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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Took monitor out of DS 3.8 room. Am I too early?

78 replies

WannabeNigella · 03/01/2011 19:33

I kind of know (hope) I'm not but need some reassurance.

DS is 3.8yrs and had baby monitor in room till now but we have another dc due in a couple of months and we want to use monitor for them so I've took it out of DS's room tonight so it isn't a straight swap if you know what I mean.

He would get me if he wanted me but sometimes in the middle of the night if he wants something he just softly repeats my name over and over and I won't hear it without monitor and I feel guilty.

First night tonight!

OP posts:
Lamorna · 03/01/2011 22:14

Just tell him that you are moving it and he will have to shout!

SixtyFootDoll · 03/01/2011 22:16

3.8 ?
I thnk I got rid of monitors at 3 months, couldnt sleep with all that baby snuffling coming through

pigletmania · 03/01/2011 22:20

Princesspuds thats a bit different, I dont think that the ops child has any SN just a Pfb

pigletmania · 03/01/2011 22:22

He he yes sixtyfootdoll I put it away about a year, her room is next door to us and her cry was like a foghorn, dont want that down the babymnonitor amplified.

Original poster
WannabeNigella · 03/01/2011 22:28

He is unashamedly my PFB.

To be honest, house is quite large, we had a monitor, so thought why not use it. I haven't intentionally thought I NEED it till now as such, just that we had it and it was plugged in in his room and there didn't seem a reason to get rid of it till now.

OP posts:
16859dum2007-05-23 11:56:07 · 03/01/2011 22:29

never had one - certainly wouldn;t for an almost 4 year old :)

ShowOfHands · 03/01/2011 22:33

3.8?

Say to him 'ds, if you need me in the night, shout or come and get me'. A 3.8 is a normal, talking child presumably.

I never used a monitor either.

VivaLeBeaver · 03/01/2011 22:39

God. I turned monitor off after ten minutes the first night home. Too much snuffling, was keeping me awake!

StarExpat · 03/01/2011 22:42

I'm laughing at this because I can remember when we took the rails off of ds' cotbed to turn it into a toddler bed and I was asking friends if they thought he'd be ok without the breathing monitor and pad thing yet. He was about 20 months I think but everyone laughed at me that I still had him on a breathing monitor at 20 months! So yes, I think he's ready to let go of the monitor at 3.8 Grin.

troisgarcons · 03/01/2011 22:45

O/T Can I ask is that decimal or months?

I would assume 2.5 to be 2 1/2 , or does it mean 2yrs, 3mths, 2wks??

ChippingIn · 03/01/2011 22:47

See Wannabe - no matter how PFB you are being, there's always someone even worse!! Wink

MsKLo · 03/01/2011 22:54

Agree with curlymama and was going to say same thing
Tell him he is a big boy now, make him feel grown up and important and like he is part of the decision

It will be fine and good luck with new baby

StarExpat · 03/01/2011 22:57

Grin chippingin- now just waiting for someone to come top mine so I can feel less ott, too Wink

ChippingIn · 03/01/2011 23:08

SE - yes it was Grin

Hmmm - now, what could top that....?

Soups · 03/01/2011 23:13

No, you're not too early :)

My eldest is summer born and where we live, at that time, they started school the term before they turn 5. If we'd lived in the next town he'd have started not long after he'd turned 4. If they're at pre-school or nearly at school, in most circumstances, they can get by without a monitor.

I can see how it's one of those things that you could all have just got used to. With a second on the way now would be a good time to get rid. You could do the "Now you're grown up ..." talk. Leave a bit of time then when the baby turns up it'll be talked about as something the baby needs.

There may be a few rough nights but probably he'll soon get used to it. He's got used to waking up and calling softly, not waking up with night terrors. He may just call, get tired and go back to sleep. If he starts to get agitated, be calm, settle him, go out. Sounds like there are no other sleeping issues.

My youngest is a cuddly little thing I could imagine him still calling softly to me through a monitor. He's nearly 6 Grin

mumeeee · 03/01/2011 23:17

YANBU to take the baby monitor out. He is nearly 4 years old I don't know of anyone who uses a monitor past 2 years old

stropicana2011 · 03/01/2011 23:20

Haven't got one for DD (21 mnoths).YADNBU.

stropicana2011 · 03/01/2011 23:21

Tell a lie, have got one but only use when have a party friends over and need to close the door.

bibbitybobbitysantahat · 03/01/2011 23:22

Yikes!

I'm a terrible insomniac so stopped using a baby monitor as soon as my babies were reliably sleeping through (from about 9 months). We did live in a small house with baby on the same floor as us though. But, as my dh says, "Bibbity, you'd wake up if a sparrow farted in next door's garden" I've never worried that I wouldn't hear one of the little darlings if they needed me in the night.

darleneconnor · 03/01/2011 23:27

That was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor reading your op.

The pfb mummy of the year award goes to...

wannabenigella

AliBellandthe40jingles · 03/01/2011 23:34

DS is 2.5 and if he wants us in the night (which is v.rarely) then he stands up in his cot and yells 'Mummy and Daddy' in very loud and demanding tones.
I'm sure your son will either do something similar, or you will wake up with a little pat on your arm :)

usernamechanged345 · 03/01/2011 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChippingIn · 03/01/2011 23:39
ChippingIn · 03/01/2011 23:43

Ali - he's 2.5 and still in a cot? He's not a climber then Grin

MrsPickles - that reminds me of when I was about 9 I went through a phase of thinking I could hear a burglar in the house and so kept going in to wake my Mum & Dad - being very quiet and touching them or whispering - I kept scaring the shit out of them!!! Grin [We finally figured out it was the neighbours doing the dishes at midnight! LOL]

greenbananas · 03/01/2011 23:44

Well, what on earth is wrong with being a bit pfb? Everybody does this sleeping thing a bit differently, but I think our kids need to know that we are there for them if they want us. Surely the OP was just asking about whether or not a baby monitor was necessary for that in her case.

Just to balance out all you super-mums who left you babies sleeping monitor-less through the night at early ages, I will point out that I am still happily co-sleeping with DS (2.3 years) and that right now, I am half-listening to him (and DH!) snoring over the monitor, poised to go up if DS needs a cuddle.