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Parenting

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Original poster

When to stop baby monitor?

14 replies

Mumrun25 · 13/03/2025 20:19

Have a 3yr old DC. Baby monitor is losing battery and generally not working very well. It's a video one and cost around £300 when new.

We live in a older house (thick walls) and while it's not a mansion by any stretch, it can be hard to hear DC downstairs in an evening. I seem so far to have a sort of magic ability - where I can detect her calling for me, even when it's not audible to anyone else.

However, relying on some sort of magical mother hearing frequency isn't a rock solid guarantee but at 3yrs old I feel a bit reluctant to spend another £300 on a new baby monitor and I'm limping along with this one which is becoming increasingly unreliable - but then again, is it usual to have a monitor for children as old as 6yrs old? I don't mind spending another £300 for another monitor I will be using for another 3yrs.

Just wondered what others were doing? And when did you stop using a baby monitor to hear your DC calling out at nighttime? Or just checking they weren't messing about in their bedroom when they should be asleep?

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Nursemumma92 · 13/03/2025 21:45

For piece of mind it's maybe worth using a monitor if you feel it's hard to hear her but I absolutely wouldn't spend £300 on a monitor! My video one was £45 on amazon and you could probably get one second hand for even less. You probably wouldn't even need a video one now just one that does audio which is even cheaper. You can also get apps on your phone that act as a monitor too.

I personally didn't use one after age 2 but then I could hear my DDs calling from downstairs and my bedroom.

babyproblems · 13/03/2025 21:50

I’ve never used one - what sort of bed do they have? My three yo has a floor bed with a sort of cabin round it so he can get out by himself by climbing over small edge. I leave his door ajar and if he wakes up he will either come to landing and call out or come into our bedroom if the lights are off. I just have a nightlight on the landing and he has a great little cat nightlight from ikea, it’s silicone and stays on for 8hrs, I turn it on and leave it in his room so if he gets up he uses it like a torch and carries it with him. I never had a monitor as I can hear him fine as house is very old! I’d say at 3 you could stop assuming they can get to you and stairs are gated off. Xo

remaininghopeful23 · 13/03/2025 21:51

If you can't reliably hear her (even with the magic Mum ability) I'd probably keep going with one. My instinct says until they can safely get up out of bed and come to get you if they need you. I guess that varies child by child but I'd say 4-5 years old? There will be an element of parental preference so probably not a one size fits all.
However I absolutely wouldn't be spending £300 on a baby monitor!! FWIW I have used VTech VM924 find it reliable, clear and easy to use. It's just under £60.

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Harritt · 13/03/2025 21:55

Ours broke down when our eldest was about 10 months old and we never replaced it 😳. We did live in a very small flat though, and the youngest has mainly co-slept, so I think we are always well within hearing distance. My 3yo would just come and get me if he needed me though, so I’m not sure a new monitor is worth it unless you’re planning on having another baby.

Imenti · 13/03/2025 22:50

Our son is almost 7 and still has his....we've never had any issues with him getting out of bed / having to put him back to bed and I think it's partly because of the monitor as he knows if he calls we can hear him straight away. I'd get a cheap audio one if you're worried about hearing her. If my husband got his way I think our kids would have them until they moved out 🙄🙄🤣🤣

SchoolDilemma17 · 13/03/2025 22:52

I have not used a monitor for my 3 year old in ages. And agree with others if you need a monitor there are plenty that cosr under £100 and do the job.

Overthebow · 13/03/2025 22:53

£300 for a monitor? Mine cost £100, has two cameras and is video and sound. Why spend so much?

LadyGAgain · 13/03/2025 23:05

Didn't use a monitor for DC2. Everything was fine.

Coffeeneeded1 · 13/03/2025 23:20

We needed to use the video monitor for the baby's room instead, so got a cheap ish Tapo security camera for my 3.5 yo bedroom. Sits on top of the wardrobe, has an app with notifications etc., you can move it elsewhere in the house e.g. if you're going on holiday and want it downstairs as extra security or something. Just the job and way cheaper than a specific baby monitor. Personally I prefer to still have one, just so if he's coughing or something I can keep an eye on him without always going into his room and then struggling to leave again. Or to check if he's still asleep in the morning so I know how quiet to be while getting ready for work :)

chocolatelover91 · 13/03/2025 23:26

I've always wondered this. DD is only 2 so will stick with ours for now as we've always been used to having it 🩷

But like previous poster has said, don't spend so much money. Shop around for something a bit cheaper ☺️🩷

Original poster

Mumrun25 · 14/03/2025 00:18

Thanks. I will have a look for a cheaper model. To be honest with ours we thought we were going on the cheaper end as everyone else seemed to be buying the £££ owl ones with the anklet bracelet things.

My DC can't open the door handle of their room. It is quite stiff and higher up than usual door handles.

We always shut all bedroom doors at night only because I saw this safety thing that said that in the event of a house fire, people with a closed bedroom door (infact all doors closed) have a much higher survival rate as the fire can't spread as quick. There was a video of a house which had been decimated by a fire except the couples bedroom because they had their bedroom door closed and then a fireman saying - always always shut your doors at night and it's stuck in my head ever since.

If it's not weird for a 3-5yr old to still have a monitor will get a new one 😊

OP posts:

Sagittarius25 · 14/03/2025 09:49

you can get cheaper video ones on amazon now. we have a basic video hello baby one its around £70

Superscientist · 14/03/2025 13:06

We didn't start using a monitor with my daughter until she was 2 by which point we just needed a super cheap and basic audio only version. I think it was about £20 in Argos.
She's 4 now and still wakes in the night, it helps us distinguish between stirring in her sleep and being awake we only bring it downstairs in the evening if she's ill.

BarnacleBeasley · 14/03/2025 13:23

We still use one for our nearly 4 year old as his room is a long way from the living room and our bedroom and we wouldn't hear him. He could get out of bed, but somehow doesn't and prefers to just shout - which is fine by me as I reckon if it ever occurs to him to get up and come and find us, that'll open the floodgates and he'll be doing it all the time. Anyway, you don't need video if it's just to hear DC calling. We have this one which is currently £25 on clearance and it has a really long range and works fine in our old house with thick walls: https://www.hbh-woolacotts.co.uk/clearance/clearance/clearance-small-appliances/BM400

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