and even cell towers and neighborhood power lines. It's a good idea to reduce exposure as much as possible, but it's impractical and often impossible to eliminate it completely. Bearing in mind the sensitivity of babies and children to EMF, another option for ensuring your child's safety is to have a Clean-Waves device in your home. Clean-Waves / Body Guard neutralize the harmful EMFs caused, and many people report that it increases the quality of their sleep. Our technology is the only one covered by an international patent and has proven its effectiveness.