Making a Pack-n-Play Comfortable yet Safe

[mrsfrenchy]

My DD2 (13 months) has aways been a crappy sleeper.  She's just now getting to the point to where I can put her to bed and count on her sleeping 90 minutes (just barely long enough for me to put away some toys and take a shower), maybe 2-3 hours on a GREAT night.  I always have to nurse her to sleep.  She gets mad if DH tries to put her to sleep.

Our sitter during the day has, by some miracle, gotten DD to go to sleep in the Pack-n-Play, which is in our computer room, with NO crying.  The first day, DD yelled a few times, our sitter poked her head in and said it was time to take a nap.  She laid down and went to sleep!

Anyway, long story short.  We tried this twice this week when she was trying to play with me instead of nurse to sleep.  DH was in the room, on the computer, and she was totally fine.  Just laid down and went to sleep. (I think if she were alone in the room, she would have gotten quite upset)  She slept from 7:45-1:30AM!!!  And the next night she slept until 3:50AM!   She has never done that before.  Last night she coslept with me and woke up every hour.

So, anyway, this is my question:  I think we'll all feel better if we get some decent blocks of sleep at night (I've suspected for a while that she would be less whiny and cranky during the day if she slept more).  But I feel like the pack-and-play is similar to sleeping on the floor in terms of comfortablility.  She has a pillow pet in there (so basically a pillow) and a little blanket (I know from sleeping with her that she's safe with these two things.

DH suggested folding up an old comforter for her to lay on, but that's not safe in my opinion.

Any ideas?

I don't think she would stay in a floor bed and we don't have a crib (or the space for it or the money for it).

Or is it really not that bad to sleep in a pack-n-play? 

[Agatha_Ann]

My last three kids slept in a pack n play for naps and at night once they left our bed, but were too young for a "big kid bed" My DD was perfectly happy to sleep with just a pillow in there. My boys though I had a sheepskin in between the pad and their sheet. If she seems to be fine sleeping there, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[CherryBombMama]

we have used a folded up comforter in the pack in play with no problems. my ds naps at my moms in it, and he was around 1yr when we started using the comfortor, and now at almost 2, we have never seen it crumple up or become unfolded or anything. i have also used really big heavy blankets, folded them, and the are always in place when nap time is over.

then again, i am very relaxed when it comes to safety issues :)

[Super~Single~Mama]

My ds slept in a pack n play with no problems.  We did have a mattress pad (organic, but I don't think it matters too much) that fit the mattress in there, and then put a sheet over that.  Worked like a charm.

Honestly, she wouldn't sleep if she were uncomfortable, so I wouldn't worry a bit.

[RRMum]

Hi, my DS (only 6 months) sleeps in a pack and play every night.  We didn't expect this, but it is what has worked best. We don't use any extra padded (ours does have an ok pad on the sleep surface.  Anyway, we plan to use this as long as it works and avoid buying a crib. I'm also going to try the mat on the floor when we are ready to move him to his own room, but I fully expect that he will not stay in bed so this attempt will come with some serious childproofing in his room.  If it makes you feel any better, I lived overseas for a while and many children around the world sleep on hard floors with very little cushioning.  You are making a fine choice!  happy sleeping to you!

[Piratelady2525]

My almost one year old son has also slept in a pack and play for months, next to my side of the bed so he can see me through the mesh sides, and this has worked the best for us too!  He has always been a problem sleeper, and seems most comfortable in there with just a folded quilt over the bottom-we tuck the edges under the bottom of the pad so it doesnt bunch up.  Never had any trouble with it! 

[Orionsmama]

DS has slept in a Pack n Play since day one. He is only 8mos so he still sleeps on the elevated mattress but he is perfectly happy and gets a pretty good nights sleep. We have it next to our bed so he is easily accessible for nighttime nursing. We have a few thin folded up blankets on the mattress and then have put the crib sheet over top of the blankets to prevent any smothering of any sort. It is super soft and comfy. Babies R Us and also Amazon sell the deeper pack and play sheets to make it easier to cover the folded blankets. 

[Greenlea]

Good question.  My 3mth old son is currently sleeping in a cradle next to our bed, but will be in a pack n play by next month because my sister who is pregnant will be needing the cradle (its a family heirloom).  We aren't moving him to the crib yet as my older son is still using it.

I think though, at 13mths old, she is old enough to sleep with some bedding or a comforter laid down.  But I guess I'm pretty relaxed when it comes to bedding - my 3mth old sleeps with a blanket and his Boppy in his cradle. 

[insidevoice]

At 13 months I don't have so many concerns about soft surfaces as I would with a tiny baby.  

That said, my youngest was a terrible sleeper anywhere, but once I invested in a sheepskin life was so much better! He still loves his sheepskin, and it holds up better than most blankies that get dragged around and abused. I can set it on any surface, and it functions as a sleep cue. He does cosleep with me most of the time, but sheepy is it for naps. 

[mkksmom]

On vacation, I remember folding up a comforter and putting it UNDER the pnp mattress, so she still had the firmness of the mattress with a little extra cushioning. She slept much better after I did that.

[new2this]

DD slept in the PnP for the first 5 months. between naps and once we figured out that she needed her space to sleep. 

I sometimes had a heavier blanket or just the sheet she didn't seem to notice either way. 

[Skinjob]

Originally Posted by Orionsmama 

We have a few thin folded up blankets on the mattress and then have put the crib sheet over top of the blankets to prevent any smothering of any sort.

We do the exact same thing and it works like a charm. Our baby slept terribly with us (waking up every 15 minutes, constant thrashing) until one night out of desperation we put her in the pack n play and - voila! - sweet, sweet sleep. Some babies sleep better on their own. I try not to feel guilty about it because she is no longer miserably underslept during the day and everyone's happy. When I read those extremist articles that indicate co-sleeping is pretty much necessary with all children, I have to remind myself that all babies are different. It's perfectly okay for your baby to be sleeping in the pack n play - as long as she's sleeping!

[RRMum]

"We have a few thin folded up blankets on the mattress and then have put the crib sheet over top of the blankets to prevent any smothering of any sort."

I followed this advice to and it seems to help a little.  Thanks for posting it!

[Beebsmom]

I have always been pretty lax with the sleeping arrangements with our DS.  I started out using our co-sleeper and we did have to put a comforter and a couple blankets down b/c he just would thrash and try getting comfortable.  He co-sleeps with us most nights...and our bed is super soft and has a squishy top...so I figured the co-sleeper was too much of a change. I bought a quilted pack and play sheet, and put a folded crib sized duvet in there and he LOVES his blankies tucked all around him and sleeps great. He just turned 6 months and is now sleeping on his back on a small pillow.  Pretty flat pillow, but it has made naps much better.  We still co-sleep 90% of the time, but that 10% when I have to get stuff done it really helps having the arms reach co-sleeper!

Good luck and let us know what you decide!