2 pack n plays?

AnnP84

LO has outgrown his swing, bouncer, and jumper. Now that he's pulling himself up on everything and crawling around, i can't turn my back for a second without him getting into something. We have a pack n play upstairs but I'm wondering if it's worth getting a second for downstairs to put him in while making dinner or getting housework done. What do you do with your LOs when you need to get things done?

krazyinsane

This might sound rude but what type of things?
My DD#3 has taken her first steps and we just let her play while I'm doing most everything unless I need to shower or cook (she gets put in the highchair with snacks) so she isn't underfoot.

katwoman08

Baby jail? But we also have an exersaucer that little one still enjoys.

AnnP84

krazyinsane said:

This might sound rude but what type of things? My DD#3 has taken her first steps and we just let her play while I'm doing most everything unless I need to shower or cook (she gets put in the highchair with snacks) so she isn't underfoot.

Things like getting dinner started, letting the dog out, or even going to the bathroom. I'm not looking to keep my LO in there for long, just a safe place for him to play for a short while since he's become so active.

krazyinsane

Going to the bathroom I just let her play in the living room but she generally follows me, and letting the dog out she plays with her sisters or is on my back. We have the living room baby-proofed so the kids can be in there alone with no worries.

FmrAFBrat

We had two PnPs and I briefly used them both with 2 kids. I sold our smaller one and now the only one we have is our square one. I use it mainly for naps or a safe place for the baby to hang out while my toddler goes wild. Just a hint after the baby can pull up the rectangular PnPs aren't really safe as they can tip over.

bhjones1980

Baby Jail!  we use one at home for those times where I really just need him to stay contained for a few minutes.  Otherwise he is crawling around playing while I do household stuff.

AnnP84

bhjones1980 said:

Baby Jail!  we use one at home for those times where I really just need him to stay contained for a few minutes.  Otherwise he is crawling around playing while I do household stuff.

Exactly what I'd use it for too

AnnP84

Thanks for the responses! I'll probably end up skipping it since the amount of times we'd use it wouldn't be worth the money.

Schell2013

I have my house pretty baby proof. I've put away things that I don't want broken. To me I would rather her just play than be saying no don't touch all day long. When I go to the bathroom I just bring her with me. It's a little gross maybe to some ppl but to me it's NBD. As for when I cook I just bring her in the kitchen and give her a bowl and a spoon and that usually keeps her entertained. If not she goes in her high chair. Most of the time when I clean or grab laundry she just follows me around or waits at the top of the stairs for me to come back. But I don't know your house obviously, but not to sound snarky if you can't turn your head for 10 seconds you may need to do some more baby proofing and putting away things that they can't have.

Eta- when I have had to go outside to shovel snow or something I just put her in her crib with some toys and Ieave the curtains open so she knows its not sleep time and that is another safe place without having to buy anything.

AnnP84

Schell2013 said:

I have my house pretty baby proof. I've put away things that I don't want broken. To me I would rather her just play than be saying no don't touch all day long. When I go to the bathroom I just bring her with me. It's a little gross maybe to some ppl but to me it's NBD. As for when I cook I just bring her in the kitchen and give her a bowl and a spoon and that usually keeps her entertained. If not she goes in her high chair. Most of the time when I clean or grab laundry she just follows me around or waits at the top of the stairs for me to come back. But I don't know your house obviously, but not to sound snarky if you can't turn your head for 10 seconds you may need to do some more baby proofing and putting away things that they can't have. Eta- when I have had to go outside to shovel snow or something I just put her in her crib with some toys and Ieave the curtains open so she knows its not sleep time and that is another safe place without having to buy anything.

No worries, doesn't sound snarky. We've baby proofed, but I still get nervous about LO falling when pulling up on toys, our couches, etc. Eventually ill become less worried about it - I hope!

PumpkinAndThePeanut

We have two PnPs, one in the basement playroom and one on the main level so a baby can be put somewhere safe while the other one is carried upstairs/downstairs etc. if there's only one person home with them. For the upstairs level, we just put them in their cribs if we need to put them down somewhere safe and leave unattended for a few minutes. They don't play in the PnP anymore though.

Angela183

I put her in her crib with toys if I am home by myself. If the hubby is home, I hand her off to him!

TundraGirl

I put W in his play yard when I'm cooking supper. I can see him and we can "talk" about our days. He seems pretty content with our routine.

flyliceandcoffee

i've just resigned myself to the fact that I'll either get screamed at while S is in baby jail and I get stuff done, OR I don't get anything done.

kmcd23

Wait, they aren't safe once they can pull up? I bought one specifically after he could pull up so he'd have a softer place than the crib to learn how to fall in, and now he loves it.

FmrAFBrat

My ODS tipped over our original rectangle PnP when he was about 8 months so we opted for a square one. We actually used that with him until Christmas (little over 2) as our nap solution in our finished basement. Now DS2 is using it, as an actual safe play area & I'm buying a cot for ODS to use in our basement. We have a play area down there & I like to have a place for them to sleep there as well (mainly for bad weather).

Shoegal36

kmcd23 said:

Wait, they aren't safe once they can pull up? I bought one specifically after he could pull up so he'd have a softer place than the crib to learn how to fall in, and now he loves it.

I could be wrong, but I think this used to be an issue with the older pack n plays, but they have since changed the safety regulations and they have to be tested to be sure they can't tip. I'm sure I read that somewhere. 

Also, when I got mine the Graco website and the store website said that it had a 30 lb and 35 " limit or when they can climb out...but now when I look it only says 35" and when they can climb out. They seem to have removed the weight limitation. 

FmrAFBrat

Shoegal36 said:

kmcd23 said:

Wait, they aren't safe once they can pull up? I bought one specifically after he could pull up so he'd have a softer place than the crib to learn how to fall in, and now he loves it.

I could be wrong, but I think this used to be an issue with the older pack n plays, but they have since changed the safety regulations and they have to be tested to be sure they can't tip. I'm sure I read that somewhere. 

Also, when I got mine the Graco website and the store website said that it had a 30 lb and 35 " limit or when they can climb out...but now when I look it only says 35" and when they can climb out. They seem to have removed the weight limitation. 

The one that tipped was from 2011. It was a Carter's with a 30 lb & 35 inch limit.

rebaann

I got a baby jail for the living room and I put her in there when I'm going to be out of eyesight for more than a minute or so.

ordinary1

For using the bathroom, Annabelle usually follows me in, but she starts in the living room. Everything else, baby wearing!

kmcd23

Ok, so I've got a few pounds and plenty of inches. Whew!

I bought a cheap Cosco one, and couldn't find a weight/height limit. I asked at the store, and they told me those only applied to the ones with changers, which I didn't believe.

Shoegal36

FmrAFBrat said:

kmcd23 said:

Wait, they aren't safe once they can pull up? I bought one specifically after he could pull up so he'd have a softer place than the crib to learn how to fall in, and now he loves it.

I could be wrong, but I think this used to be an issue with the older pack n plays, but they have since changed the safety regulations and they have to be tested to be sure they can't tip. I'm sure I read that somewhere. 

Also, when I got mine the Graco website and the store website said that it had a 30 lb and 35 " limit or when they can climb out...but now when I look it only says 35" and when they can climb out. They seem to have removed the weight limitation. 

The one that tipped was from 2011. It was a Carter's with a 30 lb & 35 inch limit.

Well what I read said it was supposed to change in 2012 so that would make sense I guess and could be why they took the weight limits off the one I got.

https://babyproducts.about.com/od/play-yards/a/Play-Yard-Safety-Standards.htm