When to Stop Using a Baby Moniter?

Updated on December 05, 2008
B.B. asks from The Colony, TX
8 answers

My son is 17 mo. old and generally sleeps through the night. On the rare occasion he does wake up, I let him cry it out, and he goes back to sleep fairly quickly. I still use a baby moniter, but I want to stop (I think). But I feel guilty for not using it, thinking what if something happens? I can't sleep without a fan on, so I usually can't hear him over that. Right now he's sick, and I hate to just let him cry, even though he cries even if I'm in there with him or rocking him. My husband said not to use it, which I want to, but feel guilty about it. What's a good age to stop listening at night? And should I use it when he's sick? I don't want to start a routine where he gets used to waking in the middle of the night that continues after he's feeling better. Thanks for the help!

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much! I think I'll keep using it a little longer, mainly for my comfort level. I have a hard time letting him cry it out when he's sick, so I'll have to find some sort of balance with that. Hopefully he'll feel better soon!

More Answers

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

I stopped using mine when my DD was about 10 months old, but her room is about 10 feet away from my door. I'm a hard sleeper, but now that she's older, she cries louder so I wake up. I guess it just depends on your circumstances.

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F.G.

answers from Dallas on

I just stopped using mine due to the fact my daughter dropped it on the hard floor for the hundreth time and it stopped working. Otherwise I would be still using it. The girls room is just a couple feet away from mine. Like you I was really worried what if they need me and don't hear me? I do hear them and they are older than your son. It's a hard transition though! If I were you I would wait until you are perfectly comfortable it's not like a bottle or pacifer there is no real age limit on the monitor. So if your ready to dump it than do it but if not then just wait.

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

My son is 3 1/2 and still uses it. He wakes up throughout the night wanting to climb in bed with me at times and has nightmares. I guess it depends on the child but I really think 17 months is really too young to stop. I would at least continue using the monitor until your son can open the door and find you on his own without being scared cause God forbid if something happened and you didn't hear your son.
No reason to stop. He is only a baby once so savior the moment.
I hope this helps.
M.

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C.R.

answers from Dallas on

My son is 20 months and we still use the baby monitor. I will use it until he is in a big boy bed and can get out of his room to come get me. With my daughter, as soon as she was in a big girl bed and could open her door we stopped using a monitor, we plan to do the same with our son.

Now, for waking during the night. My son has been very stuffy for about a week from allergies. He wakes during the night when he is like this. I usually make sure he isn't going to fuss himself back to sleep. As long as he is only fussing, I don't go to his room. But if he starts a full cry, I know he won't settle down alone. So, I do go in there, I do not turn on any lights and I do not pick him up. I lay him back down, if needed, and cover him up and pat his back for a minute. I whisper "it's night-night time" and I leave. I found that if I pick him up to comfort him, he does it more often.

I say use the baby monitor until you want to quit. I just can't quit yet even though he is just across the hall. If the heat is on I can't hear him very well and if I'm asleep really good I don't hear him at all.

Good luck!

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L.P.

answers from Dallas on

When to stop using a monitor is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong time to do so. If you are comfortable not having it on then go for it. If you feel like you still need it then keep it a while longer. I honestly don't remember when we quit using our baby monitor.

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J.A.

answers from Dallas on

My twin girls are 2.5, and we still use the monitor. Maybe it's silly that we do, but I feel more comfortable knowing everything's okay. We probably don't need it, as they usually sleep through the night, but we hear something if anything happens.

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter is almost two-we have one of those video monitors. I use it to look in on her so I don't have to wake her up, AND I use it when she's sick, I keep it turned down pretty low but I can hear it if she's getting sick or needs help. We just don't keep it on all night anymore. I think we stopped doing that around 15 months when she would wake up in the middle of the night and start talking. That just about drove us nuts.

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R.E.

answers from Dallas on

I didn't read the other responses, but you could try turning it down so he doesn't wake you with each and every peep.

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