Your baby is wise beyond her years. She knows what’s good for you. She knows that by waking up at random times during the night she’s keeping you on your toes and setting you up for long-term success. You’ll thank her later.
Here are ten of the many thoughtful reasons why your baby wakes up at night:
1- Because you enjoy being surprised by an ice-cold cup of tea in the microwave.
2- Because you don’t want to be burned by hot bath water: a tepid stew of popped bubbles is safer.
3- Because flat-ironing only one side of your hair is a new trend you’re starting.
4- Because not knowing if Jon Snow is alive or dead is all part of the fun.
5- Because melted ice cream is easier to eat than the frozen stuff.
6- Because waxing only one of your eyebrows gives you a permanent, quizzical expression that makes you look intelligent.
7- Because ending your conversation abruptly with your best friend just gives you more to talk about when your schedules match up again in two months.
8- Because reading only one paragraph at a time makes the latest issue of Vanity Fair last for months.
9 – Because postponing sex just makes it so much better the next time you and your partner are both awake, alone and amorous again.
10- Because you just bragged on Facebook about your baby finally sleeping through the night, and if anything, her goal in life is to keep you humble.
So to return the favour, we parents should probably at least try to avoid waking our bundles of joy unnecessarily. They put a lot of effort into waking up at the precise moment we least want expect it, so stepping on Sophie La Girafe as we sneak in to check on them is something to be avoided at all costs.
Joking aside, I know we all put a lot of energy into making sure our children stay asleep. I’ve personally perfected the baby-carrier-to-bed transfer, the painstaking-removal-of-nipple-from-mouth followed by stealthy roll off the bed and the pretend-to-be-sleeping-without-actually-falling-asleep trick. Since we co-sleep, Little Miss is put to bed in our queen-size bed (with a bed rail). Accidentally waking her as I burst in the bedroom door thinking she’s fallen off the bed (it’s hard to tell where sounds are coming from in our fourplex) is something I like to avoid, which is where the Philips Avent Digital Video Baby Monitor comes in.
I used to think that video baby monitors were overkill—a classic tool of crazy helicopter parents. Alas, I also used to think that co-sleeping was weird. Since I like to conserve my energy, being able to see that the crying baby I hear is actually coming from my husband’s TV show and not my bedroom by glancing at a little monitor on my counter gives me a few more precious moments of alone time. (Until I apply the wax to my second eyebrow … )
The parent unit has a crystal clear 3.5″ screen and 10-hour battery life. I don’t have to worry about plugging it in as I move from room to room. Although I haven’t had cause to use it, there’s also a 2x zoom and pan feature.
The Philips Avent Digital Baby Monitor has received the PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) Seal of Approval thanks to its thoughtful design. Besides providing a secure and private way for you to be close to baby as you tackle the never-ending “While baby’s asleep” to-do list, the monitor also features a night light, five different lullabies (which can be controlled from the parent unit), a talk-back feature (particularly enjoyed by my preschooler) and a temperature sensor. ECO Mode switches off the audio/video connection if baby is sleeping soundly, connecting the units only if baby makes a sound. In case you miss your 90s pager, you can even set the parent unit to vibrate if baby stirs. You can also turn the sound off and be alerted to any disturbances with three sound-level lights.
We all have different sleep routines for our kids, from co-sleeping to crib-sleeping to nobody-is-ever-sleeping … whether you mount the camera on the wall or place it on a shelf or bedside table, the Philips Avent Digital Baby Monitor is a versatile and user-friendly device that (hopefully) gives your baby one less reason to wake up tonight.
Find out more about the Philips Avent Digital Baby Monitor here.
Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Philips Avent and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
meghan bruce says
love the top 10 list.
Kim K says
No I do not have a monitor
Marra says
I don’t have a monitor yet and our baby is coming in 2 months. I would love to win this for our newborn.
Sarah De Diego says
I had an audio monitor (not video) and it allowed us to sit out in our sunroom (that is closed off from the house) and not have to worry that The Kids were crying. It really gave me freedom to not worry.
Besos Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
DebP says
No, we didn;t have a monitor.
Angela D says
I never ended up buying a monitor when my little was a newborn, I wish I had! You have no idea how many times I burst into his room and woke him up! Haha , I still don’t have s monitor but think of getting one often!
kathy downey says
We didn’t have a baby monitor when my kids were small so many years ago,honestly i don’t think they were available back then.My daughter is expecting her first in Feb. and i would love to win so she may have one on her parenting journey.
Elaine R says
My daughter has a monitor for my grandchildren but not a monitor with a visual picture. I think it would be so helpful to not only be able to hear the baby but also to see the baby.
Amie M says
We have the audio monitor that came with the AngelCare mattress pad. We never use the mattress pad that detects lack of movement, but have used the sound monitor on occasion. We turned it on when we would have a bonfire in the backyard, or were doing renos in the basement.
Our house is small enough, that we could hear baby anywhere, but the basement.
Kendra G says
I’m in the market for a new monitor. Love the blog!
Lauren Dyer says
My daughter is starting to nap in her crib and will soon be sleeping in it at night…Hopefully. I’ve been trying to decide on a monitor so I can stop sneaking into her room during nap time and having my rambunctious dog follow me thinking it’s a game.
Nicole van der Dussen says
I had an amazing monitor gifted to me for my first child but didn’t use it as my house was small enough to hear my child from anywhere. It sure came in handy when baby-sitting though, as I didn’t know how someone else’s child slept so it gave me the peace of mind I needed for naptimes
Aneta says
Love this. I am really looking forward to my kids getting to an age when I can enjoy a hot cup of coffee, have a piping hot bath (alone), and when sex doesn’t have to happen when it is insanely late or when we lock ourselves in a spare room hoping noone realizes we are gone.
Amy C says
I have a baby monitor, it’s just one were you can hear if the baby wakes up. It would be great to see and hear.
Wendy hutton says
No I did not have a baby monitor, sure would have been nice would have saved many trips upstaris
Bailey says
We don’t have a monitor but considering baby won’t sleep unless he’s being held, we don’t have much use for one. I can’t wait until we need one!
Elishia says
I have an audio only monitor but really wish I had bought a video monitor instead. It’s on my must have list for #2!
Nancy Lafrance says
Would love to use this for our youngest daughter!
Natalie L says
No I dont have a monitor. It just makes me listen better so I can hear my 10 month old daughter
Monika says
Yes Please!
Donna L. says
No I do not own a baby monitor.
Leeanne C says
Only an audio monitor and I would have loved to be able to see the baby then you have peace of mind. Technology has gotten so much more advanced. Love it. I know with an audio monitor you can hear your baby but it’s nice when you can look in on them without going to the room I find this is frequently.
Michelle says
We have a 3 year old Motorola one which has been ok until it just died. NO battery life 🙁
Rosanne Robinson says
We had a baby monitor for our grandson and used it faithfully when he stayed with us.
Tina F says
Did not have a monitor at first. Got one shortly after but not a video one only a audio. I have a video and audio one now for my spec needs son for his seizures that alllows me to be able to do more. Monitors are a great divice for sure.
l p says
don’t have a monitor but it would be the perfect gift for a friend. thanks
CARMEN SHAW says
Aonitor both eased and increased my anxiety as a new parent. A video monitor would do more to help me relax I think.
ryan little says
no we didnt have a monitor…but we need one for our newborn due any day now
Gord says
We never used a baby monitor. They were quite rare and quite expensive back then.
Janet M says
I had an audio monitor but it did not always work well.
Sandra McG says
We had a baby monitor for our granddaughter. I liked it a lot…video would be even better!
s powell says
No, I do not have a baby monitor.
Jill Pleasance says
Need a monitor for new baby
Briana S says
I had an audio monitor for my toddler – and we still use it for her at 3! I am a heavy sleeper and like to be able to keep tabs on her since she has a lot of nightmares (almost nightly). Baby is still sleeping in our room but we will definitely use a monitor once she moves out.
Samantha D says
Is this monitor on the market yet? It sounds fantastic! We are looking for one for our first baby due in Match, but I clicked over to Amazon and it doesn’t seem to be available yet.
Ashley Stone says
I have a monitor. It’s the best! I’ve used it since day one. Weve even taken it on several vacations. My son is 15 months and we still use it 🙂
Amber Y says
We are only starting our parenting journey, but a video monitor is at the top of my shopping list as we prepare for baby to come! I can’t imagine not having one. It will deffinitely provide a ton of peace of mind for me.
Ashley Abgrall says
It would be nice to have a video monitor to give us the ability to see what he is really doing.
Logan says
Currently don’t have a baby monitor but if and when we get one I definitely am looking for one with video! I hated hearing things through the sound monitors. Not knowing what was going on and having to go into the babies room and risking waking them up because I made to much noise going in of having to use a light! I think a video monitor even just for naps would give me a great piece of mind to be able to check In on them whenever I want!
Laura Hill says
Yes we still use a monitor with our toddler but had issues with the sound and battery life. With baby #2 we still want a video monitor as it gave us such peace of mind in those early months as new parents who weren’t sure what THAT sound might be. As our toddler got older and moved into a big bed it helped us to see if she was staying in bed or roaming the room at night. This monitor looks great and has so many features!
Savannah says
This monitor looks and sounds like one we could really use with this next babe. 😉
For some reason the giveaway won’t ;oad for me thought…. ;(
Savannah says
This monitor looks and sounds like one we could really use with this next babe. 😉
For some reason the giveaway won’t load for me thought…. ;(
ruth moreira-lozon says
We did have a monitor and it really helped. We don’t have a big house, by any means, but it was great to hear my son anywhere I was. Thank you for the opportunity.
thomas rusinak says
A monitor is so essential, important,practical. It is a must!
Karen Thaeter says
this would be a wonderful gift to win for my new grandchild
loriag says
We only had a audio monitor.
Bethany says
LOVE having a video monitor! I have no idea what I would do, as an anxious mommy, if I couldn’t see *why* baby is crying or making a particular sound before rushing into the room. We purchased a discontinued last item video monitor from Costco for $40 when we had our first LO 2.5 years ago. Though it has lived a great life, Baby #3 is coming in May and I’m waiting for the day it stops working (as the buttons are all faded and the children LOVE playing with it when the back is turned)! lol And it wouldn’t hurt to have a second for monitoring our 11 month old, if it did choose to live on! lol
sara vorel says
This monitor would be perfect!
Wyzkastly says
This is my first baby, so I’ve never had a baby monitor before.
@mykeholly says
Hilarious read!
I have the old ‘muffled sound only’ monitor. This would be a great win!
Kelsey says
We have one with our current babe. It has been awesome! It means that I can work in my craft room, or outside, or just read on the couch and be able to know if that sound I heard was the little one actually moving around and awake or just getting comfy again.
KD says
I have a baby monitor and use it regularly. I cosleep with my baby, but she goes to sleep before me. This allows me to get things done, but to hear her if she wakes up before I come to bed.
megan h says
we do have a moniter and I’d be lost without it
Linda says
This would be handy!
charlotte wormsley says
We need a new monitor after our preschooler beat the first one with a toy hammer (yay parenting!) This would do the trick for sure!
Rebecca says
We’re on baby #4, I could use a video baby monitor for sure! I love your blogs mamanloups!
Alicia says
This would be great since our monitor just quit!
Vanessa S. says
I never had a monitor with my first because we live in a small apartment, but now with number two, we definitely need one! This one looks like it would be great!
Alison Milne says
We bought a monitor for our first baby which is on it’s last legs 🙁 I loved how it gave us peace of mind. We are due with our second in a few months and would love a new one, I particularly love the zoom feature on this one.
Trista says
I could use this video monitor for my 3 month old!
Jessica Madia says
Love the list! I’m investing in a video monitor for my second baby, and haven’t heard much about this one. Thanks for sharing!
Cat Carter says
We are using a sound only monitor. A video monitor would be handy as our non verbal kiddo is super quiet.
Sarah says
Great post, great info
Nicole says
We only have a flakey audio monitor.
Guillaume Giroux says
I would be awesome to win this with our second baby arriving withing a week. 🙂
Laura says
This monitor looks awesome. I need a new one mine has no battery life at all.
Michelle Flaherty says
Been wanting to try a video monitor for all my babies, but haven’t had it in the funds. This will be baby #3 so I’d love to try one!
Logan says
Would love this to watch my baby during naps
Rachel says
My fourth baby sleeps upstairs, and the play room and TV are two floors down. A monitor would be a huge asset and anxiety-reducing tool for me! My husband thinks it’s silly, so I don’t have one yet!
Lisa M says
I do have a monitor but not a video one. Would love to have a video monitor as it would help to know whether to go into the room or to leave her a bit to settle. I have the baby who doesn’t like to sleep 🙁