Baby Monitors

kbehelr · October 2014

I am interested to know if you plan on getting the video monitor or staying old school with the basic monitor?

I question if the added cost of upgrading to the video monitor really worth it? If you already have a monitor and love it please let us know what kind you have.

Thank you!

[Deleted User] · November 2014

The user and all related content has been deleted.

theinvadermothership · November 2014

I've used my friends' baby monitor when babysitting and it's wonderful. Bc you get to see if they are actually fussing and making up for just making noises in their sleep. Saves you from getting up and potentially interrupting a nap when it was just general sleepy time noises.

It is also great as the child is older bc as they are sleep trained, you can actually see when they fall alseep and time their naps more accurately. My friends were also able to stay at their neighboors apartment next door and keep and eye on the baby and not have to go home early.

I will DEFINITELY be getting a video monitor.

lcole08 · November 2014

We just have a basic monitor - the Sony Baby Call. No issues with it and have been using it for the past 4 years. I haven't missed not having a video monitor, although I am sure they are nice. We have a very open floor plan and it is very easy to hear the kids even without the monitor.

lindsayanne14 · November 2014

We don't have a video monitor and it's never been a problem. We have a V-Tech monitor system and like it a lot. I think I probably would have stared at DS all night while he slept when he was little!

MagalinaH · November 2014

We've been looking at the lenova video monitor. It allows for panning, zoom, and you can talk back to baby.

starshollow · November 2014

Video. My kid is 2.5 and I still use it every night. I love being able to peak in on him.

GWhizzers · November 2014

Definitely recommend the video monitor! We can hear her wherever we are in the house without the monitor, but being able to see her without going in and riling her up is wonderful. Also, we use her crib for independent play at times, so being able to see what she was up to was great (if she could see us, she wanted out

. There are several reasons I love it lol.

We have the Summer Infant monitor. It was gifted to us. I would recommend one that has a slimmer monitor. The summer one is quite bulky (but not a dealbreaker). Also, if you are planning to have more children down the road, I would look for one that has the option to add another camera for the 2nd bedroom. Ours doesn't so we are looking at buying a new one even though are ours is just a year old.

Critter015 · November 2014

We live in a two bedroom apartment, but live upstairs and on 7 acres. I wanted to stick with an old school audio monitor partially so that I could get a super long range one so I could go outside and do chores during naptime. The one I have is a Graco one. It works pretty well, but the metal siding on our house messes with the signal so I doesn't work as great for my intentions.

After we moved DD to her own room I ended up getting a video monitor as well because I wanted to be able to see what she was doing in there to determine if I actually needed to go in or not at night. I have the Infant Optics one from Amazon. It is fixed position so you can't zoom in or anything. I have had it 2 1/2 years and it does not stay on anymore unless it is plugged in. I added a 2nd camera when DS was born so I could have one aimed at each of their beds and that is nice, but you have to manually switch between all four possible channels to switch back and forth. The screen stays on all the time, but the sound will only kick on if there is a noise. It has served us just fine, but I think there are much better ones available now for not much more, and I'm considering getting a new one when this baby is born.

LowTalker23 · November 2014

Oh man, video monitor was the way to go for us. And one we can talk back to him on. It's the bees knees. It's amazing not having to go in his room every time he makes a squeal or peep or half cry. Not a huge issue now that he's three but when he was still waking up during the night, it was nice to be able to watch him and see if he was going to put himself back to sleep or if I needed to go in there before he got way too riled up. Seriously, go for the video. Now we use the talk back feature a lot. "Lay down!!!" is heard a lot through our monitor

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

Video monitor. All the way. DD would be awake but silent so without actually having a visual I would never know. And opening the door woke her. It was also a must with sleep training.

I have the motorola and I need a new one. The audio crapped out before a year. The speakers go on the parent unit and it seems to be pretty common but they wouldn't replace mine. I hadn't used it for a year but because the purchase was over a year they wouldn't do anything for me.

So I will be purchasing a different monitor for the next. One that will have 2 cameras.

thelittlepear · November 2014

We have an AngelCare Movement and Sound monitor, and love it. That said, as DD has gotten older, a video monitor would be nice - we went through a phase where she would stand up, and not be able to sit down, it would've been nice to have been able to see when that was the problem (among other reasons).

kbehelr · November 2014

I hope this thread has been as helpful to others as it had been to me!! I really hadn't thought about how handy it will be for not only an infant, but also toddlers. You ladies are awesome. Thank you for you input. Hope you have a good weekend.

islandmom79 · November 2014

We have a video monitor and I still use it now and DD is 4. It is nice to be able to see them without going in there. Once she wasn't in the crib anymore, if I heard her awake I could look to see if she was still in bed or out playing. It is not a necessity but that was/is the most used item I bought except for the crib. I would like one that I could pan around the room now that she is older. I may try to upgrade with this baby.

OliveMom3 · November 2014

We were given an audio monitor for DS and I always regretted not having a video monitor. We will be splurging for a double monitor this time and we are also looking at the levana.

SuzyGreenie · November 2014

Definitely a video monitor I have had one for over two years and don't know how I would've lived without it. They aren't that expensive and the nice thing is that you can go outside and do yard work and still be able to see the baby. I also have had instances where my LO's foot was stuck in between the brackets of his crib and I wouldn't have known that if I couldn't see that. I think without the video you have to check on them so much more when they are crying, but with the video you know that they are fine and can sometimes let them cry it out.

Stucas · November 2014

We have a video one. It's just an IP camera and we use an app to watch it. I didn't like the idea of other people being able to possibly see with a regular monitor so we went with something DH could super secure. Plus he gets to watch in from work like a creeper.

knjzacher · November 2014

We have a Foscam home security cam used through our wifi. Love it. Getting a second one for new baby.

amystan · November 2014

I was planning on getting a video monitor but then started thinking about how my brother and sister in law sit and stare at the baby non stop on their baby monitor. I want DH and myself to be able to enjoy the few moments we will have alone together instead of staring at the monitor.

Stucas · November 2014

knjzacher said:
We have a Foscam home security cam used through our wifi. Love it. Getting a second one for new baby.

This is the same one we have. It's fantastic.

knjzacher · November 2014

Stucas said:

knjzacher said:
We have a Foscam home security cam used through our wifi. Love it. Getting a second one for new baby.

This is the same one we have. It's fantastic.

And it's way less expensive than video baby monitors.

bowman958 · November 2014

GrailSeeker14 said:
we live in a 2bd apartment, so if we go for a monitor at all it'll just be old-school basic. Video might be just a bit too much since we can take less than 10 steps to get to wherever baby is if we're not in the same room. I may splurge on one of those snuza hero baby movement monitors, though... if I have extra Amazon bucks leftover after holiday shopping is done.

Get the Snuza, worth every penny for peace of mind.

We did fine in our old one story house with an old school monitor, but our new house has three so we will probably do video.

xuxachi · November 2014

I have just used the audio with my last two and I weaned off it after a while (dd is 15mo and only the sitter and DH use it, and I use when in the yard). Video is probably nice but I didn't want to obsess over my kids sleeping - you get to know the noises your kid makes and a sense for when something is not right.

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

xuxachi said:
I have just used the audio with my last two and I weaned off it after a while (dd is 15mo and only the sitter and DH use it, and I use when in the yard). Video is probably nice but I didn't want to obsess over my kids sleeping - you get to know the noises your kid makes and a sense for when something is not right.

Video does not make me obsess over my child sleeping. Also, my child could be silent for an hour after she woke so I wouldn't know if she were awake or asleep. You cannot always rely on what noises your child is making.

xuxachi · November 2014

My DD pulled something off the dresser the other day into the crib and was trying to put it around her neck. The sitter had put her to bed before I gotten home and the cleaners had been there earlier, so when I heard that she was awake and things just sounded different, I was suspecious and checked on her - thank god. I guess if I had a video monitor I would have known right away. All I'm saying is that a mother's instinct is still there and I'm comfortable with not having the video, though I know my story probably made the case for video. We're all different.

Ginja85 · November 2014

Please secure your WiFi prior to installing your baby spy gear. I can check on 2 neighbors kids & be super creeper & check another neighbors house via their DIY "security system".

drmrsmantis · November 2014

We have the Foscam as well. It's not difficult at all to make it secure, so don't let that worry you. It's so much cheaper than the video monitors marketed for babies--plus, I check it on my smartphone or iPad, which makes life so much easier (no extra device to remember/carry around). I still use it for my toddler. We are about to start having him sleep in a toddler bed, so I'm thinking it will be super helpful for that, as well.

topaz7777 · November 2014

I had an Angel care monitor for DD, it was movement, sound, and video. It was worth every penny. It does help to be able to peek in without making any noise. Much easier than looking in the door and being seen and having the baby cry and cry for you.

RIngReady · November 2014

We love our video monitor and will actually be purchasing a second one for this baby so we can still keep an eye on our son. Yes they are expensive, but very worth it.

We currently have a Tommy Tippy and it has been fantastic for the last 15 months, but they no longer make it.

I do recommend getting a monitor that uses DECT digital technology. Everything I have ever read says it is the most 'closed' type of video monitoring, so no creepers can watch baby from outside your home.

Oh..and personally I love that I can turn off the video with a simple touch of a button so it isn't glowing all night long.

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