Did you/do you use a monitor for your toddler?

[wendibird22]

DD is 26mos. We just moved her to her big girl room and big girl bed in preparation for the arrival of DD2. We have used a baby monitor all along and continue to do so now that she's in the new room. She sleeps in a twin bed pushed up against a wall and with a toddler rail. She's a great sleeper. We keep her bedroom door fully closed at night and so far, she seems to stay in bed...no wandering the room or trying to leave the room. But, we rely on the monitor to hear her when she wakes up in the morning or after a nap. She'll just lie in bed chatting with her babies or tapping the wall and so hearing her is the only way we know she's awake (we have a two story house).

So, we are wondering what to do once DD2 arrives. We'll obviously want the monitor for the baby's room. Should we get another monitor? Should we teach DD1 a way to let us know she's awake or needs us? She doesn't have the ability to turn the door knob on her bedroom door yet and I'm not so sure I want to teach her LOL! And I worry that leaving her door ajar is an invite for her to roam the hallway.

What do you/did you do?

[pb&j]

Two kids, two monitors. I thought about getting one of those dual monitors, but in the end, it made more sense to just get a second monitor. We have 2 Sony BabyCalls, tuned to different channels. It's worked out great.

[maylips]

We are currently using only one, although DD can (and will) get up out of bed by herself. However, we can still faintly hear her through the first monitor so it may depend on how close your rooms are together. If they are close, try putting the first monitor in the nursery and see if you can hear DD in her room.

I don't know why I'm frugal about some things (like buying a second monitor) and then spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff over in the bargains section! :)

[arivecchi]

We still use one with our toddler, so we just bought a new one for DS2.

[mommylamb]

We stopped using our monitor a long time ago. His room is close to ours, and I wake up if I hear him at night without a problem. Sometimes DS wakes up for a nap, but he's happy to sit and talk to himself and I go listen in from time to time. Maybe it would be different if he were in a big boy bed and could get out, but he's still in a crib and has never tried to climb out. I usually know he's up because I hear him singing the ABC song or counting really loudly.

[hillview]

We used a dual monitor for a few months mainly when a DC was sleeping and we were on porch or 2 floors apart etc but I didn't use them when I was in the house on same floor +/- 1 floor.
/hillary

[elektra]

Two kids, two monitors.
:yeahthat:
I got a video monitor for DS's room that I will move to DD's room once she is out of her crib. I am imagining that I am going to need to keep an eye on her as she is roaming her room or jumping on her bed. We have a Sony Babycall that I am now using for DD.