Is a video monitor worth it?

[Beauchamp]

Are they really worth the expense? I've read a few threads lately and posters have said they love them. Anyone have the opposite viewpoint? I am so desperate for good sleep, but don't want to just throw money at some new products that might not help anyway, KWIM?

[Louisep]

I don't know how we lived without one for 8 months! It doesn't give me more sleep though, just peace of mind when DS is in bed without me. We probably don't need it as much now he can get in and out of bed by himself but I still like being able to see if he's smushed into pillows or needs help getting back to sleep.

[NiteNicole]

My daughter would NOT sleep even in the room with us after about six months (she was just a really poor sleeper but that was about the time we got the reflux worked out and the possibility of sleeping longer became...well, at least slightly more likely) so we moved her to her own room. The monitor let us see if she was fussing and need someone to get her or if she was just rooting around in the bed, trying to get more comfortable (they sound the same) so for us, that was huge.

I've found it to be really really handy.