Do I need a baby monitor at first?

[Mumbofeet]

It might sound like a stupid question but do i need to get a baby monitor whilst she's small? I figured she'll obvs be sleeping in our room anyway, and during the day I'll put her to sleep downstairs whilst im down there or upstairs with me if im having a nap, so do i really need a monitor yet?
Also when i eventually do get one, do I get an audio or video one? MIL has banged on about video ones being hacked by paedophiles and people can hack into them to look around your house etc to be fair she does talk a load of shit most of the time but it did make me rethink a little bit

Dd is 14 weeks and we’ve never used a monitor despite being gifted one.

Like you say, she’s in the room with us and naps downstairs with me during the day. We put her to bed about 9pm, and I leave the doors open until I got to bed at 12- we can easily hear if she stirs and is upset in our 3 bed semi.

My sister in law on the other hand wouldn’t be without hers- DN is 2.5 yrs and she recently bought a video one so she could see if he is attempting to escape the cot/ bed!

Yeah i completely get when they're older and more mobile monitors must be a godsend! I think ill just leave it and go and get one when we find we need it, there's enough stuff to buy as it is!

I used one straight off but I always put our children down to nap in their cot on our bedroom.

You don’t need a monitor when they are so small if they will be in the room sleeping with you even for naps. We got one when ds started going for naps in cot and going to bed in his cot before we came up stairs. I too was scared because I’d read the stories about people hacking them but that is only video monitors that you have to connect to your WiFi. We have the bt 5000 video monitor and you just plug that it, no connection to WiFi needed and it’s fab!

I couldn’t live without one! When we had our first child I was so glad I bought video as his bedroom door made a loud noise and he was a very good sleeper - I think I’d end up waking him by checking on him otherwise. Also gave me more confidence in putting him in his own room. Everyone I knew with audio only used to end up with it clamped to their ear trying to hear movement! Lol
As to when you need to buy depends on House size and whether they are going to sleep/nap in a room you’re not in

Three DC and never had one or needed one, I definitely wouldn't waste money on one in advance, you can always get one later

We used one but that was because it had a breathing monitor/alarm and I would stay awake just to watch her breathing otherwise!

I only started to need it when she was about 6 months and slept in her own room. I wish I'd got a video one, many a time I have burst into her room because she's crying only to find out that she is crying in her sleep and I just woke her up. FML

We sometimes use an app called Dormi. It lets you use two mobile phones like a baby monitor. Useful now our baby is six months and we are starting to leave her sleeping upstairs alone. We were also fed up of spending money and found this a good option (even though it does mean one of us can't have our phone downstairs).

I used one from the beginning so I could have a bath or cook dinner etc and know that I would be notified of any sound or movement. I was with him for naps and he slept in my room, but there were a few small periods of the day when I wasn't glued to him and the monitor put me at ease.

The iPad/iPhone apps are great and only about a fiver. You leave one facing the baby and the other as the monitor screen.

You don't need one really until you start to leave her on her own to sleep. We didn't use ours until our first was around 4 months when we did start to put her to sleep upstairs in the evenings (in our bedroom). Before that, she was with us for all naps and she slept in the wrap in the evenings with my dh until we went to bed.

Personally, I'm a fan of the good ole sound ones. I never found a need for video and there was never a time when I wished I could have visually checked on her. If she needed me, it was obvious. I also don't like the sensor ones as they can have false alarms. We co-slept during the night so she was always right there with me and I was very aware of her breathing and movements.