Recently Lexi and I have a little debate about how much survelience is appropriate for the little baby on the way. What if the little tot wants a little privacy without big brother watching, really I should say big daddy I have put on a few pounds.
Actually the real debate is if a standard audio monitor is sufficient or should we go high tech with video or thermal monitors. For mothers out there shield your eyes from this next sentance, if you notice through a thermal monitor that your child is no longer emitting heat I'm sorry it is probably too late.
The real reason to have a monitor is to see if the child has woken up and is crying. Once you start adding video and more I think you begin to feed the paranoid side and you start looking at the monitor every 20 minutes.
So what is the verdict is it worth an extra $100 for a video monitor?
11 comments:
My vote is that yes, it is worth it. Didn't you see Annemarie's post about OCDness? I need to see him so I know his face isn't smothered by something.
By the way everybody, I just want the video monitor, not the thermal one.
I think an audio monitor is good enough- if I had a video one I would be waking up and looking at it all the time, and then you don't get any sleep. (Not that you get a ton anyway :)) I have an audio one that worked great to know when Kaleb woke up...however I am paranoid so before I could let him sleep in his own room instead of mine, I had to get a motion monitor. It goes under the mattress and has an alarm that goes off if it doesn't feel any movement for 10 seconds. I never had any problems with it, it only went off when I forgot to shut it off before getting him out of bed or when the batteries were getting low. I don't use it for him any more, but I sure plan on using it again for the next one! To see what I am talking about go here: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2660328 That is the one that I have. Good luck deciding!
I think you should really pay attention to me and my comments cuz I'm totally OCD especially when it comes to safety and my kids. Although 5 children have forced me to relax a little.
I definitely don't think you need video surveillance. Just make sure your baby doesn't have anything in his crib that he could get smothered with. Pretty easy really. I didn't even have a moniter at first because we lived in a fairly small place.
My opinion. is best.
J/K you make your own choice.
Love, Becca
I agree with Becca. If there is nothing in the crib to smother the baby (stuffed animals, loose blankets, pillows, etc.), then there is nothing to worry about. I really like my monitor because it can go cordless which means I can carry it around with me. Especially when I am out in the yard. The anxiety thing will be a problem no matter what you do until you get soo sleep deprived that you almost don't care anymore. :) If you really want to see your baby in the night, then put the baby in your room. By the time he is older and there are less risks you will have chilled out and you won't need the video monitor any more. But then again, it is fun to see them when they can't see you. Especially when they get older and are doing funny things when they are supposed to be taking a nap. I can see that my opinion is not helping at all. I would go either way.
I commented on lexi's blog but I just remembered something that you two can talk about. I remember watching a 20/20 special on video baby monitors. Sadly, one of the BIG downsides is that bad people can tap into the video line if they have their own video monitor or something, i can't remember exactly and actually watch your baby too and you on the camera if that's where it's facing. You might loose your privacy too and those "weirdo's " out there might take it too far in watching and target your baby or you guys cause they can see what's going on in the room. I'm sure there's more about it somewhere on the internet if you google it.
Our audio monitor got used for two weeks when we were in larger homes, but the second we were in a little apartment, it got stored away. Babies tend to babble or cry just a bit and go back to sleep. Too much attention to those little tosses and turns might lead to no sleep for you.
What's funny is that Matt and I have had the same conversation and I think the video monitors are a little excessive, we do have a condo and the baby's room is next door, I have even debated the audio ones. But Matt on the other hand wants the video one, I don't know if its cause he is worried about the baby or if he is just interested in the tech side of it. So I think it's not worth the money for the extra one, but it doesn't hurt to hint towards it for a gift from a rich family member or friend :)
I think audio is just fine. You can't let yourself fret too much over your baby or you won't get anything accomplished. Babies are more durable than you think. If you are worried about his face being smothered then just don't put too many blankets/stuffed animals in the crib. Good luck on your little debate, let me know who wins! :)
I don't have a baby, so I don't know if I'm the one to say anything, but I have heard about kids rolling over and smothering themselves just on the crib mattress. It's not very likely, I assume, but I think it can happen. I am totally paranoid so if I can convince Nathaniel to get the video, I think we'll go for that.
Since you got what you wanted in the mail, this is coming late in the game, but it doesn't matter much cause my comment is kind of unrelated. it just made me think of something i thought you'd appreciate. when we first moved to texas nate was only 6 months and we were living in a small apartment, so we didn't have a monitor. we were asked to babysit for our friends who have two, extremely active and at times crazy girls. they had put the girls to bed before we got there and had their "system" up and running for us. no joke, the dad had put up three security cameras in their girls' room at different angles and had a channel on their tv that let you "check in on them" at your whim.
at first i thought it was kind of creepy, but as the girls weren't asleep yet and i could see what they were attempting to do, many a disaster was averted that night. and now with our drew in the house, i'm wishing we had an extra $600 bucks lying around so i could get my very own...
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