monitor?

Our baby monitor finally bit the dust (while we were on vacation...bad timing!). DH thinks we should just get a cheap one, but I am wondering if we should consider a video monitor?? They are STILL (!) in cribs, but maybe a video monitor will be useful when we finally take the front rail off their cribs?

But the cost seems a little outrageous...
Thoughts?

PS Are we the only ones with three year-olds still in cribs?? They are saving my fragile sanity right now

 

I thought about getting a video monitor when we put the girls into toddler beds but after seeing the cost figured it was just cheaper to take everything out of their bedroom! :laughing: We still use a regular monitor when the girls are napping/sleeping & we're watching tv downstairs because we can't hear them & they don't leave their room.

 

I don't think I'd worry about a video monitor either, we got a cheapie one for our older kids when our other one died, and then a good one when we had the twins. I still use monitors for all my kids because I can't hear them at night without one, and whenever they get a stomach virus they always start puking at about 1am, never fails.

 

We had to remove everything from their room. Monitor first. Nothing stays plugged in, and I'm too paranoid about cords anyway... I wouldn't bother.

 

this is what we've had to do... we just have a audio monitor, many times I wished I'd gotten a video monitor, but I never figured out how I would set 2 cameras up... or which twin to video monitor! anyway, I'd say you should just get an audio one, though I want to say I've seen some $80 ones or something... maybe if a video monitor is a closeout or something...

anyway, finally just recently I've realized that the kids go straight to sleep when they are TIRED! A couple of months ago I did realize I needed to drop naps, and sure enough they go to sleep a lot earlier in the day now.

so... sure, if you can use the cribs for longer, then go for it... if you decide to go to beds, then I'd do as the quoted post says.

 

We've had video monitors since our boys were 2 months old and I LOVE them. They will definitely come in handy too when our boys start trying to climb out of cribs and when we switch them to toddler beds (we use Safety 1st outlet covers and also tape the cords to the walls to minimize cord tampering). But given that your kids are already 3 I'm not sure if I would invest in video monitors now or not. They are pretty expensive, though we have definitely got our money's worth the past 2 years. Maybe you could post an ad to your local Craigslist saying you want to buy a video monitor and see if anyone replies? Maybe somebody has older kids and have a used one in good shape that they will sell for cheap? You might also check ebay for used video monitors.

 

I wish that I had bought a video monitor when the boys were born; sometimes I hear very....interesting sounds coming from their room and I really wonder what the heck is going on in there! :laughing: But if their audio monitor died, I probably wouldn't replace it at this point. They know how to yell really loudly when they want something.

And no, you're not the only one with 3-year-olds in cribs! Our guys are still in their cribs, but I'm pretty sure we're moving them to big boy beds soon. They've known for a while how to get out, but it just never occurred to them that they could do this during naps/bedtime until recently. Then yesterday at naptime we found Nate in Jack's crib (crying that he was in there :wacko, and I found Jack wandering around their room a few minutes later. :gah: Now I just need to find time to go shopping for twin mattresses!

 

I don't use the video monitor anymore because I don't want them around loose cords (I figure they will climb out of the crib at some point, so I want the room to be safe for them when that happens). I can hear them from everywhere in the house, but if not, I would definitely have an audio monitor.

We plan on keeping the cribs until one of them climbs out. They sleep on cots at school so we know they could use toddler beds, but for my sanity the cribs are a lifesaver.

 

I would have to say that has been one of my regrets, when it comes to baby purchases - not buying a video monitor! I thought whats the big deal they are just down the hall but now I think back about all of the times I wouldnt have had to get out of bed to go check on them. And would love to see some of the things they are up to. Although I do agree about the cords - but there are cord keepers or things that stick to the wall that you tuck the cord into maybe something like that would keep them out of trouble. Our boys are in seperate rooms and we have the monitor in the hallway between the rooms and it picks up most everthing.

 

After our friends lost their son to SIDS, we bought a Uniden camera system about two months ago for our kids. We also have regular old baby monitors (Graco iVibe). The system can take up to 4 cameras... we are using 2 right now: one in our baby's room and one in the twins' room. We have one planned for the basement and MAYBE one for a 4th baby's room.

Our twins are 2.5 years old and still in cribs. The camera is mounted on a tall dresser in front of an outlet (no access). You can't see much with them in the cribs (except their little heads when they stand up) but like you, I think the camera will be helpful when it is time to bed train. For the baby, the camera is mounted on the wall above his bed.

WHAT I LIKE:
(1) I like being able to SEE what is going on in the room. (2) The system does have audio and it sounds pretty good. (3) Can connect to a PC for recording or taking still pictures. Can also connect to a TV. (4) Even though I can't see the twins very well in their cribs, I can usually tell which one is crying or yelling or awake by some movement in the crib or their head peeking out. (5) Receiving monitor can cycle through camera views or can split the screen into 4 to view all 4 cameras at once. (6) The night vision is great (but the red lights will attract their attention when they aren't "caged" anymore... have to mount camera out of reach. Also makes their eyes glow kind of crazy looking). (7) Besides the power cord, it's wireless.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE SO MUCH:
(1) They do not have full motion video. Fast movement looks blurry on the monitor. Kind of expected based on the low cost. (2) The power cord has to be plugged in (duh!). It does have a battery, but it only lasts a few hours. This can limit where you mount the camera and if you mount it on a wall, there is a cord hanging. This will be true of most cameras, though (except power through ethernet). (3) There are still small blind spots in the bedroom (12x12), even when the camera is mounted high on the wall. (4) Range is fine for our house, but we can't walk down the street like we can with our audio monitors.

Overall, I am very happy with it. For the future, we are looking in to mounting the cameras on the wall and taking the power cord behind the wall and up into the attic. As a side note... if you are interested in the camera system, watch the prices. I did not pay as much as Amazon is asking right now. I paid $119 for the camera/receiver bundle and $75 for the second camera back in May.