When Did You Remove Your Baby Movement Monitor?

Updated on November 01, 2010
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
9 answers

My son is 10 months old and very mobile. We have the Angel Care Movement monitor, which was a huge relief when my son was younger... we basically only keep it on now to check the temperature in his room. We don't use it sound monitoring sound, since our house is so small. Because my son is so active, he often moves into the corners of his crib at night, which results in 2, 3, 4am false alarms from the movement monitor. I'd like to take this thing out, but I'm extremely fearful of SIDS and I know that most risk of SIDS is over at age 12 months (highest risk being 2-6 months, and some cases reported even after 2 years)... I need my beauty rest ;) So I ask, when did YOU feel comfortable removing your babies monitor??

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

My son's first year we were in 3 apts, countless hotels, and quite a few car trips -aka sleeping in hotel rooms at night, car in the daytime. The monitor was one of the first things to go, because it was useless. He was always at arms distance. The only time I broke it out again was at age 3 when we moved into a townhome and I wanted to workout outside while he slept.

So I would say; Whenever it stops being useful. :) No matter when others stop or start, usefulness varies for each family and each situation. A 200' hotel room, v 800' apt, v 2500' house v, etc., etc.,

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B.B.

answers from Missoula on

My son turns 3 on Wednesday and we still have a monitor in his room. It is just a standard baby monitor and we leave it there because his room and our room are on separate floors. If our house was one story I probably would have taken it out already, but since he's far away it's nice to be able to hear when he wakes up, or what he's doing if he's playing alone in his room.

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K.A.

answers from Washington DC on

Most of the answers were about sound monitors, not movement monitors. Your son sounds quite able to care for himself at night if he's moving around so much. Is he crawling and/or walking yet? If so, then definitely remove the movement monitor. The honest truth is, I have a 5 yo and a 2 yo and the fear of something happening to them when you're not there NEVER goes away. You will at least be able to sleep without the alarm going off, but as for sleeping soundly through the night? Maybe when they're in their 20's...or never again! ; ) Good luck!

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

I don't know if anyone ever feels comfortable when they remove/stop using the baby monitor, but if you can hear him cry, it is probably ok to do so-that way you don't realize every littl gnarl that doesn't manifest into full on need for you. God bless you and your baby-and may all the Saints and Angels watch over you all-day and night.

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K.M.

answers from Norfolk on

Around 8 months. We were getting woken up too many times during the night and we never felt rested!

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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I had a movement monitor for my daughter - it was BabySense and it came with two panels to cover the crib area. It worked fine for us and we never had false alarms, no matter where she moved within the crib. We kept it in place until she was about 14 months, maybe a little older cause I was so paranoid about SIDS.
If your son is sleeping in a safe environment - no blankets, no bumpers, nothing in the crib but him - then he should be fine at this age. If you are not ready to let go of the movement monitor than go get the BabySense. I selected this model over the Angel Care cause I read lots of reviews about false alarms with the Angel Care.
If you are just worried about the temperature in his room then you can get a sound monitor that shows temperature. We just bought a new one for my 2 year old (can't hear her from downstairs without it) and the brand we bought shows current temperature in her room.
At any rate do what works best for you and lets you sleep at night. Everyone told me I was crazy to keep the movement monitor for so long, but knowing it would sound an alarm if anything happened to her was the only thing that would let me sleep well.

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B.W.

answers from Seattle on

I used the Angel Care monitor with all three of my kids. I found it especially helpful for peace of mind with my boys since they were preemies. We had to stop using it between 6-8 months, I don't actually remember, but they were moving around way too much. I did figure that once they are able to roll, crawl and move around the bed they can get themselves out of most situations that could result in smothering. (Not all SIDS cases are linked to accidental smothering though...) I still use the angel care for my daughter (19 months) but just use it sound only. Come to think of it, I just realized I haven't turned the boys' sound monitor on in forever, so I guess we are done with it for them at age 3.

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S.B.

answers from Wichita on

the only time I used the baby monitor was if I was in the basement and my daughter was napping at the other end of the house. And after 3 months I stopped that, because she was on such a good schedule I knew when she would most likely wake up. I never had it in my room, I wouldnt have been able to sleep at all with it on.

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K.A.

answers from Washington DC on

We used the same monitoring system, and he used it until we moved to a big boy bed when he was two. If its going off b/c he's in the corners of the mattress, change the sensitivity of the pad. We were having that issue and my husband put it on the lowest setting - no more going off unecessarily.

Judging from your other responses, I guess I'm overly paranoid but like someone else said - you use them until they aren't useful for your family any more. Trust your instincts! =)

Good luck!

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