thread: When did you stop using a monitor in your toddlers room?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    home sweet home.
    1,995

    When did you stop using a monitor in your toddlers room?

    We have a 32 month old and a 4 month old. Our 4 month old is in our room and we still have a sound monitor in our room for our big boy. Thing is he makes a lot if noise. Tossing and turning, sleep talking etc. Last night I heard all about the Wiggles because we just saw them I'm concert (lol) His room shares a wall with ours so if he is having a bad dream or calls out I can still hear him without the monitor.

    I'm thinking of turning off the monitor in his room so I can get a bit more sleep. Bub is feeding 2-3 hourly so I need as much as I can get.

    What age did you turn off your monitor?

    TIA
    Spring x

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Feb 2006
    melbourne
    11,462

    our DD's are up the other end of the house so both have monitors, DD1 (3.5) will have one for a few years yet, but she isnt noisy, can you turn it down?

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    3,562

    Spring we still have one in L's room and I don't see that changing any time soon. DD was about 3 when we took hers out, but that was only because we needed it for L and we were sleeping in the room next to her so could hear her very easily anyway. We are now at the back of the house, the kids at the front.

    You may remember that we had a horrible incident last year when I went to get L up and his cot was covered in vomit He'd been sick overnight and we hadn't heard him because the monitor wasn't turned up. I made myself sick with guilt thinking he'd been that ill and had been calling for us and we didn't hear him I have no way of knowing that's what happened, but now I am vigilant in making sure his monitor is up before I go to sleep. It's on DH's side (D's is on my side) and he sometimes forgets. L can be noisy too but we have it at a level where if he were to cry or call out we'd hear it, but not so loud that he disturbs our sleep.

    Having said allll that though, if you are confident you can hear him if he needs you, then I can't see the harm in turning it off.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    home sweet home.
    1,995

    I've tried turning it down but still get woken numerous times a night.

    I'm a very light sleeper.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    3,562

    If you can hear him Spring, I'd turn it off. You need your sleep atm!

    He doesn't wake at night usually anyway does he? You could always keep it in his room and just turn it on if he is unwell etc.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    Melbourne
    4,031

    I took the monitor out when they went into a bed as they could come up to me (and they did/do ).
    We now have it in DD's room and her room is near the boys. So I can still hear them.
    Since you share a wall with your DS and are a light sleeper I would turn it off.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    Melbourne
    3,737

    Re: When did you stop using a monitor in your toddlers room?

    When dd1 went into a bed and swapped to the room next to ours she can call out and I hear her. She is also able to open the doors to come get me if she needs too.

    Dd2 is 13mths and we still use it, although the sensitivity is right down, will prob keep using it until she goes into a bed. She did throw up about a week ago but she didn't even cry so I think it was in her sleep didn't notice until morning the poor darling

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    home sweet home.
    1,995

    Thanks for the advice guys.

    I think the suggestion of turning it off but using it for sickness etc is a good one. I'm confident that I will still be able to hear him (dh sleeps through even when it's turned right up )

    I guess I can try it tonight and see how we go.

    Spring xx

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Mar 2006
    4,542

    I turned DD's off when she was put in a big girls bed as she happily trots down the hall if she needs us or just wants to hop in our bed. I've found since turning it off I am more intune with her and haven't slept through her needing us yet. I was once told that if your little one needs you they will be heard!! I believe that because DD can get quite a scream up if she needs us quickly and she just calls if she wants us, that make sense? Best of luck - hope you get some sleep!!

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    between the mountain & the ocean
    757

    our ds shares a wall with us too, he is litterally about 4 meters away from our room.. my dh has had to ween ME slowly off the monitor as I was constantly paranoid I wouldn't hear him if he woke, but turns out, I can hear him without the monitor so its all good.. Keeping it for when sickness sets in is a great idea, but for now turn it off and get some much needed rest

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    between the mountain & the ocean
    757

    BTW I think the fact that your DH sleeps thru the waking up is totally a male selective hearing thing .. my dh says he doesn't hear anything, but I know he only says that because he knows I'm straight out of bed as soon as I hear ds.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    by the beach,NSW
    1,767

    We got rid of it when she moved into the toddler bed - about 2 yrs old. She is up the other end of the house from us, but we do still hear here and she pops down to visit us if she needs us in the middle of the night. Between the two of us, one of us will here her - I have woken up to her little foot walking on the floor boards through the kitchen a few times. It's so quiet in the middle of the night it is easy to hear them.

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Jun 2007
    SE Melbourne
    307

    Wow, I think I turned our monitor off very early compared to everyone else! I'm not exactly sure when it was, but definitely before 12 months. I was finding that DS was waking a lot at night, but would often settle himself very quickly and not need me. With the monitor right next to my head, I was waking every time he made a noise. Since turning it off, I still wake up as soon as he cries, but I don't hear every single noise. I figure if he needs me he will be loud enough that I will hear him! I am a fairly light sleeper though. If I'm ever not home (very rare!) DH has the monitor on.

    We do still have it connected and often turn it on in the evenings so that we can hear him over the noise of the TV!