Kate Brown collected the following opinions on nannycams for us. Thanks, Kate!

I had a nannycam and actually had to fire my first nanny due to neglect of my babies. With my current nanny, while I kept the nannycam, I am pleased to say I rarely watch it.

I agree with the hypothesis that people who get nannycams after the nanny is already working for them probably suspect their nanny of something.  I have friends who have gotten the cam before the nanny because they wanted to know what was going on (and had no problems) and a friend who go the cam after the nanny (and saw a big problem.)  personally, I love my nanny and ifIi had a moment's doubt about the safety of my kids or the quality of my nanny, I would be looking for a new nanny not a camera.

We just moved into a new apartment that we had totally renovated and thought we would take that chance to install cameras.  We like our nanny, but we also have babysitters on the weekends and we just thought that we would see what was going on when we were not there.  Both my husband and I work full time, and it is just nice to see what is going on during the day.  I can actually go online a see a live feed of what is happening, it is really pretty cool.  We have color cameras with audio.  I have not seen anything that has really disturbed me, and it has been a few months already.   So I guess you would say that I am one of those people who installed cameras without any "reason" to.

I do think it is largely the case that people resort to nannycams after they already have suspicions.  But I do have one friend that bought a camera when her first son was born and told all potential nanny candidates that she had a camera and taped from time to time -- she was comfortable with that since she had made disclosure and wasn't taping surreptitiously -- and she never found anything amiss.  Because our kids played together frequently, she told me that she often saw my nanny on the camera and asked if I was interested in seeing a tape.  I did take a tape and watched my nanny at her house for several hours, and I was very comfortable with what I saw.  Probably more people should go about it as a matter of routine but as I said before, it is my impression that they usually only go to the trouble once they know that something is wrong.

I’ve been using a nannycam for the past 3 years and have not had any issues with my nanny. In fact I started to trust her more after watching her on the camera with the boys.  I installed it more so that I could watch my boys whenever I wanted to from work.   My nannycam also records the day from 8am to 8pm so there have been several times when I have reviewed parts of the recording and double checked to make sure that the kids did eat at the time that my nanny said that they did, etc.   I’ve really liked having the nannycam around.

We used our camer neutrally to confirm our belief that the nanny was good. Also, it helps you to stay connected to the kids because you can see what they do all day. We have great camera we decided not to tell the nanny about it and we feel fine about it. Our nanny is really good and this comes out on the video. Our video equipment cost $300 total, purchased at the Spy Shop on 55th on the West side in Manhattan.    I think camera is a MUST.

I didn't use a nannycam and am truly sorry I didn't. I had the perfect nanny, everyone was always trying to "poach" her from me and telling me how fabulous she was.  She was loving and warm and reliable and she adores my kids. That said, she and I have fundamentally different ideas about childhood development/child rearing, and the second I walked out the door, she did it her way, not my way.  If I had had a nannycam I would have found all of this out way before I finally did.  She was not a bad person or a bad nanny, she just had a way of dealing with children which I don't like.  And obviously she never did it in front of me.  Part of the problem was that, like so many nannies, she felt that she was a seasoned nanny and that she knew better than I.  She did it my way when I was around to pacify me, and her way as soon as I wasn't.
 
Also, the second I was out the door (which thankfully I wasn't often) she was on her cellphone.  This is something else I would have liked to have known about earlier as it really angered me.  I was paying someone very well to take care of my kids, not to socialize. 
 
What was more important was that my kids started walking around with their toy cellphones plastered between their ears and their shoulders, which is quite unhealthy.  (You know, the way you talk on the phone if you're using your hands to do something else?  It's a huge strain on your neck/shoulders.)  This is how I discovered that she was constantly on the phone when I wasn't around - I realized that as neither my husband nor I hold the phone this way, and she does, they must have seen it with her, and sure enough that was it.
 
The reason I know these things is that as you said, I had a hunch certain things might be going on - and I started showing up unexpectedly, and discovered a LOT of things that didn't work for me.
 
I think it's better to get a system beforehand.  This way, your nanny can't take it personally, and even if you have the best of beliefs and intentions - as I did - you can keep an eye out from time to time.  For example, you might see your nanny doing or saying things that are not at all harmful, but that are opposite to your style of parenting - and then you can correct them.  And if you are lucky, you will also get a chance to see how wonderful your nanny is - so either way it's definitely worth it.

We had a nannycam installed because we had a hunch about our first nanny.  We were right and fired her immediately after reviewing the tapes.  It was so horrible to have to go through this but we are so thankful to have had the camera.  Now the nanny that we have hired is watched on occasion and she is doing a great job!  Yes, we are jaded by our past experiences but we feel it is important to spot check in addition to regular pop ins.  We cannot imagine that everyone is not doing the same.  We are essentially leaving our precious children in the hands of strangers and even references can be questionable.  (A nanny could put down a relative/friend disguised as a former employer, etc.)  I feel very strongly about this topic and encourage
anyone to install a system immediately after date of hire.  Also, nannies get comfortable after a few months and that is when the trouble usually begins.

Any retailer or brand to recommend when it comes to nannycam equipment?

Spy Tech store on 55th Street and LukWerks cameras.

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