Pack n Play as only crib?

beckstyle

Hey, Im jumping over from 1st trimester, but I think you new moms can help me with this!

We won't have a lot of living space when the little one comes, and I am curious if it is safe/ok to use a pack n play as the only crib? Im thinking about one like this...

https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Playard-Newborn-Napper-Classic/dp/B004O4DU2I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1317394785&sr=8-4

Im curious if any of you are using a pack n play kinda thing and how it works for you? Any ideas on at what point to stop using the bassinet part for safety reasons?

Thanks!

rowanleaves

We use a CoSleeper as our only crib since we live in a big studio. We love it. LO spends most of his time in our bed, though.

lanbob

I used only the pack-n-play for our oldest for the same reason and it worked great. I never used the bassinet though.

heather_09_15_07

The weight limit on the bassinet for a Graco is 15 pounds, I think. We used the pnp for a crib for the first few months. I suppose it would be fine long term.

covertxxamour

I think it would be okay as long as your LO likes it. My (almost) 3 week old absolutely wouldn't sleep in the bassinet in our bedroom, and won't even lay down in the PNP in the livingroom. She has slept in her crib the entire time.

hepcats

It is actually what we used exclusively for the first 2 or 3 weeks. The one that you have listed there with the newborn napper is especially good. Just make sure to pay attention to the weight/size guidelines for the napper, the bassinet, and then the main portion so that you're not leaving LO in there past the time they should, size wise. You will definitely need to plan on getting something by 1 year I would think, if not sooner, depending on how quickly your LO grew, but it's totally usable up until they grow out of it. And it's awesome!

Structenggal

heather_09_15_07:

The weight limit on the bassinet for a Graco is 15 pounds, I think. We used the pnp for a crib for the first few months. I suppose it would be fine long term.

Yeah, 15# is the limit of the bassinet.  DS2 is 2.5 months and is still in the bassinet portion.  

The only thing that would make me hesitate to use the pnp long term is the thin mattress.  I think it's fine when it's hanging in the bassinet assembly, but when you move it to the bottom of the pnp, it's just resting on the metal crossbars below and might not be the most comfortable thing ever.  Though if it's all your DC knows, maybe that's not an issue?

They also make mini cribs that might work for you?  It's essentially the same size as a pnp (if I understand the measurements correctly)

https://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Kalani-Mini-Crib-Espresso/dp/B002ZG7JQA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1317395990&sr=8-5 

memali26

We used the bassinet of the PNP for 5 months with DD1 (she was a peanut and didn't hit the 15lb limit until almost 6 months) and then she slept in the bottom for another month or so after that before moving out of our room and into her crib. At 19 months she still sleeps in it when we travel.

We're currently are attempting the bassinet for DD2 but she is having none of it. If I can get her to sleep in it we'll use it for 6ish months with her in our room as well.

BobbiJanay07

It's bad for their backs long term.

crystal959

We're using our pack n play as a crib right now while we're living at my parents house and looking for our own place.

We'll stop using the bassinet part when she's more mobile. Just like when DD1 had an actual crib and we had to lower the mattress.

backinpgh

My only concern would be durability. Those things aren't really made for regular daily use, and I'm assuming after using it that way for some time it will start to wear out. By the time you spend $100+ on a PNP that might fall apart after daily use, I'd just spend the money on a crib and sacrifice the space. A PNP will probably end up being open all the time anyway, so you aren't saving THAT much space.

globalwife

We only have a PnP and don't have any plans to buy a crib. We are also limited on space. At 6 weeks she is doing just fine and I am glad we didn't buy a crib in addition. Go for it!

ashg8r

One other thing to consider is that I know a lot of toddlers that were climbing out of PNP's by 15-18 months.  Then, you have to decide if you're going to transition to a big kid bed at that time, or switch them to a crib (harder to climb out of.)