Baby monitors - essential or waste of money?

[Minicooper]

We've just ordered a bargain baby monitor, but NCT leader said yesterday that unless you live in a mansion with an east wing you wouldn't need one as will hear baby anyway. Any thoughts? Keep or send it back unopened? TIA.

We never had one and could always (unfortunately) hear the dss.

In our last place our bedroom was directly opposite DS1's and I only stopped using the monitor when DS2 was born (DS1 was 2).
Also think about when baby is asleep during the day; where will you be? Would a monitor be useful? How about when you're staying with your parents?

If I had my way the DCs would have monitors till they were 18!!! [grin[

I still use mine, and although I could hear him crying, I'm an old softie and like to hear him chat away to himself as he goes off to sleep.

essential for me, mansion or no mansion, if you've got the telly on and are talking, but you have the monitor in front of you, it's fine, you won't be constantly straining your ears or running upstairs to check.

Also for having in the bathroom while you are in the shower. Ours has a visual thingy to see noise as well as hear.

it does depend on size of house and thickness of walls, we didn;t have one when we had DS, but needed one for DD, as we moved, and if we are in the kitchen, there is no way we can hear DD...i still use it now, she is 2 and still naps in the day, so i can mumsnet cook, clean do stuff in the kitchen and listen out for her !

Yeah couldn't do without ours, need to be able to watch TV without having to mute every 2 minutes saying "was that a cry" "I'll just go and make sure"

I found monitor fab, could take it to garden whilst hanging out washing or if in the bath/shower.

Essential if you live in a house/garden that is big enough that you can't hear the baby at all times.

Essential, not generally needed for mums at night, but always needed for

(1) the nights when you stick dad on duty and slope off to a mates to sleep
(2) winter nights when you are downstairs and watching TV and don't want all the doors between you and the baby kept open
(3) the nights when you are away from home with baby, in case baby is somewhere to sleep where you can't hear her - esp if there is a dinner party going on or something
(4) summer nights if you have a garden and want to spend time in it after the baby goes down

always had one, then realised that cos it was the summer with all the doors and windows open, the neighbours had a lovely earful as well

Thanks, ladies, you confirmed my initial thoughts. I said at NCT that if we had friends round for dinner, we wouldn't hear LO, so thought the light thing would be useful, but the leader said I'd be too tired to have anyone round for dinner!!!

Have to agree, I wouldnt be without ours. Just for the peace of mind that it brings (and my laziness I suppose!). We have the Tomy Walkabout one which you can turn the volume down on but still have the light display on. Also agree with the poster who said that its nice to hear them snuffling and burbling to themselves as well. Also essential for staying away from home too. Now dd is 6 mo tho I sometimes turn it off at night as I can hear her from her bedroom then and all the snuffling and sighing just keeps me awake!

Also if we have people staying over we shut our bedroom door. Our monitor is broken, need to get a new one, without it I don't sleep well at all with the door shut because of worry I won't hear him. I will, but it doesn't help me sleep!

I never had one, felt I needed some quiet time, and it would be like a bomb waiting to go off in the corner.

essential if you ever expect your husband to get up to them...
Me I can hear them through sound proof walls but men.... sleep through from day one