how long do you use a baby monitor for?

[GwenGotLost]

I mean, when do (or did) you start to use one, and when did you stop using one? I'm sure it's a personal thing with confidence levels, specific health problems being a factor etc, but in general, what kind of age?

also, and additional question, what sound only monitors (will not be able to afford a video one) give a good, bright flashing light when they go off? I'm deaf in my left ear and have a tendency to sleep on my "good ear" so am a little worried I may not always hear. My 1st is due in July, so plenty if time to work it all out :)

I can't comment about your hearing issues, but I found a monitor really useful in the first few months.
I slept in the same room as my DCs for the first 4 months, but in that time it was useful to have one if we were in a different room during nap time, early in the evening etc.
After 4 months, I started sleeping in a different room and I found it very reassuring to have the monitor for when they woke up in the night.
I probably used it for about a year with each child. After that I found that they were loud enough to wake me without the help.
It's a very personal thing though and I'm sure everyone is different. It especially depends on where in the house you all sleep and how sound-proof your walls are.

I used one for a year with my first dc, then not at all with the second.

The one I had had lights on which was handy if I couldn't hear over the tv.

I still use one at 21 months .

I've only just taken mine out of sons room at 4.5!!!! For new baby
Handy also when they playing in bedroom and you downstairs!

Genius smalltown!

Back to OP, we still use ours and DD is 2.3.

Smalltown, I'm so regretting giving ours away now!!

sorry op. Did mean to answer. Ds napped downstairs near me when he first born. From about 4 months he napped in his cot in our bedroom and that's when we started to use the monitor. No point me saying which one as its 6 yrs ago now!

Still using at 2.5 years :) actually have two one for each child .. Who sleep in the same room! But we have video so one sound monitor and a camera on each cot so we can see who's still awake etc

I never used one. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would hear her...I'm fairly sure that everyone in the street could hear her!

I stopped using it during night time at the age of 2. Since I still use a monitor with my 1,5 years old daughter now, I sometimes position this bm and use it to see what he is up to during day time, when suspiciously quiet while playing.