Alarm mat thingys

[MrsRV]

Ok, we've been looking at buying a video baby monitor and then one of my friends says she thought her sensor mat thing for the cot/Moses basket was a definite must have... Another friend said theirs was crap and just went off so often it defeated the object of having it because they got so used to the noise!! We weren't going to bother but after my friend saying it was a must have, will I sleep easier!?! (when I do get some sleep of course!!!) :-)

I had one, and it was great, really reassuring. I didnt find that it went off without reason though (usually that was when we lifted the baby without remembering to turn off the alarm .

Ours went off all the time! We turned the alarm off after a few weeks as it was getting to the point where we weren't bothering to run to sort it out, so defeating the purpose of having it! We left it connected up without the alarm tho, it's got a little light that flashes with each baby movement and I like having that on just for my own reassurance if I wake up in the night!

Ours went off sometimes. I think you have to expect it and accept it is far more likely to be the system than the baby. Overall I found it reassuring.

Unless your baby is at high risk they're more trouble than they're worth. You'll end up having so many false alarms that you'll switch it off. There's absolutely no evidence that they reduce SIDS.

TBH video monitors are a bit of a waste of time as well, Just get a good quality monitor with features that you'll actually use. Ours has a thermometer, which is useful, a night light and lights on the parent unit so you can turn the volume down but still see if baby is crying.

I though ours was a godsend - i was very paranoid and it made me feel a lot calmer. It won't reduce any risk factors, but it may help you get some rest.

Ours only went off without reason once, when dd started rolling and had curled up in the corner of the cot. That is when they recommend you stop using them. They have a sensitivity setting you adjust, dependent on different mattress' etc, to help prevent them going off at the wrong time.

We have one and it's never gone off for no reason. I do quite like having it because at least of DS stopped breathing we could get in there and do something before there was a risk of hypoxia and know we'd done all we could as quickly as we could.

Completely agree with nocake. We sound like we both have the same monitor as well, I think ours is an Avent Dect. A good quality monitor is all you need.