Baby monitors were created to give parents a sense of security while their baby slept in a separate room. But when do you stop using a baby monitor?
Once your baby is around six months of age, you’ll notice the need for the baby monitor at night decreases. Your baby is sleeping longer stretches and is not feeding as much throughout the night.
While you may find yourself itching to keep an eye on your little one still, you may quickly realize you are losing out on precious sleep while keeping a watchful eye.
How to Decide When to Ditch the Baby Monitor
The reality is, you can decide at any time to stop using a baby monitor. However, there are some considerations to take into account before you decide to pull the plug on your monitor. Keep in mind, you know your baby best and understand what will work for you and your household.
Age of Your Child
Once my kids were at the age where they could easily walk into my bedroom if something were wrong, I knew I was safe to get rid of the baby monitor. I sometimes wouldn’t even hear the little ninjas through the baby monitor and only would wake up to them staring at me from the foot of the bed.
In addition, if you have an infant, you likely will want to hear them in case they get their leg or arm stuck in the slats of their crib. That has happened to all three of my kids.
Finally, it’s essential to think of your child and their needs. Even if your child is older, and you think it’s beneficial to keep the monitor, then there is no harm in holding onto it a little longer.
Your Child’s Individual Needs
Perhaps your baby was a preemie or has a medical condition. For these reasons, you will want to monitor your child longer than if they didn’t have specific needs. My friend’s daughter went through major heart surgery as an infant. There is no way she wasn’t going to want to keep an eye on her baby.
In addition, some children need assistance in the middle of the night, and having a baby monitor allows parents to be alerted when their child needs them. There is no right or wrong time to discontinue baby monitors in these types of situations. You genuinely have to do what’s suitable for your child.
Location of Your Child’s Bedroom
The layout of your house can affect your decision on when you decide to stop using a baby monitor. If your child’s bedroom is close to yours, then you likely can hear them without a monitor if they call out to you.
However, if your child’s room is on the other side of the house or a different level, you may consider holding onto the monitor for a while longer. In addition, monitors can be beneficial for naps if you move around your house and want to keep an ear out for your child.
Night Feedings
If your baby still relies on the middle of the night feeding, then you will want to keep the monitor close by, so you can hear when they start to stir. While most babies begin to drop the middle of the night feeding around six months, that doesn’t hold for everyone.
In addition, I always liked to get my baby when they first started to stir, as opposed to when they were full-on screaming. It’s much harder to settle down the latter.
Finally, with a baby monitor, you can tell if they are ready to feed or just re-adjusting. If you automatically go in with the slightest whimper, you may end up waking them up.
Reasons Why You Should Hold Onto the Baby Monitor
Sometimes there are unique situations why you should hold onto the baby monitor longer than you think you would. While they are always helpful to have on a trip, certain circumstances at home may warrant you to pull out the baby monitor.
You Are Sleep Training
Regardless of which sleep training method you go with, you likely want to keep an eye on your baby. This is especially true if your child is older and already in a toddler bed. While watching them fight sleep with a few tears can be agonizing for you, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them during the process.
In addition, you want to make sure you can hear them if they are getting out of bed. If your child is consistently climbing out of the crib, it’s time to switch to a bed. You don’t want to take the chance of them getting hurt.
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Your Child is Sick
Keeping your baby monitor handy for times when your child is sick can be very reassuring. While you might end up camping on their floor, it’s helpful to keep your ear out through a monitor from your bedroom as well.
Do you know what I can’t sleep through? Coughing. If your child is coughing all night, it’s going to keep you up. Consider turning the volume down, so you can hear them if they need you, but also so you don’t hear every noise coming from their room.
You Have a Sleepwalker
If your child is a sleepwalker or just one of those kiddos who like to get out of my often, it’s a good idea to keep the baby monitor handy. You want to keep an ear out, so they aren’t putting themselves in any danger during the night.
While audio monitors work great, video monitors allow you to peek instantly into their room if you are concerned they are getting out of bed. If your child is a sleepwalker, make sure to bring a monitor along with you anytime you are staying overnight somewhere else.
Finally, you may want to consider putting up a baby gate if your child’s bedroom is near the stairs. It will give you some peace of mind in case you don’t hear them right away. I have automatic nightlights up my staircase, so my kids can see where they are going if they wake up in the middle of the night.
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You Want to Be Able to Talk to Your Baby
I would approach this one with caution. The majority of baby monitors allow you to talk from the parent unit into your baby’s unit. If your child doesn’t get upset at hearing your voice but not seeing you, you may consider keeping your baby monitor a bit longer.
However, if talking to your baby through the monitor helps you stay in bed without having to walk to their room, go for it. For me, if I have to get out of bed in the middle of the night, I have a much harder time falling back asleep.
Why You Should Stop Using a Baby Monitor
Do you catch yourself checking the baby monitor multiple times a night? No, just me? If your child is sleeping through the night, but you are still sleep-deprived, the culprit could very well be your baby monitor.
While it is nice to watch your little one sound asleep, looking at the screen during the night can really affect your sleep. In addition, if you jump into your baby’s room every time you hear something on the monitor, you will start affecting their sleep as well.
There is not much worse than waking a sleeping baby, and if you go into their room every time you hear the slightest noise, it’s bound to happen. So, instead of everyone losing sleep, consider putting the monitor into your nightstand drawer for a night.
Finally, the monitor will force you to hear every toss, turn and cough your baby makes. If you are continuously waking up with each noise, you are going to be exhausted. Consider turning the volume way down if you just can’t break up with your baby monitor.
FAQs on When to Stop Using a Baby Monitor
Do baby monitors need to stay on all night?
Since baby monitors can be plugged in, and therefore kept on all night, does that mean you should? While this is a personal preference, the short answer is no. Your baby monitor does not need to stay on all night.
If you keep checking the baby monitor through the night, you are losing out on precious sleep. If you need to start weaning yourself off the monitor, keep it next to your bed but with the sound all the way down. This way you can still sneak a peek when you’d like.
However, if this still doesn’t keep you from checking throughout the night, then perhaps it’s time to turn it off completely. I was guilty of constantly checking my kids’ monitors. “Just one last look,” is what I would say to myself. It’s humorous watching someone sleep, while you are completely exhausted from the lack of sleep you are getting.
Should I get rid of my baby monitor?
Don’t throw away your old baby monitor just yet, especially since they will just end up in a landfill somewhere. I take monitors with us on a vacation, when I know my kids may be unfamiliar with the house and I’d like to keep a watchful eye.
In addition, you can consider moving them to a different part of the house, like the playroom. If your toddler doesn’t need the monitor in their bedroom anymore, it’s a great way to keep an eye on them while they are playing independently.
Finally, if you find yourself with a monitor just taking up space, find a friend who can use them. Baby monitors aren’t always cheap, so a mom-to-be will greatly appreciate the gesture.
Do I need a baby monitor?
If you’ve gotten to this point, you may be wondering if you even need a baby monitor. It’s a personal preference. However, they can be instrumental in knowing whether your child needs your attention. If your baby is sleeping in their room but still feed at night, then you want to get to them shortly after they wake up.
However, if you share a room with your little one and don’t intend to send them to their room anytime soon, you can probably hold off on purchasing a baby monitor. You may still find it helpful to have for naps, but you don’t need one for nighttime.
Finally, remember, it’s never too late to get a baby monitor. If you have a one-year-old and feel like it would be beneficial to have, then buy one! There are some very reasonably priced monitors, so you don’t have to feel like you are breaking the bank. You may also find out you prefer an audio monitor instead of one with video.
Final Thoughts
Baby monitors allow you to have your child sleep in their own room, knowing they are just an earshot away. However, once your baby turns 6 months old, you will notice the need for the baby monitor goes down. If your little one is sleeping through the night, but you’re not, it’s likely because your trusty monitor is keeping you up.
Don’t be afraid to put the monitor away and bring it out with the need arises. Remember, there is no written rule on when you should stop using a baby monitor. If you and everyone are getting a full night’s sleep, but you prefer to leave the baby monitor on, go for it.
Finally, if the baby monitor is causing you anxiety because you have to know what your little one is up to, reconsider your setup. Try putting the baby monitor on the other side of the bed where you can’t easily access it in the middle of the night.
Doing what makes you feel comfortable is best, even if your child is going off to college and you are asking if you can still monitor them. We’re moms. It’s our job.
