Baby monitor confusion

[KattyKit]

Hi,

I was wondering of someone could give me some advice about baby monitors....

I am utterly baffled as to which one to get. Is it worth spending a bit of money and getting an all signing all dancing one with video or should I just go for a basic model - or something in between?!

Also is it something you need to get from birth (as our baby will be in our room for the first couple of weeks/months) or should I wait until the baby is born?

Any advice much appreciated!

[helsbells]

We've got the BT 150 monitor (?58.50 from amazon) and have found it to be brilliant. It has adjustable sensitivity, a torch in the parent unit, a nightlight and temperature gauge built into the baby unit and it plays lullabies too (which I found v useful in the v early weeks during nappy / clothes changes). We've had it since the birth of our baby and in those early weeks I found it useful to communicate with my partner from the bedroom to request cups of tea / food etc while I was resting in bed or feeding baby and although our daughter is still in our room (she's 5 months now) we use it every night when she is in bed before us. I've found it v reliable, great signal, v clear sounds quality and dead easy to use.

I know several people who don't have monitors at all though - I suppose it depends on the size and layout of your home and how much you want to listen in on your baby as he/she sleeps.

[KattyKit]

Thank you. I didn't even think of getting a good signal!

[crystal7]

Another vote for the BT 150, very clear, no static. we still use it now and our daughter is 21 months :-$

[slh2009]

Hi, I have also bought the BT 150 altho not used it yet as baby due next week. It got the Which Magazine Best Buy which usually means it will be good.....

[BEANIE1]

Another vote for the BT 150 monitor. Used the old version with my son and have updated to new version for no 2. Good reception, nice features and not too pricey.

[Pickle]

Yet another vote for the BT 150 - we're still using ours and daughter is 2.5! We also had the older model for our son, which is still going strong after 4 years.

[Indiana]

And another one for the BT 150 and definitely get it before yours is born...although our daughter stayed in our bedroom til 10 weeks you may still need it in the day if she is sleeping and you are out the room and also if you manage to get out to friends houses for drinks etc and want to put her in a moses basket in a room etc....

[ratty]

Video all the way. If you are a paranoid type like me a quick look to see that little chest rising works wonders without you bursting in and waking the little one.

It does of course, depend on what sort of house you have! Also my vidmmonitor did get interference from my wireless router!

[KateW]

I'm with Ratty; video all the way. We use a 'Summer' monitor and it's fantastic. Granted, not cheap, but as Ratty says, seeing their little hands or chests move is a great comfort.

[uptime]

Hi, we're thinking of buying a video monitor. There are two Summer ones on the market: the secure sleep one and, what looks like a newer one, the baby zoom. The only difference I can make out from the mothercare brochure is that the former has a room temparature gauge. Is there one particular model that users would recommend?

[Saila]

bt monitor vote again from me - we bought the tommee teppe one - it was sh7t so we had to take it back and buy another... can't fault the bt one.

[Knomester]

We have the Angel Care Sound Monitor (just the sound one, not the one that has the movement detector) and have had no problems with it whatsoever. It has adjustable sensitivity so you can have it set to pick up all noise or, as I do, the setting below that where it jsut picks up shouts, crying, yelps, etc, but not little sleepy noises or mutterings. It has a nightlight (which we don't use) and a temperature guage which is the thing I find the most useful so that I don't sit panicking about whether he's too hot / too cold. It also has a long range which I'm hoping will come in handy next Spring / Summer when we take to eating outside again!

To be honest though, they can be addictive and stop you from relaxing. You definitely need one, don't get me wrong, and in the early days you'll have it on but probably still go in to check (I know I did when he started going to be before us), but as time has gone on I've started trusting my own hearing a bit more (he's 11 weeks now). I don't need to hear every little noise as it makes me jump with a start each time - I just need to know if he needs me which is usually made loud and clear with a big shout or cry which I can hear without the monitor.

[KateW]

Uptime - We've got the Summer Baby Zoom Digital Video Monitor which is brilliant. There isn't a temperature gauge but we have a Gro egg for that. I think there's a newer, slimline version of the monitor, but we're quite happy with the zoom one. Really easy to operate, great sound and picture.

[uptime]

Thanks KateW - very helpful.

[sandy_rose]

We've got a video monitor, it was great in the early days especially as she spent some time in special care and I was a bit neurotic to start with :). Now she's 6 months I'll be using it to keep an eye on her in her playpen while I'm dashing around the house trying to get stuff done (I can always dream!)

[Keef]

I can totally understand why people want the vid monitor, having been the type of dad that would stand by the cot for ages making sure baby was still alive.

However, I can't help thinking that we are moving towards hooking babies up to full on life support monitors in the not too distant future!