Baby monitors

11 replies

MrsMar · 03/05/2007 18:04

Am I being neurotic or is it a really good idea to get one of those mattress monitors that set an alarm off if the baby stops breathing or his breathing slows down? I was going to get one of those ones when you can hear them crying, but someone at work said to get the mattress ones. His exact words were "best £100 you'll ever spend". Any opinions?

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Olihan · 03/05/2007 18:21

I was told that if you have a full term, healthy baby then the sensor ones aren't necessary. My mw used to call the 'paranoid parent monitors' . I think if your baby has breathing probs, was prem or has other needs then they'd be an extra bit of peace of mind. I have heard stories of them going off randomly though, inevitably scaring the poor parents half to death!

If you do decide to get one then it would make sense to also do an infant resusitation course as there's no point in having one if you don't know what to do if, god forbid, it went off for real.

sohappyicouldcry · 03/05/2007 18:21

We've got one, it cost £50 from argos. Cheaper than our original monitor and so much more reassuring.

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MrsMar · 03/05/2007 18:44

I did wonder if it would fuel any neuroses I had (no more than any parent tbh!) To be fair my friend at work did lose a child to sids and so for them it was such a reassurance. He said they could at last stop waking their poor child up to check he was still breathing! Neither DH or i smoke so I guess that reduces the risks further, but I always to wonder... my sister has one, but both her children have asthma and other breathing probs.

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JodieG1 · 03/05/2007 18:46

We had one with dd but she was prem and tiny and I used to go and check her constantly to make sure she was breathing even with it under the mattress so without it I think I would have been watching her all night long.

smittenkitten · 03/05/2007 19:20

oh, I may be a paranoid parent, but i think it's the best thing we bought. we've got the angelcare monitor which is a sound monitor and an under mattress breathing monitor. we've never had a false alarm and it's soooo reassuring to have. some nights i don't think i would have slept a wink without it!

JodieG1 · 03/05/2007 19:36

We had the angelcare one too.

sohappyicouldcry · 03/05/2007 23:01

We actually forgot to take it to my parents' house once overnight, and didn't get ANY sleep at all as felt need to keep checking her all the time. Really wouldn't be without it.

Pheebe · 04/05/2007 08:14

We had the angelcare monitor too and will be using it for no2 who is on the way at the moment. It was definitely worth every penny and we found it very very reassuring. I find it incredibly insulting that anyone should refer to it as a 'paranoid parent' monitor. I love my DS more than anything else and I will do whatever it takes to make sure he grows up happy and healthy. He was full term, no health issues, but then SIDS isn't selective and we felt we were being responsible parents. We never had a false alarm and found it even more reassuring when ds had coughs and colds which are worrying for any parent whether dc has 'health issues' of not!!

Rosa5 · 04/05/2007 08:42

Another vote for the Angelcare. BUt we had to put a board under the mattress as our floor vibrates a bit when you walk . Adjusting the sensitivity helped as well.

alinjosh · 04/05/2007 09:51

my cousin had a sensor pad one and the alarm kept going of because baby was wriggling of the sensor pad she got rid and got a normal moniter,i have always had a normal tomy one but have just bought the tixylix one with nightlight on offer at lloyds chemists for 9.99 should be £35.99

Sunyshineymummy · 04/05/2007 09:53

The BT digital one is excellent. My sister had the matress pad one but found it more annoying than anything.

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