So, what age was your LO when you ditched the baby monitor?

[Washersaurus]

Following a discussion with DH last night, I just wondered for how long people usually use their baby monitor to listen to their LO's when they are in bed.

I'm guily of keeping ours switched on at night even though DS' room is directly opposite ours...much to the annoyance of DH!

(DS is nearly 20mths)

1st child: years
2nd child: never used when we were asleep and only when we were downstairs for the first six months or so

I'm the only person I know who has never had one.
All the dc did sleep in our room for the first year, though.

Don't think I've ever used one in this house, so as we moved 2 years ago and DS is 3.4 I must have stopped when he was 16 months.

Have never used one when we're in bed - the sound of DS and now DD is loud enough to wake anyone .

This does also mean that DD (18 months) has never had a baby monitor, except when we were on holiday in a large house once.

About 6 weeks, both times about 3 nights after putting them in their own room - honestly, I had to. I was up all night listening out for the snuffles, squeaks, farts ... I hated the bloody thing.

Both times the houses we lived in were small enough to hear them from anywhere when they woke.

Jelley I live in a flat and have never used one. I thought it would feed my paranoia! And my brother's top tip on becoming a parent..."dont switch the monitor on". DD been in her own room since 12 weeks. I do go and check on her before I go to bed!

dd4 - never used it - don't check on them once they go to bed even when she started sleeping thru at a couple of weeks old.

I don't think I keep the monitor on because I'm paranoid - I just find it reassuring to listen to his snuffles etc.

Although, DS doesn't seem to wake me up if he wakes in the night (even with the monitor on) - I think since all those sleepless bf nights I have become a very very heavy sleeper....so maybe I AM paranoid

Wahser...I don't think people who use baby monitors are paranoid.... just me!! I just wanted to teach myself to be calm with a new baby and not let my pre natal anxiety creep in.

Don't worry Suzie, I was questioning more my own reasons for keeping it switched on

It is really interesting that most people don't seem to bother with them at all -
I'll see if I can bring myself to turn it off tonight when I go to bed ...

i still use mine for dd, she is 19 months. i don't have it in my bedroom tho, only downstairs so i can hear when she is settling down (or not!) I'll probably stick with it at least until she is old enough to climb out of the cot!

ds nearly 2 and we use it when we downstairs to hear when he wake up, we got monitor for dd (4) and never used cos we lived in a flat and you could hear her without it!

Still using a monitor for DD(2.3), can't hear her downstairs otherwise (unless she screams really loudly!). Although, it has to be said, DH is far more religous with it than me, I often "forget" to bring it downstairs. I think DS was about 2 when we stopped using his. I got sick and tired of remembering two monitors every night!

Again i'm the only person i know who didnt buy one, i think not having one just makes your ears better...i can hear a cry in any room in the house.

My DS is now 15 mths...i did buy one when we moved to a bigger house when he was 3 months old...did use downstairs for a couple of weeks but i can hear him so soon stopped it. Its good for on holiday though and i did use it when he had a sickness bug for a few nights as i was worried in case he was sick in the night and i didnt hear it.

We live in a victorian terrace so not like the walls are that thin but at night never had a problem hearing him (that i'm aware of!)

At 20 mths your ds will no doubt have a loud enough cry for you to hear if needs be!!

I'm loving your name Hairybabysmum

thanks....i should clarify he's not hairy all over...just was born with absolutely loads!!!

Are you going for it tonight then....you can always turn it on again in the night if you find yourself waking up worrying.

I never had it switched on upstairs as I didn't think it would harm dd to have to try a little to wake me up

Kept it on downstairs in the evening till she was 5

In my defence we live in a house where you can't hear her upstairs even if crying loudly

I still use one at night

ds is nearly 4

it means I can get to him quicker if he is upset or ill, and made me feel easier about him being in his own room after we co-slept for 3 years.

use one when i am in the kitchen or lounge and DD is in bed, as i cannot hear her otherwise, but at night, i can hear her when upstairs, so don;t use it ..she is 20 months

never had one at all with DS as could hear him everywhere in the house we used to live in !

I think I will leave it downstairs tonight. DH can always get up if needed

I mean he always hears DS wake up anyway - so he doesn't need the monitor (Just wanted to clarify that I don't make my DH sleep downstairs)

I cannot imagine having one for an older child. I think with DD we stopped using it when it broke. It probably broke with me abusing it in the garden - covering it in soil and getting it rained on. We only ever used it for evenings and naps, not for nighttimes and both DC went into their own rooms at 6 months. DS must have been no more than 3.3 because DD was born then. DD is 2.10 and I cannot remember when it broke - but probably over a year ago.

dd2 was 3 nearly 4 but she used to be sick a lot and didn't always wake up so I needed to hear her.

When we realised the neighbours could hear everything that went on in our bedroom through their monitor! (ds was in our room and we never bothered switching it off)

dd3 is 2 and istill use the baby monitor. but not for dd3 who sleeps in my room (except for tonight as she is dd1+2 room), but to keep an ear out for dh machine at night

DD is 2 1/2 and only now have I stopped using it. DS is 7 months and we use his when were downstairs and upstairs. I think I just stopped using DD's because I got fed up of moving 2 monitors about but if she has been ill then I do use it again for a week or so until the paranoir(sp) has worn off.