How long do you use baby monitor for when they are in their own room?

skintchick

We are moving house in a few weeks' time and as DD has just gone into her cot from cosleeping with us, we plan to use the move to put her in her own room now she is one.

But I have no idea if you still use the baby monitor? I feel I want to hear her moving about, but at what age would you stop using a monitor all night? I'm used to her being in arm's reach so it will be very odd to me not to know if she is shuffling and needing a hand laid on her or a quick shush.

At what age do you stop using one or does it depend on the child (and parent)?

Jakesmummy

I never used mine with my first cos our house was really small and could hear him anyway, but we moved before my 2nd was born and shes 16 month now and still use it, dont intend to stop using it anytime soon either, saying that i only use it when im sat downstairs and she's in bed as i can hear her from my bedroom anyway, i'll probably use until she's old enough to come and get me/tell me of theres a problem,
they are still quite useful even for hearing my 4 year old wake... sorry probably havent answered your question v well lol!

skintchick

Thanks. I know I won;t hear her until she actually cries, which IMO is too late, so I'll probably end up using it till she is regularly sleeping all night without waking as at the moment she wakes around 5am for a feed and I don;t want her to have to proper cry for me to come, at the moment as soon as she wakes and goes uh uh, then I can pick her up and feed her so she doesn;t wake fully.

I guess it's the kind of thing I might have to just play by ear.

meritaten

first of all - is a house move the right time to put her in a strange room? at one she is noticing her surroundings and may well feel unsettled at the move to a strange house for a few days. I would put her toys and new bed in the new room and let her play in there for a few days but sleep in her old cot in your room. then let her nap in her new room for a few days until you are sure she is comfortable in there.
Then, put her to bed in her new room and yes, use a baby monitor. you use them until the baby sleeps all night and you are happy that the baby is happy. or, if the room is so far away from you you are uneasy then as long as YOU are comfortable with it. be that two months or two years!
There is no set time frame - its when YOU feel you dont need it that you stop using it!

Greener_Grass

I still use mine for my son who is nearly 19 months and agree I can't see myself stopping anytime soon. We only live in a flat but i am paranoid about him choking or something and me not hearing and i like to keep all doors closed at night so i wouldn't wake up until he was crying very loudly!

ETA: re the new home/ new room thing, We did the exact same thing with my son when we moved (although he was 4 months old then!) and i was really worried about it, The night itself was a non event, he didn't bat an eyelid and has slept much better since having his own quiet space. I'd say don't stress it and just see how she gets on, You'll probably be fine and she won't mind a bit as long as her cot is the same Good luck!

skintchick

meritaten wrote: »

first of all - is a house move the right time to put her in a strange room? at one she is noticing her surroundings and may well feel unsettled at the move to a strange house for a few days. I would put her toys and new bed in the new room and let her play in there for a few days but sleep in her old cot in your room. then let her nap in her new room for a few days until you are sure she is comfortable in there.
Then, put her to bed in her new room and yes, use a baby monitor. you use them until the baby sleeps all night and you are happy that the baby is happy. or, if the room is so far away from you you are uneasy then as long as YOU are comfortable with it. be that two months or two years!
There is no set time frame - its when YOU feel you dont need it that you stop using it!

My health visitor said the move is the perfect time to do it as it will all be new anyway so she won;t have a 'norm' to compare it to, but obviously if she seems unsettled we will rethink!

She doesn;t nap in her cot *ahem* so can;t try that idea. Am going to work on that shortly but as I've only just cracked her going to sleep on her own and next on my list is dealing with the 5am waking and feed, nap issues are going to have to wait a bit.

TO be honest I don;t think she'll miss us at all - she used to superglue herself to my armpit all night but now wants her own space and pushes me away, which is why she is now in her own cot, so she is very ready to have her own room I think.

meritaten

you know your own baby best hun! if you feel she is ready to move into a new room, in a new house, then great!

shellsuit

I have the monitor on downstairs when he's upstairs asleep at night.

If he slept in his own room, then I'd have it next to me on the bedside table, right through the night.

pinkpig08

I don't think there's a proper time to stop using a monitor. As long as it's reassuring you then I would keep using it! My LO is one and also co-sleeps with us. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to let them wake up properly before you go in and see to them. She is getting bigger now and is going for longer between 'stirs' so I'm tempted to start with her in her own room, but she doesn't yet go to sleep on her own.

Spongbong

My son is five and we've only recently stopped using it lol! My brother nearly died of a collapsed lung when he was a child and it was luck/mothers instinct that my mum heard his whispered cries in the night so I suppose I'm a bit paranoid.

gonzo127

my wee one is just over 2 and we still use one, to be honest other than a little electricty to run they do no harm in my mind and if it allows you to hear what they are up to and put your mind at rest all the better.

we also find it helpful since if she does wake up in the night a bit distressed we can usually hear her little crys of 'daddy' or 'mummy' and go and give her a little reassurance before she starts screaming and sobing and getting very upset