So my mom bought us a PnP as a gift for us and I am thinking of using it in our bedroom for our daughter to sleep in at night for the first couple of months. I assembled the PnP today and I'm having second thoughts. She bought a model that says it's made for infant use, but it doesn't have a curved bassinet attachment. Instead you can take the pad that is meant to sit on the bottom of the PnP and raise it higher for the infant to sleep on. It is similar to this...
https://www.gracobaby.com/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=1804097
I put it together today and I'm just not sure how sturdy this model is. To me the mattress feels flimsy and soft and when I push down on the mattress it squeaks and sinks in a little. Not too impressed... but I am a FTM and have no idea about this. Has anyone used this type of PnP for their infant to sleep in every night?
My other option is to use our Uppababy Vista bassinet attachment in our bedroom instead of the PnP for nightly use.
Re: Not sure about my PnP for infant use
That is what my son slept in for the first few months and this baby will as well. I think it seems much safer than the ones that have something that attach to the top! Once the baby is inside this, they aren't falling our or off!
Babies do not weigh much and it won't bow or creak when they are in it.
This is normal PnP setup. FYI babies are supposed to sleep on a firm, FLAT surface. Those soft cradling infant nappers are not recommended by safety experts for sleep, although some PnP include those in their design.
The PnP also has mesh wall to allow air to circulate to prevent babies from rebreathing in carbon dioxide and prevent overheating, which are SIDS risks.
The PnP construction varies from model to model and some are flimsier than others. Because the mattress board is made of 3 pieces, when you push on one spot, especially at the seam, it may shift and buckle, but imagine the weight of an 8 lb baby spread out evenly and it will probably do better. The upper basinette is typically rated to 15 lbs and it will offer more support once placed on the bottom. Check out other models in the store and see if they feel more supportive and sturdier than the one you have.
Our baby slept in the RnP and the flat PnP basinette for about 6 months (we eventually had to shift the mattress to the bottom to comply with weight restrictions) Beyond that we just use when traveling.
We let DD nap in the UBV bassinet, but didn't use it for overnight sleeping.
DD #1 born 4/1/2012
My Married Bio
I'm a FTM and I had the same feelings about using the PnP for the baby to sleep in. It just seems so flimsy and... I don't know the word I'm looking for... that's been happening a lot lately! Anyway, I posted about my poor impression on my BMB and the ladies there assured me that their newborns slept comfortably in the PnP for the first few months and it's a worthwhile piece of equipment to have. But I am still thinking about getting a nice bassinet instead.
First comes love, next comes marriage, then comes...
As a second time mom with 2 playards, I say get a nice bassinet or cradle instead. An added bonus is a lot of them rock as well. The first playard I had was very similar to the one that was posted. We didn't really get a lot of use out of the bassinet feature, I never felt it was sturdy enough & plus the weight limit is like 12 lbs. Plus when DS was around 7 or 8 months old, he was able to pull up & pummel the thing over. Not great. I ended up getting a pack-n-play similar to the one my mom has at her house & it's great even with a toddler (we have a finished basement we use). I'll post the one I have & the one my mom has, they are pretty much equal. That is what I wish I had gotten to start with. Both are sturdy...the Delta is really nice with padded railing. The Graco has cool toys on the side. I wanted the Graco but couldn't find it-however the Delta IMO is probably the most sturdy & well built playard I've seen.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Delta-Fun-Time-Playard/19524138
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-Totblock-Pack-N-Play/2037160?findingMethod=rr
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We have one just like that. My kids have slept in it just fine. It is actually very ideal for nighttime usage. It is bigger than a regular bassinet so you will be able to use it longer as well.
Try not to over think it
Emily 8.8.08
Madeline 1.2.11
William 8.5.12
The full-sized bassinet is GREAT, IMO. When DS was really tiny we could have him sleep on one side of the bassinet and at the other side we would have like the wipes and diapers set up. When he got bigger, we could still use the full-size bassinet. The smaller bassinets they outgrow faster.
As for the mattress, that's how they are on all the full-sized bassinets.
I agree with PPs, our LO slept in the PNP for the first 6 months of his life. I'd be more worried about the small enclosed space of a bassinet vs. the mesh sides of a PnP -- I'm paranoid but I could imagine baby flipping over and getting stuck on her tummy in the bassinet. Also, my friends who used bassinets moved their LOs out of their rooms by 3 months or so because they'd outgrown the bassinet --we were able to roomshare for 6 months and could have go longer in the PnP.
As PP said, don't overthink it
This exactly! We used our bassinet for two nights before bringing the PNP up to our room. I was so nervous about the enclosed space of the bassinet. The mesh sides of the PNP allow the air to circulate.