Video monitor, worth the $$?

[gibbinator]

We have a regular monitor we use for naps or before we go to bed. Which is fine for now. But over Christmas break we plan to move the crib out of our room and into the nursery.

I feel like a video monitor would be nice so I can see ds when he's getting shifty (or to confirm he's still alive when I'm paranoid). I think some of wanting one is just anxiety about ending the cosleeping

If you have one, was it worth the cost?
If you don't have one, are you glad you didn't bother?

[badtzmaru22]

I thought I wanted one for after we moved her from the cosleeper to the crib, but DH talked me out of it. I'm glad about it now. Also now, my sleep has gotten much better since I turned the audio one off altogether. I have become such a light sleeper that every little thing wakes me up now, and with the monitor off, I only wake up when she's actually crying.

[karinothing]

I love ours. I really like it for sleep training purposes. I can look at the monitor to make sure he is not in pain or has a wet diaper or whatever. I also like spying on him lol.

[Deleted]

It's great. It has been even greater as DD has grown into a mobile toddler and has access to her entire room. She is a terrible napper so it's almost necessary to be able to watch her and see what she is getting into when she's supposed to be asleep. In fact I am super torn on whether to get another for #2 or leave her unmonitored since she doesn't REALLY need it anymore. Hmmm......

[zeewifeandmama]

Love ours! Especially once she was a toddler. For us it was money well spent!

[badgergrl]

We love our video monitor. Our daughter was over 2 when our first one broke and the week we went without one was terrible. Our kid isn't a great sleeper, so its nice to know if she making noise what else she is going (if she is standing she is up). At over 2.5 if this one broke we would for sure get another one. My dh says that it will be helpful for her teenage years too .

[Deleted]

Don't have any monitor at all. Don't plan to get one for the next round.

I'm always a "wait and see" as much as possible on baby gear.

[bunch]

Love it. I would suggest everyone gets them. I still watch her several times a night.

[whitepicketfence]

I love ours. It was nice to have when they were infants, but I especially loved having one for after we moved DD1 into her toddler bed. It was reassuring to know whether or not she was actually staying in bed and to see if she was sleeping vs. playing in her room.

[statlerwaldorf]

We had a regular audio monitor, but I regretted it. I plan on buying video monitor for #2.

[MadamePresident]

We bought a webcam for about $100. It does audio and we can see at night. I like it because y hudband can even view it from his work.

[jessj222]

Worth every penny.

As a young infant, I just loved watching her sleep and knowing that she was okay.

Now as a toddler, its great to know what she's up. If she's standing or sitting up it's over but if she's still laying down things are good to go.

[nonsenseabound]

We have an audio one, we have a second hand video that we have never used. It is neat but it makes me too paranoid watching it

[Deleted]

We had a video monitor when he was first born. After the paranoia of "is he alive?!?" wore off at about 2 months old we stopped using it. It was old, clunky, and static-y. If it had been a sleek new one maybe we would still use it. We have an audio only one that we're very happy with.

[froggy76]

Worth every penny.

[scribellesam]

I love ours. It's especially great for checking if he's really awake or about to whine himself back to sleep. I think otherwise I'd be in the nursery for every little noise at night.

[6fsn]

We have an audio only. I've never once said "I wish I could see them." so I say it's not needed.

[chickens987]

definitely!

[bronxgirl]

We have an audio one which was fine, but if we have another kid I might consider a video one.

[pacificrules]

My daughter is almost 3 and we use it every day. It's been great to check on her. I think it's totally worth the money.

[pacificrules]

Dec 16, 2012 7:14:09 GMT -5 6fsn said:

We have an audio only. I've never once said "I wish I could see them." so I say it's not needed.

Really? When they're crying do you just go in there? Our video has been really helpful because we can see if she's crying in her sleep or truly awake. Maybe you've learned to discern better because you never relied on the video??

[Here]

Audio only. Also never once wished I had one. We rarely used a monitor after seven months. We sleep trained her and she rarely cries at night. I think the audio monitor was waking me up more when she was just making noises in her sleep.
If she cried for more than a few seconds, we knew she was awake and got up. I could listen to her without opening my eyes. I think trying to turn on a video monitor and discerning what she was doing would have woken me up too much if she was just crying in her sleep.

She still sleeps in a crib so we don't have to worry about her moving about her room.

It is fun to peak into her room to see what she is doing, but I wouldn't buy a video monitor just for that.

[schrodinger]

Dec 16, 2012 16:23:16 GMT -5 @ojo said:

We got inexpensive security cameras and are happy with our purchase.

This is what we did. We got the Costco security cameras and set up one in the nursery and the rest around the house. We've been really happy with the quality -- it seems to be far better than any video monitor that I've seen.

ETA: our nursery is on the same floor as the master and I'm a really light sleeper, so I doubt we'll get an audio monitor. If we do, at least they are cheap.

[GailGoldie]

We have angelcare monitors and have loved them. Only time i ever wished i had a video monitor is when they are playing and acting cute- just so i could watch it.... I don't see how a video monitor will help me much - I'm worried about them breathing- and you can't tell if they are doing that on video.

[6fsn]

Dec 16, 2012 12:02:19 GMT -5 pacificrules said:

Dec 16, 2012 7:14:09 GMT -5 6fsn said:

We have an audio only. I've never once said "I wish I could see them." so I say it's not needed.

Really? When they're crying do you just go in there? Our video has been really helpful because we can see if she's crying in her sleep or truly awake. Maybe you've learned to discern better because you never relied on the video??

I don't really know how to answer this. I turned the monitor off completely around 8ish months. So if they cry enough to wake me up they have to really be awake too. I've never known them to cry in their sleep.

[pacificrules]

Dec 16, 2012 19:25:03 GMT -5 6fsn said:

Dec 16, 2012 12:02:19 GMT -5 pacificrules said:

Really? When they're crying do you just go in there? Our video has been really helpful because we can see if she's crying in her sleep or truly awake. Maybe you've learned to discern better because you never relied on the video??

I don't really know how to answer this. I turned the monitor off completely around 8ish months. So if they cry enough to wake me up they have to really be awake too. I've never known them to cry in their sleep.

Ok, fair enough.

[huskymom]

One of my favorite baby gear items. Is it really necessary? I guess not, but it is one of the things I can't live without now!

[zarapipe]

It would still be worth it to me even if I had to spend $500. Worth. Every. Penny.

I still use ours.

[auberge]

Absolutely worth every penny.

[mollybrown]

I don't have one, but I can see how they would be useful when the baby is older. When mine were babies, I preferred the Angel Care so that it would wake me the hell up if they stopped breathing. But for toddlers, I haven't ruled out a video monitor yet. Sometimes I just want to know if they're sleeping or awake without opening the door, because opening the door never fails to wake them up. DD will be moving out of her crib in the next year, and it would be great to see if she's still in bed, or up playing.

Of course you can survive without one, but like most baby gear, it has the potential to make life easier. I'm pretty sure we'll get one if we decide to go for #3.