Video Baby Monitor Worth it?

[Vancouvercat]

Hi all, expecting my second soon - just wondering if anyone ever used a VIDEO baby monitor and whether they would recommend it. I have two friends who love it (for reasons that are fairly obvious, I suppose).

Thanks!

[HappiLeigh]

I think mostly on this site people are sort of against them, because they minimize the need for mama/baby contact. HOWEVER, I'm personally hoping to get one this time around. My reasoning is that my noisy pre-schooler and I will likely be downstairs while New Baby is napping upstairs, and if I hear him on the sound-only monitor but am not sure if he's just stirring or really awake, I would have to go upstairs and check on him, possibly waking him up by opening the door and letting in preschooler-related noise. If I have a video monitor it will let me see if he's really awake without making the trek and potentially disturbing him. Plus, I think it'll be nice to be able to check to make sure he's not tangled in ring sling (which my daughter usually slept curled up in, since she'd fall asleep on me) or being smothered by the cat without going all the way upstairs.

[chattyprincess]

Originally Posted by HappiLeigh

I think mostly on this site people are sort of against them, because they minimize the need for mama/baby contact. HOWEVER, I'm personally hoping to get one this time around. My reasoning is that my noisy pre-schooler and I will likely be downstairs while New Baby is napping upstairs, and if I hear him on the sound-only monitor but am not sure if he's just stirring or really awake, I would have to go upstairs and check on him, possibly waking him up by opening the door and letting in preschooler-related noise. If I have a video monitor it will let me see if he's really awake without making the trek and potentially disturbing him. Plus, I think it'll be nice to be able to check to make sure he's not tangled in ring sling (which my daughter usually slept curled up in, since she'd fall asleep on me) or being smothered by the cat without going all the way upstairs.

I am agreeing mostly with this (minus cat/ringsling lol)
I found that dd was in our bedroom at night in her bassinett so I had no need for the moniter. At naps I would use the moniter just so I wouldn't have to disturb her. But with dd when she was awake she was awake...no if ands or buts! So if there was noise on the moniter she was awake.
I *Might* get one this time around because we are in a 2storey house with a basement we use. As well as a 4 year old dd. so having one would enable me to have the freedom to be in our backyard/frontyard with dd or anywhere and keep a "good" eye. And would also prevent running in with dd to sprint upstairs whenever there was a murmur on the moniter. Plus since this is our second I have a feeling I will be Not opening the door every second to check on baby so having one will help with that.

[MamaMonica]

Moved to a LWAB.

[Critty]

We love our video monitor - it is so helpful to watch DD (6 months) sleep without having to run upstair for every little thing in the evening. I can usually watch as she starts to stir around for her paci and I can pop it back in before she wakes up devastated and can't go back to sleep.

The other night she coughed, so I looked at the monitor and she spit up/threw up everywhere without making a noise. If I had just had a regular monitor, I wouldn't know that. To us, it is a valuable tool.

[oolongtea]

I didn't need it for the first six months, but once LO learned to roll I was running into the bedroom constantly to check if he was in danger if falling out (our setup is sidecarred crib against parent bed, so there's an open side). So I got the video monitor. I use them both now -- the sound one is close to him and picks up tiny noises; the video is mounted to the ceiling so I can see the whole crib and bed but I don't use it for sound.

[birthangeldoula]

I love ours! It's sooo worth it!