Wait...Pack N' Play??

PunkRockPrincess1313 · January 2012

So...I googled it based on the post from the arms reach co-sleeper person (was it you Blueberry??) and now I am like...SHOOT...Do I need one of these?

I live in a one bedroom...so the LESS stuff the BETTER...but is this something that can REPLACE a crib? or would I technically NEED both??

The sleeping situation stuff is the most frustrating and hard to understand...

Thanks in advance for tips/advice! ^_^

emeraldJ17 · January 2012

You don't need it. I plan to keep mine on the first floor in case I want lo to nap downstairs with me. I'll also use it to travel with when we go to our in laws. The fold up pretty well.

imimahoney · January 2012

We're getting one because we travel frequently to see my family in NY. They are great and last forever. My niece (2 yo) still uses her's when she comes to visit us.

PunkRockPrincess1313 · January 2012

theresat858:
A PackNPlay is an acceptable alternative to a crib (they give them out in some low-income communities to families who can't afford cribs so that babies will have a safe place to sleep).

Thank you very much. I will have to check out and see benefits of both.

I do like the idea of being able to take it on the go! We do travel and both grandparents are super close (my mom lives next door), so this might be a nice option.

nannwofor · January 2012

YES.....it can replace the crib....and NO you do not have to invest in a crib....The pack and play saves a lot of space and it is portable....I myself decided to opt for an pack n play this go round because i found that I used the pack n play more than I used the crib, and it also save you money. But hey JMT.....

melrrr · January 2012

I bough one used much later when she became mobile because she comes to work with me. I rarely used it in our house because it was small too. My parents bought a very basic one to keep at their house and my SIL brought her old one to my FIL's to use when we are there.

CC.to.be · January 2012

I only used the Pack N Play when DS was little. He slept in it every night. I also have a bassinet and crib. I hated the bassinet, he only slept in it once. I felt the walls were too narrow and therefore would cause a suffocation hazard. He was just too little for his crib and I wanted him next to me in the bedroom, so I moved my pack n play in my bedroom and that is where he slept. I think Pack N Plays are great for the first few months, but there is usually a 15lb weight limitation on the bassinet top. After he outgrew that he went to sleeping in his crib because the bottom of the Pack N Play is very stiff, and you can feel the metal bars.So if I were you I would probably only get a crib.

JEK76 · January 2012

Seems like i am in the minority here, but I definitely could have survived without the pack and play with my son. We had it and lugged to around to places but rarely ever used it. Now, at 2 y/o he's too long to fit comfortably in it anyway. The bottom is very, very lightly padded and I don't think it would have been super comfortable for sleeping in every night (but that's just my opinion.)

arees5335 · January 2012

I think the pack n' play will be fine. Is the crib more comfortable- possibly. but stick another quilt on the bottom and it will give it a little more cushion. We plan on using our pack n' play for baby #3 for probably the first 6 months cause kiddo #2 is still using the crib...ya do what you have to do.

But even if you decide to get a crib- if you travel a lot- the pack n' play is WAY nice. LOVE it.

stemms8810 · January 2012

I loved mine with my DD. We have a 2 story house and it's nice to have downstairs for diaper changes and a place for baby to nap or lay for a minute if you need to leave the room. When she got older and mobile it was more handy for just a place to sit her real quick and I knew she was safe while I would go to the bathroom, grab a load of laundry, etc.

sausy14 · January 2012

JEK76:
Seems like i am in the minority here, but I definitely could have survived without the pack and play with my son. We had it and lugged to around to places but rarely ever used it. Now, at 2 y/o he's too long to fit comfortably in it anyway. The bottom is very, very lightly padded and I don't think it would have been super comfortable for sleeping in every night (but that's just my opinion.)

I, too, am in the minority. I never bought one and never wished I had one. I did borrow one from a friend for a day. We were moving houses and needed all available hands and had the doors propped open. Cora was almost 1 year old and enjoyed playing in it since she had no idea what it was. After a couple hours, she was done and wanted nothing to do with it.

It probably depends on the reasons you would want one and space availability, but I wouldn't count it as a necessity. I'm all about having as few things as possible though.

JennyJensing · January 2012

theresat858:
A PackNPlay is an acceptable alternative to a crib (they give them out in some low-income communities to families who can't afford cribs so that babies will have a safe place to sleep).

This. Plus, some of them have bassinet features as well now, so it could replace that!

Mrs.Clash · January 2012

We honestly hardly ever used ours with DD. She used the bassinet in our room for the first few months then went into her crib. I thought I needed to have it for naps and so forth, but it really was not a necessity! This time I think I will get more use out of it for the fact that I am freaked out DD, who is 2, will be able to pull over the bassinet, so I am thinking of using the pack n play in our bedroom instead of the bassinet. I am certainly hoping we get more use out of it this time!

jennayake · January 2012

We have a crib, a big PNP and a small PNP. DD slept in the bassinet part of both PNP's for the first 5 weeks ( small PNP in our room and big PNP in living room) and then moved her to her crib. We kept the big PNP in the living room as it had a diaper changing part too and the little PNP went to my mother in laws. DD still takes a nap in the big PNP that is now at MIL's.

Ammers197 · January 2012

I originally wasn't going to get a pack n play... as both my mom and my IL's will have cribs at their house but DH and I are carpeting our basement and making that a family room and a play room, so i want to have one down there that we can put him in to nap if we are down there or when i am doing laundry and such...

Laxbugg1410 · January 2012

You live in a one-bedroom apartment, so are you planning on having the baby in a crib in your room?

If that is the case, then you do not need a PNP or a co-sleeper because the crib will be right there. Most people (myself included) who initially use a bassinet or cosleeper or PNP (in the bedroom) have set up the baby's crib in another room so it is much more convenient to have one of those other options available in the first few weeks/months. But if the crib is in the room, then the baby is right there so you can just use that.

Hope this answers your question!

IsaacA · January 2012

I've only used the pnp about 5-6 times since DS was born.

DS used a basinet the first four months he was born. I gave it to another cousin of mine that was having a baby. So, this time I plan to use the pnp (since it has a basinet option) for the first 4 months with LO. But we'll move LO to his own crib after 4 months.

PunkRockPrincess1313 · January 2012

Laxbugg1410:

You live in a one-bedroom apartment, so are you planning on having the baby in a crib in your room?

If that is the case, then you do not need a PNP or a co-sleeper because the crib will be right there. Most people (myself included) who initially use a bassinet or cosleeper or PNP (in the bedroom) have set up the baby's crib in another room so it is much more convenient to have one of those other options available in the first few weeks/months. But if the crib is in the room, then the baby is right there so you can just use that.

Hope this answers your question!

Yes...we are planning on having the LO in the room with us for quite some time...which is why for night time stuff, I was looking at the cosleeper for closeness and ease but *shrug* ...it is all very confusing. I figure that at sometime...I will have the perfect image of what I want to do! haha

Eventually...LO will have this section of the HUGE livingroom (it used to be a 2 bedroom place they changed to a one bedroom...WHY!?!?)

thank you all for your ideas and opinions!

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