is video monitor worth it?

Illinigirl07

For all of you who already have at least one child, is the video monitor worth it?  They are so much more expensive than getting an audio only monitor.  I have heard from a coworker that it is totally worth it but I wanted more opinions.  If they are worth it, do you have a specific one or brand you would recommend?  The reviews are all sketchy.  Some say they are great and others say "DONT BUY!"  Any advice on this topic would be extremely helpful!  Thanks!

Red_Dahlia

We have a Levana video monitor and Looooove it! I would be in there checking on her every 5 minutes if we didn't have one.

I too, was frustrated from reading reviews. Video monitors are NOT cheap and I really didn't want to buy one that wasn't worth the money. The Summer Infant ones seem to be very popular on thebump, but the reviews were ALL over the place.

We also looked at the Lorex monitor, but ended up going with the Levana and have been very happy. The picture is excellent.

HTH!  

LemonBlush

It's so worth it!! It's nice bc my baby is a noisy sleeper at times and instead of getting out of bed I just check out the monitor to see if she's awake or not. I think it's worth it for that alone

Edit: We have a summer infant one and haven't had any issues.

CBBB2010

I love having a video monitor so I can see if DS is really up or if he is just making noises in his sleep.  I also have a Levana and it has been really great.  The only compliant I have is that there is a slight delay to the audio that makes it sound like there is an echo if LO is close enough that you could also hear them without the monitor.

Megan.10.06

I just bought a Summer Infant sleek and secure, and love it.  I didn't see the point with my son - and I didn't have one until now, I used a regular audio monitor and it was just fine.  Now that my son goes to sleep on his own, I love to watch him fall asleep!  I can't say it's a necessity, but it is very nice to have.  It's also the only type of monitor I could find with a single receiver with dual monitors. 

mrstarawalsh

I don't think they are, but I've never had one either. With both my kids I've had really cheap auto only moniters that have been just fine. The sound can be loud enough where you can even hear them breathing.

karen_loy

I think is worth it because sometimes DS fusses or even cries for a little in his sleep and with the video I can see if he's still sleeping (in which case I just let him stay and he'll return calm in a minute or 2) or if he's awake and go get him

this saves me a lot of trip into the nursery that would also cause him to wake up if he was still asleep

blondek8

Depends what you want your monitor to do for you ... If you want to check on your baby 23975990 times than buy a video monitor so you can see what they're doing at any given time. I never felt the need so we bought an audio-only monitor.

pandi02a

I was going to go with an audio only monitor but according to my BIL(he has two kids) we had to have a video one. He and SIL bought us the Summer Infant one. My little guy isn't here yet but we do have it set up in the nursery and I am amazed how good the picture is, especially the night vision.

wifeyvana

I don't think I could live without my video monitor. When he stirs it is nice to see if I really need to go comfort him or if he is going to self soothe.

beebs275

A monitor is not a necessity but it is a nice luxury.  We didn't want to get a video monitor (thought it was overkill) so we registered from an audio monitor.  We never used the audio monitor because we used white noise to help the baby sleep and that rendered the audio monitor useless to us (imagine hearing loud static through an audio monitor).  We broke down and purchased one of the Summer Infant digital video monitors.  It has been really helpful to see how DS falls asleep (and how long it takes) and to make sure he's OK once we transitioned him into his own room.  Otherwise we would be waking him up to check up on him since our floors & doors squeak.  Trust me, you do not want to disturb a baby that is asleep, trying to get to sleep, or trying to get back to sleep. DS is 6 months old and has been STTN since he was about 2 month old, and I attribute part of that to having a video monitor so that we didn't jump up every time he stirred or unnecessarily checking in on him in person and disturbing his sleep cycles.

Oh, and we have no problems with our monitor.  Digital monitors, while more secure, can interfere with wireless internet connections but we were able to work around it and it's not an issue.

SLO2005

Love ours, didn't get it until my LO was about 6 months old and now he is 22 months old and still use it everyday.  Don't know how I ever lived without it

Kimee13

It's definitely in our top five for "must haves.", we love ours!

missesru

We originally bought the Angelcare, non-video monitor but took it back after DD arrived.  We now have a Summer Infant video monitor and it is 100% worth it.  I LOVE it.  It was pricey, but worth every penny.  I just like the peace of mind of being able to see DD at any moment without having to go into her room and disturbing her.  

Mrs.Biela

I agree with the comment that a video monitor is not a must have, but a luxury.  I will say that I LOVE ours and it is worth every penny.  We registered for it and received it as a gift.  We originally wanted to get it after witnessing the ease of having one (through a relative) and the ability to keep using it as the baby/child gets olders.  When they are older you can still keep the camera and watch them after you have put them down.

Two other reasons I recommend one: 1) a think a audio monitor would be annoying. Our bedrooms are on the second floor and by having a video montior we can just watch the screen as he tries to settle without actually listening (it has a bar code that changes color with his sound).  Additionally this saves us from running up and down the steps.  2) I would never buy an audio monitor if I had a ranch style.  Our master bedroom door is maybe 8 feet away the baby's bedroom.  I can hear him just fine at night when he is crying - no monitor necessary!  Besides why would you want to leave the monitor on all night to hear every little sound?  Basically we only use our video monitor when we are on the first floor before we go to bed or if we are in the basement (we take the portable audio monitor).  Other than that it is off. 

We have Summer video monitor and have not had one issue (our son is 8 months old).   

snansley

karen_loy:

I think is worth it because sometimes DS fusses or even cries for a little in his sleep and with the video I can see if he's still sleeping (in which case I just let him stay and he'll return calm in a minute or 2) or if he's awake and go get him

this saves me a lot of trip into the nursery that would also cause him to wake up if he was still asleep

This is pretty much our experience too.  The learning curve was pretty steep on deciphering all his noises so I was glad we had it.  I am sure we would have survived without it. We have the Summer Infant Best View and love it.  Summer has good customer service too.

iristony

I think it is well worth it for my sanity.  It made the transistion easier when son when into crib at 6 weeks adjusted age.  Also, now that he is pulling self up it is a huge help.  I can see what is going on and if he is crying for attention or crying because he fell trying to stand up and hit head on crib.  I cannot imagine living without it.  Those who say don;t buy have definitely never tried one. If you can afford it, buy one for sure.