Video Monitor?

[brookeberry]

Hi All I'm going through the shopping list for DC1. Would you recommend getting a video baby monitor rather than just one with sound? I've just been warned off the video one saying you can't stop looking at it . . . . . what do you think?

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Hello!

We've noticed this thread is quite old and some of the suggestions are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing out baby monitors. Read our reviews to see which product was crowned best video baby monitor.

Hope that helps!

MNHQ

[Highlove]

One of the best things we bought for DD - still use it now so I can see what the little madam she's up to. She's almost two. You quickly get over the can't stop looking thing.

I will be investing in a second one for this baby.

[twe6ni3]

Love our video monitor and I've never felt I couldn't stop looking at it! It zooms in so close you can see him breathing which is so reassuring when before I would have gone upstairs and probably woken him up to check when it was suspiciously quiet in the room. I would say though - didn't actually buy it until he was 5months old as always slept in our room and it was when we moved him into his own room at 6mths the monitor has been in use. This is the one we bought :www.amazon.co.uk/Motorola-MBP36S-Digital-Video-Monitor/dp/B00K1BESC4/ref=zg_bs_60276031_2/279-7662273-8381324?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[GunShotResidue]

We've got the Motorola one too and I love it. DD is 2 and I use it every night. She is in a toddler bed now and sometimes climbs out. With the monitor I can just glance at it if I hear a sound rather than going to check on her (which would wake her up if she was still asleep!)

[SewButtons]

I would absolutely get a video one.
I'm a nanny and generally do a lot of things by instinct (room/bath temp and so on) but video monitors are ace! I only bother using them occasionally because generally I can hear my two but the video monitor was great when LB was being difficult to settle. He would be crying and it would be 50/50 whether he was lying down settling himself or standing at the edge of the cot trying to climb out but whichever it was if I went to check on him it would make it worse.
I only look at it when I've already heard them and want to see that they are still lying down. The rest of the time I usually leave it on the kitchen table

[cheekstime]

Hi - Would add to watching it too much or zoning it out for me which would defeat the object I out, so I won't be buying either, just use my ears (no sacasim there) :).

[LastOneDancing]

I rate the video monitors. I loved our Summer Infant one, camera zooms in and pans around, good picture quality and range, plus the battery lasts longer than most.

First week or so you do get a bit hooked on Baby TV but it passes. The Summer screen turns off automatically after a bit so you can ignore it until you hear rustling.

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

I absolutely love ours. We were going to get an audio only one because we didn't really see the point until we were watching watchdog and there was a feature about unsafe cots. One little girls life was saved because the mum happened to glance at the video monitor. So we decided to spend a little bit more on a video one and we're very pleased we did - it's so nice being able to look up and see what he's up to

[cheekstime]

Just read the other entries, interesting actually to see how well they've gone done with other netters, I will keep an open mind I think. Must depends on your home to and the wakeability factor of the checking parent I suppose. x

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

And yes, cheeks I have very squeaky floorboards and doors and married an oaf so going up to check requires ninja training

[CrabbitArse]

I have video, I like it because when DD throws the dummy & comforter out the cot she will not resettle without them, video means I know when I have to go in & when I can leave her to it.

[brookeberry]

I'm convinced! It was my sister who put me off, but our tastes have always been diametrically opposite, so your comments have really helped. It's just picking one now . . . . thanks

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

I spent ages researching... I like the pan and tilt feature of ours. Otherwise I think they're all very similar so find one in the sale of you can!

[rosieliveson1]

I have the summer infant wide and really rate it. I like that the screen turns off if not plugged in but a quick press will show the picture again. The camera is really clear and we get a good picture even in the dark. You can add extra cameras too for future use. The only downside in my opinion, is that there can be quite a lot of white noise of the volume is up fairly high.

[MauriceMossMug]

Another one who loves the video monitor.
We use the Angelcare AC1100 which also has the sensor pad, and whilst I wouldn't be without it, the video part of it isn't the best. It can't be moved and the zoom isn't a proper zoom.

[emmac3616]

Love ours, we have the BT 1000 one, it's reassuring and saves me getting out of bed to check DS is ok... Will be getting a second camera when DC2 arrives so I can flick between two rooms / cots if needed... I would be worse getting up and down to check if I couldn't see...

[brookeberry]

Thanks all

twe and gunshot I'm looking at your Motorola model - It seems reasonably priced at £80 on Amazon. It gets 182 five star reviews but 99 one star reviews! Have you had an issues with it?

I really appreciate everyone taking the time.

[AnnaT45]

It's the one thing I wish I had bought for my first. The amount of times I want to check her but she wakes if I go in..Second one is getting one. Been looking at think motorolas are fab!

[GunShotResidue]

I've never had any issues with the Motorola one. The battery life is good and I've never managed to go out of range. The temp of the room is displayed in the monitor screen and the camera pan is good, I can see all of DD's room very easily. You can talk to them through the monitor or play lullabies to them, I think there's about 6 different ones.
I love it!

[Illyillyilly]

Best thing I ever got, baby was a couple of months when I found one in the supermarket clearance bit for £20. DP and I both wish we'd bought one straight off.

[Missingcaffeine]

We got the motorola one too and had no problems with it. I found it reassuring to be able to see if he was awake, asleep, breathing, standing up in cot etc as when he wasn't sleeping well, it would disturb him if I went in to check on him, but I liked that I knew if he was awake or asleep etc.
We live in a tiny house so stopped using it around a year, as can always hear our boy if he wakes. I only ever use it now in summer if I'm sat at the end of the garden.
If you're on a tight budget, a video isn't essential, and we would have been just fine without a video, but personally I thought it was worth the extra money as I worried a lot when he was tiny and I liked that I could see he was breathing and check the room temp without disturbing him. Actually I was a bit obsessive watching the video - but I'd have been worse without it, and going in checking on him (and probably waking him!).

[ohanami]

We just had a sound monitor with dc1 which did its job but I'm definitely upgrading to a video monitor when dc2 arrives. Dc1 was a terrible sleeper from 4-14 months and I think a video would have helped me understand what she was doing/when she needed me rather than running in at every squeak because I didn't know what was happening.

[icklekid]

Just for an alternative perspective I really wanted one but dh thought it was a waste of money. I can see the appeal bit our sound one is fine. Ds wouldn't stay in his cot/sleep any better with it than with sound one. I would have probably been more anxious/constantly checking if we had one. Our audio only one is perfectly adequate (it also has thermometer so can tell temp in room which I found helpful ) won't bother getting one for dc2. We also stopped using it by 1 year because can hear ds anyway...

[GoingLoopyQuickly]

We have a sound monitor but a night vision webcam and it is great. I can see what little is doing without causing disruption by barging in which can make it worse.

[northerngoldilocks]

Yes - love ours. As people have said, it helps with working out whether they need you or are just squawking as they turn over. As they get older and are playing in their bedrooms they are also great for keeping 'an eye' on them too. We used to have a sound only with our first baby but upgraded for no 2 as we could monitor 2 rooms with one monitor. One of the best purchases we made!

[mrsmonkey14]

I'm pleased we have one. As pp said, you might want to wait a few months though, as we only got one once DD went into her own room at 5/6 months, so if you wait you can get the most up to date version. We have a Luvion HD one which is similar to the Motorola mbp36 recommended above. The major advantage for us is that if DD cries in night we can see what's going on and make a judgement about whether to go in. Generally she's looking for her comforter and sometimes she can't find it so I can slip in and give to her and leg it out again. Or sometimes she's got herself in a funny position and needs rescuing. It helps me not rush in at the first hint of a cry as I can work out if she's going to settle herself. Also reassures me she's breathing etc without risk of waking her up when I go in. We have a basic sound monitor we use when travelling/staying at friends etc, and I notice the difference!