To video monitor? Or not?

chelseabrim · July 2011

What kind of baby monitor do you have or are you buying? Is a video monitor worth it? Or did you find it made you more paranoid (for those with babies already)? Anyone have an opinion on the Angelcare Movement monitors?

JenWhite123 · July 2011

We got an audio monitor. I've heard too many things from friends about interference and them being able to see neighbor's babies on their video monitors. Gives me the creeps.

Kvitale87 · July 2011

I only wanted one with sound, I mean we live in an apartment and barely even need a monitor to begin with! My MIL had a different idea, I was supposed to pick out my monitor as a present, instead she bought me a video one. I dislike it cause you have to mount it on the wall and I think it does cause more paranoia than they are worth.

MrsEllis10 · July 2011

JenWhite123:
We got an audio monitor. I've heard too many things from friends about interference and them being able to see neighbor's babies on their video monitors. Gives me the creeps.

ugh! I got chills when I read this. That is creepy!

Kvitale87 · July 2011

MrsEllis10:
JenWhite123:
We got an audio monitor. I've heard too many things from friends about interference and them being able to see neighbor's babies on their video monitors. Gives me the creeps.

ugh! I got chills when I read this. That is creepy!

Now I REALLY dislike that stupid monitor she bought

StefaniePace · July 2011

We are getting this one. A close friend of mine has it and I really like it.

https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4015033&fromRegistryNumber=46731095&product_skn=516567

chelseabrim · July 2011

Way too creepy, I think we'll forgo the video monitor, no thanks! Besides I think I'd be up all night trying to watch LO to make sure she's sleeping and breathing ok.

julygal · July 2011

We only have an audio monitor which has worked great for us. In the beginning, when I felt the need to check on them more, they were sleeping in our room or napping in the PNP in our living room, so I could get the visual without a monitor. Once they began sleeping in a separate room, I found I didn't need the visual check in as much. On the rare times that I feel compelled to take a look, I find I can open the door, take a peek, and not disturb their rest.

dragon_chica · July 2011

JenWhite123:
We got an audio monitor. I've heard too many things from friends about interference and them being able to see neighbor's babies on their video monitors. Gives me the creeps.

It depends on the monitor's frequency. If your monitor is an analog than there's a change of catching someone else's video. we have the Summer Infant Slim video monitor and that's digital so we don't get that problem.

dragon_chica · July 2011

Kvitale87:
I dislike it cause you have to mount it on the wall and I think it does cause more paranoia than they are worth.

We didn't mount ours. It sits on the wall shelf that's right next to DD's bed.

OP, yes you may find yourself checking the monitor periodically but for me I like being able to visually see DD. DD's sleep can be dicey at times and there have been times when I have gone into her room and she's woken up. I would much rather have a video monitor with a bit of paranoia and be able to see that DD is out of her bed then standing outside wondering what's going on or hoping that she won't wake up if I go in. If you can afford it, I would say get it.

babes12 · July 2011

i didn't buy a video monitor till DS was almost 1 and it was the best investment i ever made. I was mad i didn't get one sooner. We still use it now to make sure DS is napping and not fooling around etc... or staying in bed at night. DS was and still is a light sleeper and i was always scared to go in and check on him b/c the door would crack or something. We also got a sound machine.

we have the summer video monitor but w/ the big tv screen, it's an older model but still works well and we did not mount it to the wall. We kept it on the bookshelf.

ababymaybe · July 2011

dragon_chica:
JenWhite123:

We got an audio monitor. I've heard too many things from friends about interference and them being able to see neighbor's babies on their video monitors. Gives me the creeps.

It depends on the monitor's frequency. If your monitor is an analog than there's a change of catching someone else's video. we have the Summer Infant Slim video monitor and that's digital so we don't get that problem.

This. It is not an issue with all video monitors, only the analog (usually cheaper) models.

We'll be buying a digital video monitor. I can see it being really useful when LO is a bit older and trying to sleep train-- can check on them when they are awake to see if they are okay without having to actually go in there.

TwinCitiesGirl · July 2011

Seriously, my video monitor is my favorite "baby investment." I have never once seen anything creepy on it.

It's nice when the baby is winding down -- he normally cries himself to sleep for a few minutes, and it's nice to be able to see that he's laying down and almost out as opposed to standing up and crying because of a need. If I were to pop my head in and check on him, if he had been almost asleep he would be up like a flash and I would have to start the whole bedtime process over.

Hopefully that was explained well, but seriously - I love it. If you get a good model, read the reviews, you will be fine.

Beckypooh09 · July 2011

We just used a audio monitor and plan to this time as well. If we had a video one I think I'd waste too much time watching them sleep.

raysn16 · July 2011

I love video monitors. We had the Summer Infant one for the first two kids - it died recently, so I got a new one and I like it even better. My two older boys share a room and are both in big boy beds (they are almost 4 and 2 1/2). The new video monitor (Lorex) has a two-way talking feature. I love it because I can talk to them from downstairs/our room and tell them to settle down or sometimes they are scared and we can calm them down. It can monitor up to 4 areas - so we have a camera for their room and for the nursery. Before we got the one that had the two-way talking feature, we would have to yell back and forth from upstairs to downstairs - annoying!

The video monitor for an infant really was nice for us because there are times when the baby is just fussy or just making noise in their sleep and you don't have to sneak in their room to see what they are doing. I know as soon as I would go in the room and they would see me when they were little, they were up from sleeping, whereas, if I could just check on them with the video monitor, most of the times they would either lay their content or go back to sleep. I don't think I was every obsessive over it and checking on them. I could find more things to do with my quiet time than stare at the baby sleeping

It is a splurge and not necessary to get by - but it is something I wouldn't want to live without now that I have it...

amy_rski · July 2011

We have a summer infant bestview video monitor and I love it. It is the most used baby purchase we have. Now that DS is older and in a toddler bed it is great to make sure he's in his bed and not playing quietly in his room. DS would also spend a lot of time in his crib laying quietly but not sleeping so it was nice to keep an eye on him to know how much he was really sleeping.

I would definitely recommend a video monitor if you can afford it! Whenever I have to use an audio only monitor at my mom's I miss the video!

GingerCupcake · July 2011

We used a audio monitor (Sony BabyCall) for DD1 and we'll be using the same monitor for DD2. When DD1 was very little she slept in the bassinet in our room so we could get a visual on her whenever we needed to. Once DD1 was in her own room in the crib I checked on her before we went to bed each night and if I woke up in the middle of the night and really wanted to check her, I would. Our audio monitor was sensitive enough that I could turn up the volume and listen to her breathing and know she was okay. I never felt the need to have a visual monitor, even through sleep training when she switched to her twin bed.

As for the Angelcare monitors, my SIL had one and she said that it used to go off all the time (false alarm) and scare the crud out of them! There are always a minimum of 5 for sale at the consignment store near me and the owner of the store says that tons of parents bring them into consign because they are tired of the scary false alarms and switch to a different type of monitor.

marriedtoeric · July 2011

We received the summer infant video monitor (BRU, 1.8" screen) last weekend at our shower. DH is really adamant that he wanted a video monitor (another gadget, lol), so I agreed. We aren't going to be using it a lot at the beginning since we're going to be cosleeping, but think it will be really useful when we're at our BFF's house and baby's sleeping in their guest room while we hang out (an every-weekend event).

xtencornfield · July 2011

We have a Summer Infant Sleek and Secure or whatever it's called and have used it for over a year. We've never had any problems with it whatsoever. Best gift ever.

MrsW801 · July 2011

We got the Angelcare AC1100 which has movement and video. Definitely a splurge, but worth it in my opinion. I have had various new moms tell me that a video monitor was their favorite baby item. You can see if the baby is just fussing in his sleep, or if he's really up and crying. Our bedroom is on a different floor than the baby's so this is particularly helpful for us. I am paranoid about the baby's breathing so that's why I wanted movement as well.

ohmygoodness99 · July 2011

LOVE my video monitor! Now that DD is older I can watch her play in the crib and see when she finally lays down. She does all kinds of cute things in her crib that i enjoy getting a glimpse of

SFAug07 · July 2011

We have a video monitor too and love it. It's so good to see what she is doing in there. Sometimes at night she cries out but it's in her sleep, and we would go in otherwise and wake her. It is so nice to see your sleeping child before you go to sleep yourself without waking them. I have never seen anything but her on the monitor. Also in the mornings, it's nice to know when she is ready for me to come in. She enjoys playing in bed for a while before she is ready for me.

eminbmore · July 2011

The video monitor is the best purchase we made for DS. I love that thing. At two and a half, I still use it regularly to spy on him

Stellar1 · July 2011

We have the summer infant video monitor. When we first had DD, we only used an audio one not thinking we would need a video monitor. When she started moving around (rolling, sitting, standing) it was a necessity for me and we got one. She is two now and we still use everyday. I just had my son last week and I won't put him in his room until we get one.

Want a personalized experience?

To video monitor? Or not?

Re: To video monitor? Or not?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards