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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Baby monitor needed for first 6 months?

18 replies

Pittcuecothecookbook · 08/02/2018 08:38

Trying to get a list together of things that we will need for the first 6 months: should we get a baby monitor? Or as the baby will be in with us until 6 months or in a Moses basket downstairs, does that mean we can ask for it for Christmas from a family member (Baby will be 5 months in Dec).

[We have a tiny house so wanting to keep gifts for the baby at a minimum so planning on asking for cloth nappies from well wishers who want to get bits for us before she's born or things that we will need (like Moses basket and pram from the grandparents). And then we can ask for bits at the point we will need them and will stop people buying a huge pile of plastic toys at Christmas time too!]

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PandaCat · 08/02/2018 09:20

We didn't have a baby monitor with our first until she was in her cot, she was still in our bedroom though so we used it for naps mainly until she went in her own room. Plan to do the same this time.

harrietm87 · 08/02/2018 09:22

I'll be interested to see responses. I'm pregnant with first baby and not planning to get a monitor at first as the SIDs guidance says to have the baby sleep in the same room as you at all times for the first 6 months, even for naps, so I'm not sure why we would need one?

gryffen · 08/02/2018 09:23

We bought a basic Motorola plug and go system for when she went into her own room - 20 quid for a monitor that has never failed and is loud to be heard from outside when we plugged the parent unit in downstairs

ElspethFlashman · 08/02/2018 09:25

Well it depends on how small your house is.

I started putting mine upstairs at 7pm from around 9/10 weeks as they seemed to need darkness from them on, the TV was disturbing them. So I used a video monitor from then on. But I have a big house and wouldn't have heard them if they were upset so I needed it. If they were only next door you wouldn't.

InDubiousBattle · 08/02/2018 09:25

We didn't get a monitor until ds was 6 months as he was just in with us (napped on me for 5 months!)All of the time so there was nothing for it to hear!

ElspethFlashman · 08/02/2018 09:26

(That said, some people go to bed with them at 7 for the first 6 months because of the advice to be with them at all times, but I think that way post natal depression lies...)

KatharinaRosalie · 08/02/2018 09:30

Depends. Even if guidelines say you should be in the same room, mine both decided that napping downstairs was no longer acceptable from about 3-4 months. And we have a big house so would not have heard them without a monitor. If that's not the case, you don't need a monitor at all.

pimlicolife · 08/02/2018 09:32

My daughter's six months old and we've just unwrapped the baby monitor. We stuck to current advice and haven't left her sleeping in a separate room yet.

We bought the monitor in a bundle with a breathing and movement monitor and I can't recommend the breathing monitor highly enough. It's been the best thing because it allows us to sleep soundly with peace of mind. Without having it I think I would have been checking on her constantly through the night and wouldn't have got anywhere near as much good sleep.

silkpyjamasallday · 08/02/2018 09:37

We started using a monitor once DD was over six months old and napping in our room on her own and in the evenings. We have a Motorola video one which has been great, wasn't too expensive either, we used it when she was sleeping in her own room too so I could go to her as soon as she woke rather than waiting for her to get shouty enough that I could hear her through the wall and she would be too worked up and take ages to go down again. One of the best pieces of baby kit we've bought, it gives me peace of mind to be able to see her as well as hear her.

mindutopia · 08/02/2018 09:41

You'll only need it when you start putting baby to sleep separate from you. There's no harm in waiting to get it if you won't be doing that to start, but you may still decide, for whatever reason, for baby to sometimes sleep apart from you before 6 months and in that case you might want it. Our first slept all her naps with us (pretty much until she stopped napping) as it was and she slept evenings in a wrap downstairs with my dh until she was 4 months. But by 4 months, we did start to put her to sleep in our room in the evenings for about 2 hours as that's what worked better for everyone. At that point, we used a monitor. We co-slept during the night though so didn't use a monitor in her room for quite awhile. Most people probably don't keep baby with them while sleeping all the time until 6 months, so you will likely need it before then, but you won't need it right away.

NC1990 · 08/02/2018 09:46

DD is 3 months old and we don't use one yet. She goes down for the night at 8pm so one of us goes up with her and watches Netflix in the dark! I'm not ready to leave her on her own to sleep in the evening yet. During the day I sit with her as well while she naps although I will get up and potter about/do washing if needed. We do have a sound and movement monitor that we'll start using once she's in her own room.

grouchymamabear · 08/02/2018 10:13

We bought one before the arrival of DS who is 2 months old now. Honestly? It has barely been used and when it was, it was solely because I was too terrified to leave him alone to use the bathroom... which is the next room with super thin walls so could hear him anyway.

We do swear by our breathing/movement sensor though even with him sleeping in the same room. It's a huge reassurance for us to see that flashing blue light while he's sleeping silently.

Potteryprincess30 · 08/02/2018 10:17

you absolutely do not need one for the first six months as your baby us with you/someone all the time. And sleeps in the same room too so wait until your little one is maybe 5 months old before you shop around for one, the one you have your eye on would probably be reduced by then too

Oysterbabe · 08/02/2018 10:18

We started to put DD to bed upstairs before us from about 4 months. We figured it was only a couple of hours, she'd go to bed at about 8 and we'd join her at about 10. You don't need one immediately so wait and play it by ear.

chaser90210 · 08/02/2018 10:34

I would wait until Christmas tbh, or if you find you need one before that then ask for an early Christmas present.
Also depends on your house? We have a flat so only use it now that she's in her own room

SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus · 08/02/2018 10:57

We had one with a pressure monitor under the mattress so used it after we'd moved DS out of his swinging cradle, at about 12 weeks.

He did end up in his own room earlier than 6 months though, as he wouldn't sleep when he could smell the milk nearby so I was getting no rest and DH moved to sleep in another room.

I'm not sure I'd get a mattress monitor again this time, but we will have a general monitor because we have an older DC so will want the baby to sleep undisturbed in their room in the day without older children disturbing them. New DC is due in the school holidays though so I'm expecting some level of increased child footfall in the house.

coffeeforone · 08/02/2018 10:58

We didnt get a baby monitor until DS moved into him own room at 6 months. We got the AngelCare movement sensor. But, next time round I am going to use it in DS's crib from birth, I remember constantly waking up to check on DS in the early months, so i think a breathing monitor will be very reassuring and help me sleep even when DC is asleep in the same room

Original poster

Pittcuecothecookbook · 08/02/2018 17:06

Ok that's great guys! Thanks so much. If someone asks and wants to buy something practical I'll suggest it for when she's born, But otherwise if we don't get asked, I'll put it on a list.

We have a two up two down. When in with us she'll be in our room over the kitchen at the back of the house and when in her own room, she'll be above the living room in the spare room. Good god I hope we are moved by then as the space issue is very stressful for me at the minute.

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