Baby monitors

[MsSassyBaskets]

We've never needed a baby monitor before, but DD is getting her own room soon and we will actually have multiple floors so it seems necessary now. I don't really think we care about video, just need to know if she's crying when we're downstairs. Any recommendations?

[OrionGrad]

We use a video monitor, but I really like ours (Motorola) if you decide to go that route.

[SoonerTexan]

I used an audio monitor with N (Sony) that worked well, but we upgraded to a Motorola video monitor and I like it much better.

[alotofyarn]

We have the Samsung Safeview video monitor.

[ladymoreta]

We also have a Motorola video monitor, and I love it. I would go ahead and recommend getting video, because as they get bigger and move to toddler beds, sometimes you just really want to know what they're up to without opening the door... (It's also really fun to watch DS and DD when they get up too early and play with each other!)

[SoonerTexan]

And scare the crap out of them through the talk back feature 😁


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[Pollyanna]

We have a Vtech that is white and silver. Audio only and it is awesome. So quiet we actually have to make sure it's turned on. Have used it every night for the last almost three years and couldn't be happier. We've never had a video monitor so I can't compare the difference but never felt the need for video. It does seem super fun though!

[MrsC]

I wouldn't really recommend the one we have (Infant Optics) but there are so many advantages to having a video monitor, they're worth it.

[ladymoreta]

And scare the crap out of them through the talk back feature

Haha BTDT!

Also, don't get the Babies R Us brand (if they even still make it). It was somewhat related to Summer, but I don't think the Summer branded ones were as bad.

[Thirteen]

They make an app called Presence, and it was worth the money.
Naturally, we often just use nothing and leave our door and the kid doors open (but, our house lends itself to it).


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[alotofyarn]

Oh, I downloaded an app called baby monitor and used it when we were on vacation. I left it on with my phone in the room, and it texted a designated number if the sound went above a certain threshold. It was really nice when we were all over the cabin and probably out of the range of our normal monitor.

[SoonerTexan]

That's nifty


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[MsSassyBaskets]

We are likely to only use a monitor during weekend naps or between DD's bedtime and ours, when we are downstairs and she is upstairs. Otherwise our bedroom is right next to hers and I won't need a monitor to hear if she cries.

For video monitors, do you all have the wifi kind that sends to an app on your phone, or the standalone kind with a separate monitor screen?

Do they use a lot of bandwith and slow down your wifi? Do the app based ones notify you in real time? I like the idea of a plain audio one because it doesn't "go to sleep", you don't need an app notification to know when she's crying, the batteries last a long time, it doesn't clog up the wifi, etc. Can a standalone video monitor have the audio always on like a traditional monitor? Do the batteries last long?

[alotofyarn]

We actually have both types of monitors, but we only use the standalone one. We never set up the wifi one to work with an app, so it was basically useless as an actual monitor.

My video monitor can work a few different ways. I use it in Vox mode, so the sound and video are both off unless the sound goes above a threshold, or unless you press the sleep button, and then they both come on - they go back off after a minute or so if there's no more noise. You can also use it in regular mode with the sound always on. In that mode, if you press the sleep button, the video goes off until press the button to turn it back on again (I think). I generally keep the monitor plugged in on my nightstand, but it will at least last several hours on the battery, especially with the video off.

[OrionGrad]

Our Motorola video monitor isn't wifi. I keep it on during naps with the video screen turned off and audio up, and then just plug it in each night when I go to bed. It's nice because if I hear crying/talking, I can switch the screen on and see what's up. We bought a second camera so I can use the single handset to monitor two bedrooms, too. Not sure if that's an option with audio monitors.