[Closed] Wireless Video baby monitors

Seriously why do you want video??? A normal one is just the job. Dont get caught in paranoia serioisly. We only have a sound one and its enough.

get the cheapest Tomy one- they are fine.

We used a sound one for our first, haven't even bothered with that for number two. Unless you live in a mansion, you'll hear the crying :-).

We got the most basic Tomy and it's been faultless. We're in a big house and it works fine all over it. Also been fine in hotels.

Video will just spook you out too much. As will constant temp monitoring. If there's a problem, you'll hear it.

Don't listen to above - choose what gives YOU peace of mind. Not used a video one so can't comment on those but we have Angelcare heartbeat monitoring ones - they make my wife relax and sleep well and after what she went through I am happy that she has whatever makes her happiest.

We just used audio only, reckoned that if you had video, you may as well sit next to the cot and watch

baby will prob sleep in your room for first 3-6 months anyway
we got one (top range Tomy w night light and temperature but only cause it was same price new on ebay than basic model in boots) and have never used it as a monitor, only nightlight - which is v useful in middle of night when you need just enough light to check baby but not too much for baby to suddenly be wide awake
video one would only cause undue paranoia in my opinion, but good for a security camera to keep eye on the bikes in garage when you never use it for baby 😆

Just get a sound one and leave it at that! Unless baby is on another floor you will hear them crying.

We have a BT one which is apparently a best buy. Not sure how it compares to others but useful features are being able to turn the microphone sensitivity up and down as well as volume. Also has handy torch too, and room temp.

We tend to use ours when reub's is asleep and allows us to go out in the garden etc

Yeah we used one with our first for about 2 months then got sick of hearing the grunts and never used them again. Not a necessity just peace of mind of anxious first time parents.

Exactly - peace of mind for the parents is as important as any other consideration.

we have the basic Tomy sound one and an apnea mat, as our nipper hasn't been too well. TBH even after a few months i still get a kick out of sneaking upstairs and whispering devil voices through it when we have visitors.

We got the BT best buy one from E Bay for not a lot - excellent and does more than we've needed. Even the wife was happy with this and she had wanted video.

We didn't bother getting one, as everyone we know with kids said that they just make you worried.

Right now she is still in our room, and the amount of snuffling and wuffling she gets up to is amazing, I can see why people don't like them. If she is really awake and needing something, you can tell without a monitor - she is very determined ly not sleeping right now and I just clocked her at 87 decibels from a few cm away - it is a bit above what you'd need ear protectors for in a workplace.

Some babies are quieter mind, that might make a difference.

Re the snuffling type noises, that's why the BT one is good as you can alter the sensitivity so only full on crying sets the monitor off.

Tomy one has a sound monitor (louder noise equals more bars lit up), volume control and a night light. About £40.

One of the best items we bought and because we can shut the door to that part of the house, he can't hear us cooking/crashing about but we can hear him. Ideal.

funkydunc I'd second the Bt monitors as my good lady had twin boys in may and were prem so helps with all you have mentioned...can't see the point of video monitors to be honest! It's bloody hard work I'll tell ya!

I have just ordered the BT 150 monitor literally 5 mins ago as it is on sale at the BT shop. Been looking around a while now but not seen it drop below their current offer. We have been recommended it by my wifes brother. Still three months until our first born arrives so just getting things slowly.

+1 for not getting one, one thing babys are good at is getting attention ;-).

We have the BT 150 and really rate it - a great feature is the ability to record your own 'lullaby' (ours is just me going "shhh shhh") and play it VIA the handset - parenting-by-proxy!

DrP

Everyone's right.
Especially about the not listening to other people if it's going to upset you. If it's not working for you ignore those people who say it's the best (only) way.

If you want one get one.

Why do you want a video monitor?

Are you worried about cot death?

Do you want to be able to see why the baby is upset?
Will it work when it's actually dark?

We've got a basic Angelcare model that does the sound job. That's bad enough for stressing you out when they are upset.

FunkyDunc - Member
Re the snuffling type noises, that's why the BT one is good as you can alter the sensitivity so only full on crying sets the monitor off.
POSTED 9 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

All have a volume setting which is essentially the same. Still like having an army of badgers in the room though. If your turning it so low to drown out snuffling you aren't going to hear the breathing, which is kind of the point.

I never thought that the point of them was to hear breathing.

We were given a Tomy one when child 2 arrived, but he sounded like a suffocating pig all the time anyway so it never got used. Child 3 is now nearly 4 months old, and when he's put down in his cot we do use it, but only so we can hear if his big brother approaches the cot to 'help'.

We have a non-video one but will be getting a video one when JnrI #2 arrives in January next year.

We just want it so that we can see what the noise is before going in to check. JnrI #1 crashes around a lot and sometimes is just playing before going to sleep. Other times he's been "stuck" and needed re-arranging. Without the video we sometimes go in and disturb him rather than just leaving him to it. Our house has thick walls and we can't hear JnrI when he is upstairs and we are downstairs hence why we have a listener.

I never thought that the point of them was to hear breathing.

You can hear the little buggers do everything with ease, especially the crying.

My boss had a video one and one witht eh mat they lie on.

She said havign the video just made her watch constantly which wasnt so healthy and if the little un rolled off the matt the alarm went off thinking its heart had stoppped so that didnt help too much either.

We just used the standard Tomy one with temp /light. Did the job tho with your first you will probably develop "super hearing" for a while and leap up at the slightest noise 😀

Seems like a lifetime ago and ours is only 3 now. :S

They should make one that automatically turns the volume on the telly up as soon as the little attention whores start gurning.

My boss had a video one and one witht eh mat they lie on.
She said havign the video just made her watch constantly which wasnt so healthy and if the little un rolled off the matt the alarm went off thinking its heart had stoppped so that didnt help too much either.
We just used the standard Tomy one with temp /light. Did the job tho with your first you will probably develop "super hearing" for a while and leap up at the slightest noise
Seems like a lifetime ago and ours is only 3 now. :S

We don't use baby monitors. Babies tend to cry loudly when something's wrong. With a monitor you'll just be jumping awake at every snuffle and cough. She got herself stuck a lot for a while, didn't need a monitor to hear that!

Having said that, we only used one a few times when she was asleep on the top floor and we were downstairs or outside - three storey house.

I remember when one of the mobile companies introduced free evening calls within their mobile network.

loads of parents were getting two phones, calling one from the other and then using them as baby listeners as there was no real range limit on them.

As above, if you think video/listener is for you then get one. My experience was that our two were old enough by the time they slept in their own rooms that we didn't need monitors and durign the evenign they made any demands they did have well enough know that other amplification was unnecessary.

Just sound for us... but we end up turning it off often enough now he's 10 months

All have a volume setting which is essentially the same. Still like having an army of badgers in the room though. If your turning it so low to drown out snuffling you aren't going to hear the breathing, which is kind of the point.

Also - I do tend to agree with much that has been said above, but I still feel that if the OP wants the peace of mind of a video monitor he shouldn't be dissuaded. I think the needs of a parent are often overlooked when it comes to choosing things for baby.

[i]I think the needs of a parent are often overlooked when it comes to choosing things for baby.[/i]

I've always felt it was the other way round 😉

I think the needs of a parent are often overlooked when it comes to choosing things for baby.

Eh? Don't parents choose most things for their baby?!

Nah - the kids *generally* get everything. It's the parents who don't always think of themselves when choosing things - at the end of the day if something makes the parents' lives easier and less stressful, it is every bit as important as the child's wellbeing. After all, (relatively) relaxed and happy parents make for a nicer environment for everyone.

We just want it so that we can see what the noise is before going in to check. JnrI #1 crashes around a lot and sometimes is just playing before going to sleep. Other times he's been "stuck" and needed re-arranging. Without the video we sometimes go in and disturb him rather than just leaving him to it. Our house has thick walls and we can't hear JnrI when he is upstairs and we are downstairs hence why we have a listener.

exactly. we bought a cheap one from aldi - about £40 - and it does help see whether it's worth going in or not. Our eldest sleepwalks and stands up in the bed without making a sound before falling out, if she wakes up out of bed she can get really upset so being able to see her start lets us get upstairs and guide her back to bed with out waking the youngest up.

Eh? Don't parents choose most things for their baby?!

Which is why he said parents overlook themselves.

How do you overlook yourselves?

Especially with a monitor?

the whole point of the monitor is probably selfish for the parents.

They don't want the baby in the same room so then have to find an elaborate way of reassuring themselves that the kid's ok.

You can hear the little buggers do everything with ease, especially the crying...

Bit of an assumption about house layout/size/build there! Ours can be wailing his guts out, but when I turn the monitor to mute (much to the missus annoyance!) we really can't hear him if we're in the garden.....

Horses for courses...

DrP

They don't want the baby in the same room so then have to find an elaborate way of reassuring themselves that the kid's ok.

Uh oh - internet forum + parenting opinions = trouble...

[i]the baby should sleep alone as soon as possible so it is not reliant on the parents' presence to sleep.[/i]

As I say, this is in the parents interests, not the babies. Primates traditionally sleep in family groups it's only ('first world') humans who insist on the little blighters being in a separate room for sleep within hours of birth.

We won't ever agree on this, though, I think...

How do you overlook yourselves?

Especially with a monitor?

But to make it easier on parents (if they are that way inclined and want the reassurance) there are a range of monitoring products.

For example, I would be perfectly happy with a sound only monitor for a newborn. Now ours are over 1yr old, I would be happy with no monitor at all. But Mrs M prefers to be able to monitor them whilst we are relaxing downstairs. If we had a simple monitor (in fact we started with a sound only one BTW) she would not be as relaxed and able to enjoy the little bit of time we have together as readily as she does with the ones we have.

So basically we bought the monitors because we thought about what WE wanted.

Of course if you are happy with a sound only one (or none at all) then all is good - all I have been saying is be sure to get what works best for your own particular circumstances.

I bought a normal sound only one for my brother when they had their first kid - not for use at night but during the day as their house is 3 floors as is my parents when they visit there, pretty hard to hear through that. For their second kid I bought them a video one, more as a novelty and I couldn't think of anything else to buy :p Again it's used during the day not at night but they much prefer it to the sound only one. They don't spend hours cooing over the image, but it does mean sometimes they can see him wake up make a bit of a noise then fall back asleep and not have to go up and check. You could probably also see foxes attacking...

True DrP which is when we used ours when sat in the garden, kind of thought it went without saying as was Tongue in cheek comment.

Surf-mat you really just not worth discussing things with at times.

Primates traditionally sleep in family groups it's only ('first world') humans who insist on the little blighters being in a separate room for sleep within hours of birth.

Not sure about everyone on this forum though. 😉

I am not sure what kind of sound a baby would make that would be both important and inaudible from another room in a normal sized house...?

Drac - nor are you.

That's settled that then.

Primates traditionally sleep in family groups it's only ('first world') humans who insist on the little blighters being in a separate room for sleep within hours of birth.

So what you saying is we should all sleep in the same room forever?

Cant think of any instance a monitor would have made a jot of difference for me with my two.

If they were crying enough for me to hear them, they needed attention. If i couldnt hear them, they were ok. Worked ok most of the time. They are in a cot, how much trouble can a baby get into? I know some babies die from cot death etc, but considering how little we know about it its something i dont think a monitor will make any difference about.

I am a believer in routine and sleeping seperately. Have seen some right klingons from parents who dont encourage them to sleep in their own rooms.

No, Drac, but I do think that if you believe your child is incapable of sleeping in a separate room without some form of external monitoring then it might be too early to try and make them do so.

There are clearly some families with a history of SIDS etc where external monitoring is both advised and necessary, I'm talking about your standard 'sleeps like a log, then wakes up and screams the house down' type child.

So what you saying is we should all sleep in the same room forever?

Actually, now I think about it....

No, Drac, but I do think that if you believe your child is incapable of sleeping in a separate room without some form of external monitoring then it might be too early to try and make them do so.

Not the same at all then and again that depends on the parents choice, babies health and as mentioned house layout. It's really not an essential thing but adds peace of mind and as MF others have said allows you some flexibilty such as sitting the garden. Even if you continue to share a room do you then say you can't leave them in a room on there own as it's not safe yet, so then can't go out in your garden.

I said earlier I didn't think agreement would be reached on this.

My personal experience with my children was that in both cases there was nothing to be gained by using a monitor in terms of not being in the room but still finding out they needed attention.

Other peoples experience, house layout or just fears may dictate a different approach if it works for them then that's fine.

At the end of the day almost every single thing we ever buy for ourselves and our children is not necessary but we live in a (some say) civilised society and some of us choose to have things that make our lives easier. Be it a potato peeler, a bike, a sofa or whatever.

Then there are others that tell us that we don't need X, we only need Y because of Z.

Going into the garden and leaving a baby alone in the house, are you lot related to the Mccanns?

I use mine so the little one can sleep in her seat in the living room and I can fettle bikes in the garage. I am but 15 feet from her, but closed doors and walls mean I'd not hear anything. I'm not a bad parent, I'm not substituting my attentions with electronice - I'm just using technology to improve quality of life.

All the regressing primates can smash the spinning jenny and live in caves - I like technology.

Going into the garden and leaving a baby alone in the house, are you lot related to the Mccanns?

What an utterly retarded comment.

[i]Penrod Pooch - Member
Going into the garden and leaving a baby alone in the house, are you lot related to the Mccanns?
[/i]

Are you serious? Crikey we were borderline abusive then. We used to leave our kids asleep in their pram outside whilst we went inside for a coffee and a chill out. Once asleep from a walk it seemed a shame to wake them taking them into the house and they seemed to like the 'outside' noise.

We did keep checks on them every so often and never left them out in the rain for too long 😉

😉

Useful items in some cases then but not essential parenting equipment.

Best thing is to have the kid first, then decide what you need and go and get it then. Saves a lot of money that does.

Best thing is to have the kid first, then decide what you need and go and get it then. Saves a lot of money that does.

Best thing is to have the kid first, then decide what you need and go and get it then. Saves a lot of money that does.

Yeah right - and we're all reasonable and rational and brave when we're out of earshot of the wife! We have no choice in these matters - she decides and anyone that says otherwise is a damned liar!

We’ve not bought one. It’ll be in with us for a good while so don’t see the point. May buy one when it goes into own room, may not – probably not as our upstairs is not large and our downstairs is all open plan, so I think we’ll be able to hear anything anyway. Having said that, if you want one, buy one!

We have no choice in these matters

Speak for yourself!

We have no choice in these matters - she decides and anyone that says otherwise is a damned liar!

Riiiiight!

We have no choice in these matters - she decides and anyone that says otherwise is a damned liar!

some of us are still reasonable human beings. Even if I did cry in mothercare last week. 😆

My view is that what my wife is happiest with I am happiest with. She had to carry them for 9 months and go through the [s]pain [/s] miracle of childbirth and I appreciate that understanding her maternal instincts and protectiveness over the girls should be my main concern and I should support her decisions as best I can.

[i]Even if I did cry in mothercare last week[/i]

I wouldn't worry about that - it often reduced me to tears as well...

M-F - you are redlining on the STW slushy puke-o-meter now.

Please cease.

🙂

Just telling it like I see it as a parent and husband though. (She may have a different view on how much of a help and support I am though)...

She had to carry them for 9 months and go through the pain miracle of childbirth

But we have to put up with 9 months of ****ing moaning about it.

Not my wife - Her first baby came out sideways, she didn't scream or nothin.
😉

Sensitivity and volume are 2 very different things.

As an example, if you are a very deep sleeper and it takes an earthquake to wake you (not likely if new have a new born in the house!) you can leave the volume on max so the monitor will be very loud.

However you can actually turn the sensitivity down so that only loud crying would register on the monitor.

We still use ours at night, but to be honest because we have turned the sensitivty down, I hear him before the monitor goes off. It was helpful after he had been projectile vomiting all evening, we put him to bed on full sensitivity so we could here if he was being sick.

Mastiles - if you have a heart monitor thing, have you actually done the first aid to know what to do if things did go wrong?

You have obviously done alot of reading up and thinking about it m_f as you are fairly new to the whole game no?

Mastiles - if you have a heart monitor thing, have you actually done the first aid to know what to do if things did go wrong?

You have obviously done alot of reading up and thinking about it m_f as you are fairly new to the whole game no?

As the op that started this thread (my first ever thread to reach two pages!) can I bring it back on track?

We are going to buy one, we want one, no arguments on that. However we do think that a video one would stop us reacting and going into the nursery when the baby is just grumbling in his / her sleep as opposed to actually needing us. This might be overkill so we'd consider a voice only one.

Any recommedations of either?