Baby Monitors

[tracya]

We are due to have our first baby in 6 weeks and feel quite ready as far as setting up our nursery is concerned but for one thing - a baby monitor. Can anyone provide some feedback about the different types and which ones they found the best. These are an expensive item so we would like to make an informed choice. My MIL has an opinion on this topic just as she has on everything else even though she had kids 30 years ago but I wonder if this time her idea is valid. She says having a baby monitor means we will hear every little noise / gurgle and not knowing which ones are normal will keep us in a constant state of anxious sleeplessness. If we are able to relax with all the little sounds and we then don't hear any because baby is sleeping soundly we will also be anxious at hearing nothing. Any thoughts??

[StormAngel]

Hi

I have a steelcraft baby moniter and have found it really good, you get used to hearing the little sounds so much that they don't bother you.
I found it good and still do when bub has a cold, insted of being paranoid it's a comfort to be able to hear them even if it is a snuffly breathing sound.
Another good thing about it is if you outside in the yard hanging out the wash or even just reading the paper with a coffee you can take it with you, and lets face it after having a baby sometimes being inside all the time can drive you nuts.
hope this helped you in some way
goodluck

[razzle]

Baby monitors are fantastic - and jlk is right, you get so used to hearing the little "normal" noises that you only hear the weird ones. I sleep with mine under my pillow so it doesn't wake up DP. Eloise hasn't woken up during the night for months, but it's great peace of mind, and she wakes me up every morning with her little "I'm awake" gurgles!! I use it constantly because we have a stone house and even though she's only one room away with her door closed, I can't hear her without the monitor! It's also handy for when she's napping and I'm hanging out the washing or whatever outside.

I'd go for the basic model, you can get all sorts of ones with bells and whistles and night lights, but all you really need is to be able to hear your little one when you need to. You might be able to pick one up second hand on ebay too.

We have a Phillips one which doesn't pick up every little breath but it's pretty sensitive, I can hear her when she moans in her sleep. The further away the monitor is from the baby, the less sensitive it is, so if you find yourselves in a "constant state of anxious sleeplessness" (lol), move it further away!

[samuelboy]

Hi

I have an Angelcare monitor and would be lost without it. I have it turned down pretty low but you get used to all their moaning and groaning. The Angelcare also have a pad that goes under your baby's mattress to monitor their movements and has an alarm that goes off after 20 seconds if nothing is detected. We still check all the time but it's reassuring to know there is something extra there.

This is one of the first things we got and it's great to be able to move around the house and go outside and still hear him.

[Kassiasmum]

We bought the "Love N Care" monitor, it is rated as the best by Choice and is one of the cheaper models. We have hardly used it, but we have a small house and can hear our daughter everywhere in our house, even outside. She also still sleeps in our room so if she is sick she usually sleeps in our bed. The CHOICE guide to baby products is a good book to have a look at for this sort of thing, they have tested the items and rated them, it should be available from your local library. The only thing that I didn't like with this monitor is that it doesn't have battery back up for the one that you put in the baby's room, so if you are prone to blackouts, it doesn't work.
Hope this helps and good luck
Tracey

[StormAngel]

hi

We made sure that we go one that can take batteries as well

[Lachlan's Mum]

Hi there

We have a monitor (it is just a Fisher Price one I was given by an aunt (second hand) and I must say that when Lachlan first came home I was (as most new mums are) obsessed with being able to hear him.......and the monitor did make it worse!! But anyway, we use it all the time for:-

Going outside to hang washing etc.
When we have his air con on in his room so his door is shut
When we go to my mum's place as she has 2 storeys (and his room is upstairs)
We take it away with us on holidays because you never know what the sleeping arrangements will be

As he is 10 mths now and in his own room....we don't use it for every sleep or everynight....we only really need to hear if he needs us - not every sound and movement all night (he is a figeter (spelling)).

Our house is soooo tiny that you can hear him well enough (when he wants to be heard he makes sure he is!!! :p ).

Anyway, enough rambling - I think they are a good investment - but I don't think you have to spend heaps.....ours is basic and does the job. It takes batteries also (good idea).

Hope this helps.

[Lallas' Mum]

With time you will get used to all the little noises that your little will make. After a little while you'll come to distinguish what each ones means. I think every first time parent sleeps with one (ok probabley both) ears open no matter whether you have a monitor or not.

My husband and I started off with a Tommee Tippee night light/sound monitor that ran both on mains power and batteries. Which is handy for mobility especially during the day. We did in the end however change to an Angelcare sound and movement monitor. You can run just the sound part or change it so the movement detector pads under your baby's mattress work as well. These pads actually monitor whether your baby is breathing by the movement of those oh so little breathes that they take. So it can alert you to anytime when your baby stops breathing (which hopefully you never use). If your extra paraniod and can't sleep without knowing whether she/he is breathing or not the monitor can also be set up to make a soft "click" noise everytime a breath is taken.

We used this monitor in the end as At 5 months of age our little man suffered an Atonic seizure where the body goes completely limp and they stop breathing. (he was later diagnosed with Benign familial infantile seizures which is genetic). He has since come off his daily medication that prevented seizures as has been given the all clear (children normally grow out of it by age 1year). We now use the monitor just as a sound monitor so we know when he is awake.

It will highly depend on your circumstances as to what monitor to get. But if you're after the duck's nuts Angelcare is certainly the one to get.

PS It is also portable ie runs on batteries as well as mains.

Good luck to you in choosing.

Tracey
:D Mum to Alec 17 1/2 months and bub due May 2nd

[Rainbowbrite]

We as first time parents wanted the best so got the Angelcare moniter. My husband, after seeing the prices was much more comfortable paying the extra and not getting "a glorified walky talky" (his words) I'm glad that others have used them and are getting great results. A friend who works in childcare recommended it also as its what they use at the centre she works in.

[mumworkingoverseas]

We ended up buying the Lindam Baby talk monitor. Others I looked at seemed more appealing but this one was the most highly rated by the Choice Baby Products Book.
It is a great monitor. No interference, clear sound. You can turn the sound down or put it on mute with a light bar indicator that shows when sound is picked up. We had no trouble sleeping with the monitor and it is a huge help to hear when bub is stirring, so you can get to them and start feeding before they get really worked up. The more worked up my bub became (if I didn't hear her stirring) the harder it was to settle her after the feed.

[Tannie]

We have an Angelcare & we use it mostly for the reassurance of the Movement monitor, rather then listening to her. I use the sound part if I have music on & her door closed or go outside etc - seems to have good range.
Anyway - we're very happy with it!
T

[Jack'sMum]

I agree with Rainbowbrite and Peta - the Angelcare Monitor is a god send. For me, I have found that it cuts down on my anxiousness because of the alarm that goes off it if doesn't detect movement or breathing for 20 seconds. I was hesitant getting it because I was afraid the alarm might go off all the time but the sensitivty can be adjusted and I haven't had any problems.

Being a new mum I really enjoy going to sleep hearing all of Jack's noises because I am now getting to know his 'normal' sounds. On even a low volume setting I can hear him pass wind (both ways) and even a little vomiting which is great because I was in there quick as a flash when he did a little vomit in his sleep.

Your mother in law may say it breeds anxiousness but I see it as the remedy! :)

Also, to cut costs (they are pretty pricey compared to some others) I got our monitor off Ebay for a huge discount, and it was just pre-loved but in perfect working condition.

[dudleydiver]

:sleeping:hi tracya;5206
i have found that its good idea to shop around and do research i am a proud but busy grandad we finally bought the tommy walkabout,does what it says on the can and its mobile ,however i was torn for choice ,i found a wide choice of monitors a decent prices at www.priceplucker.com (http://www.priceplucker.com) as well loads of other items,it is hard choosing a good monitor,but if you make the wrong choice they always sell well on the auction sites so you wont loose out that much


We are due to have our first baby in 6 weeks and feel quite ready as far as setting up our nursery is concerned but for one thing - a baby monitor. Can anyone provide some feedback about the different types and which ones they found the best. These are an expensive item so we would like to make an informed choice. My MIL has an opinion on this topic just as she has on everything else even though she had kids 30 years ago but I wonder if this time her idea is valid. She says having a baby monitor means we will hear every little noise / gurgle and not knowing which ones are normal will keep us in a constant state of anxious sleeplessness. If we are able to relax with all the little sounds and we then don't hear any because baby is sleeping soundly we will also be anxious at hearing nothing. Any thoughts??