A baby monitor can be a valuable reassurance that your baby is kept safe while they doze off at night or any other time of the day.
However, if your baby has covered their toddler years or you’re the type of parent who gets stressed out even with the smallest of movement or noise, then you should consider ditching the baby monitors for good.
These devices can prove themselves to be of great importance with their technological advancements and provide you with excellent reliability.
But if you don’t feel the need for it anymore, there’s no official health recommendation that emphasizes keeping your baby monitored at all times.
If you plan to keep it for extended periods, you must know how to hide the baby monitor cord to protect your children from strangulation risks.
In contrast, if you really want to stop using a baby monitor but are unsure when to, our article will help you make your mind.
When should you stop using a baby monitor?
We recommend stopping using a baby monitor once your baby has gone through the toddler years, i.e., get to an age of 4 years. Kids might start needing some privacy at this age as they begin getting awareness and consciousness about this world.
They might feel exposed when they become aware of the fact that their parents are observing them 24/7.
Generally, kids start getting conscious about their privacy from the age of about 2.5 years, and by four years, their moods and behaviors can begin getting modified due to this fact.
Therefore, you should remember that it’s essential to give privacy to your child sometimes for their adequate mental growth.
Why should you stop using a baby monitor?
Now there are some reasons based on which you should consider stopping using the baby monitor:
- Huge distraction
Upon getting yourself a baby monitor for your infant, you’ll be most likely checking up on the monitor after every few seconds to make sure your baby is ok.
It can be a huge distraction if you’re trying to sleep, work, or do household chores.
- Increased Anxiety
Having a baby monitor near you at all times can steadily increase your anxiety levels. You’ll have to stay alert at all times and be stressed out if you don’t notice any movement for some while.
There are some high-end baby monitors in the market that alert the parents when their babies haven’t moved for some time, causing significant stress to parents.
- Your room is close to the baby’s room
If you have your bedroom right next to the baby’s room, there would be more chances that you’ll hear the baby crying by yourself and won’t need a baby monitor.
In case that you can’t hear the crying properly, consider leaving the door open so that you’re reassured that you’ll listen to it.
- To improve your sleeping cycle
Keeping an eye on the baby monitor all the time can hugely affect your sleeping cycles. When you have it near your bed, even minor noises will alarm you and disturb your sleep, making you frustrated throughout the day.
Therefore, if you get rid of the baby monitor, you’ll have fuller sleep cycles and be happier with your children during the day. However, it will mean that you’ll have to monitor your baby by yourself.
- Baby is older than one year
Once the baby has gotten one year of age, mostly they’ll sleep all night long or will wake up less often, at least compared to newborn babies.
Therefore, you won’t need to check up on your baby through the baby monitor now and then.
- Baby has become a toddler
When your toddler has left the cot permanently and can quickly get in and out of their bedroom, they can come to you if they experience any problem or need anything
. This stage is quite reassuring, knowing that you won’t need to keep an eye on your child all day and night long.
Is it ok not to use a baby monitor?
You won’t need to get a baby monitor if you plan on keeping your baby with you at all times. Moreover, if you’re living in a small house or apartment, it’s most likely that the baby’s room is close to your room.
Hence, you won’t miss their crying and also won’t need a baby monitor.
If you’ve kept the baby’s cot in your own bedroom beside your bed, then you can conveniently keep an eye on your infant without the need of monitoring them through a baby monitor. When you’re traveling, you can carry travel beds for toddlers and place them near your hotel room bed
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do baby monitors give off radiation?
Almost every electronic item emits radiation, and that also includes baby monitors. These devices tend to give off massive microwave radiation continuously when they’re turned on.
These radiations can affect your baby’s brain growth, immune, and even reproductive system. Therefore, it would be best to keep the monitor at some distance from the baby to prevent radiation from reaching your loved ones.
- Do I need a baby monitor for a 2-year old?
It entirely depends on your need or preference of whether you want to keep a baby monitor for a 2-year old or not. If your baby tends to wake at night and you won’t hear their crying, then you should probably keep the baby monitored.
In another case, if your baby is sleeping through the night and you can also hear their weeping, then you won’t be needing a baby monitor anymore.
Conclusion.
Having technology at your home can be a great advantage, but if it’s getting too uncomfortable or you no longer need it, it’s better to get rid of it. The same is the case with these baby monitors, as you should ditch them if it’s costing you your sleep or causing you too much anxiety.
Also, when your babies are old enough that they don’t need 24/7 monitoring, you won’t be needing a monitoring device.
