A.F.
Are the girls going to be in separate rooms? Are they close? When we needed a monitor for two rooms, we just put one monitor outside between both rooms. Then we could hear which one was up and about and go tend to that one. If we just heard noise and that someone was up and we couldn't tell who, then we would go up and check. When we heard through the door, we'd open the right door. We only had a Safety 1st two channel one. Not very expensive. But we only used one with four kids 3 and under. Another thing to consider: All of our kids were out of their cribs and into a twin bed (starting with just the mattress on the floor, then the box spring, then eventually on the frame) by 18 months. Mostly because we needed the crib. But after doing it, we noticed that it became much easier at bedtimes and naptimes. Our youngest (just turned 2) has been in a twin bed since right after her first birthday. The point is this: if you put your older one in a twin bed, then at naptime, after she's asleep, you can go open her door a crack so that when she wakes up she can come out on her own. You don't necessarily need the monitor in her room. We do that with our youngest now. With that kind of freedom for her, she actually chooses to take a nap in the afternoon rather than fighting me on it. I can ask her if she would rather take a nap or play some more, and she will actually say "nap" and reach her arms up for me to carry her to her bed. I think it's because she knows she won't be trapped in there, and when she's awake, she can just come out when she's done. Anyway, long story short, try just using one monitor between both rooms. After all, you don't really need to hear every little peep either of them make anyway, or try just using it for the baby and letting the older one have a little more sleeping freedom by moving her to a big bed. As for two monitors? Couldn't tell you. I never did it.
