Expecting Mother and Pack-n-play

[mommy2be2011]

For those of you that are thinking about or do have a pack-n-play, do you think there acceptable to have? Or are you against having pack-n-plays? To me its just another form of a babysitter, an excuse so the parents don't need their full attention on their child. Yet if your trying to cook dinner or at a relatives house its easy to use as a portable crib. My boyfriend wants to buy one for our baby, who is yet to be born. And I'm still deciding on the idea of using one. What do you all think out there, are you for pack-n-plays or against?

[Marissamom]

we have one. we use it for a safe place for naps and for the first part of the night. we primarily cosleep, so don't own a crib. they can also be really handy if you don't cosleep and are traveling or if you need a safe place to put the baby. I don't believe in keeping baby in one to play for hours at a time, but I also don't think they're horrid. 

[tea_time]

I had a pnp with my first child and will use it again with my 2nd.  However, not for playing only for sleeping when traveling/away from home.  In fact we didn't even get it until she was a few months old/no longer sleeping with us.

Personally I tried to minimize container parenting.  So although we had a swing and a bouncer to use at times we didn't use a pnp for play.

[love4bob]

I have never once used our pack and play for containing the baby, it's always been used for sleeping. We cosleep when baby is still nursing through the night, but my babies have tended to night wean early, so they were sleeping in their own beds. When we travel pnp's are the BEST. They are also good for when I babysit other's kids who need naps. 

[Chamomile Girl]

My pack and play was the only way I got any garden work done (hmmm..a different kind of container gardening?). It was also used for visits to my mother's house as she has NO clutter-free child-safe spaces. The down side to that was she seemed to take issue with the fact I didn't want to leave him in there more than about twenty minutes ("he'll be fiiiine" ).

Plus if you don't have a crib it provides a safe place to put the kid while you go to the bathroom.

[weliveintheforest]

You could always just wait and see, and buy it if it seems like you need it.  The good thing about them is they pack up fairly small if you don't use it much. 

[NannyMcPhee]

I loved mine for visiting. I could put the baby somewhere safe - not all homes are babyproof - when he was asleep and be able to visit and hang out in peace.

There are also times after you have a child where you want to do things like go to the toilet, or brush your teeth, make yourself some food so you don't fall over, put a clean shirt on etc where things like pack and plays and other ''babysitters'' come in handy. 

And of course they are ''acceptable''.

[livacreature]

We'll be getting one.  Reality is, I might need to shower, handle pet issues, clean a litter box, carry laundry from the basement, all things that I would not feel comfortable doing while babywearing.  Plus, we travel and visit family quite a bit.  We usually sleep on sofas and I'm not comfortable with figuring out a makeshift arrangement when there is a easy, safe alternative.  Plus, I work in a place where I may bring the baby occasionally.  I wouldn't feel at all okay with it uncontained.  I think there is a difference between using a pack and play practically and having it as baby jail where you never interact with your child.  Just like crib, swing, anything else.  No one can be "on" 100% of the time, no matter how hard you try.  You get distracted, you need to take care of other day to day things, and some safe place to place the child might come in handy, be it a pack and play, a crib, etc.

[crazykittymomma]

We bought one and never used it with my daughter. She refused to be put down in it. A better use of that money would have been an ergo carrier and infant insert from the start for us.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by Chamomile Girl 

My pack and play was the only way I got any garden work done (hmmm..a different kind of container gardening?). It was also used for visits to my mother's house as she has NO clutter-free child-safe spaces. The down side to that was she seemed to take issue with the fact I didn't want to leave him in there more than about twenty minutes ("he'll be fiiiine" ).

Plus if you don't have a crib it provides a safe place to put the kid while you go to the bathroom.

Yep.

Important phone calls, washing out poo diapers, cleaning up dog vomit, trying to pull a cast iron skillet out of the oven, or doing anything you dont want to do while wearing a child. We didnt use it for those things until she was about a year old and was super mobile. Before that, we sidecarred it next to our bed with the bassinet rack on it and she slept there (occasionally :) ) Its a great place for safe naps. I live on 11 acres, and sometimes I put her down and then go do some gardening, or walk for about 20-30 minutes.
 

[Peony]

I didn't use one until my 3rd. I just always found some place to stash baby if I needed two arms. I was given one with DD1, it just sat in the garage for years and then by the time DS came along and I had two other children, I ended up using it for him once he was 4 month or so as a place to put him down where he wouldn't get trampled. 

[Silly Willies]

Originally Posted by mommy2be2011 

For those of you that are thinking about or do have a pack-n-play, do you think there acceptable to have? Or are you against having pack-n-plays? To me its just another form of a babysitter, an excuse so the parents don't need their full attention on their child. Yet if your trying to cook dinner or at a relatives house its easy to use as a portable crib. My boyfriend wants to buy one for our baby, who is yet to be born. And I'm still deciding on the idea of using one. What do you all think out there, are you for pack-n-plays or against?

A pack and play is how I kept child number 2 from waking child number 3 from a nap.  I did not have a crib.  They keep dogs and cats away from a sleeping baby (if trained).  With my first child it was an awesome laundry basket.  

I think it is pretty judgemental to say it is a way for parents not to devote full attention.  Real life means you ocassionally need to put your baby down.  You will need a safe place for them.  Yes, it would be nice to have another person's arms but that is not modern reality.  

[akind1]

For my first baby, we had a full size arm's reach co-sleeper, which, when the bassinet is out, is basically a pack n play. It was only ever used for sleeping. For doing the other things that need doing with 2 hands, I used other things, like bouncy seat and excersaucer. Now that he is mobile, well, he gets down and walks around. Much as he would like to be held more it isn't always possible.

I sold it even though I am pregnant with #2. I don't like how difficult it is to fold up and move around. I will be getting a pack n play with a full size bassinet to keep bedside for baby. We do co-sleep (or we did; DS transitioned to 80% crib sleeping when he weaned), but I like the baby to be nearby but not in bed with us for part of the night. (for sleeping and other purposes ;) )

When we travel, which isn't often, we fully cosleep, or now that DS can get off a bed by himself with ease, put him on a separate bed if one is available. he is 17 months.

[mommy2be2011]

As I said in my post,about parents using a pnp so their full attention doesn't need to be on the child 99% of the time. I was suming up what I have seen done to other children. Some parents used pnp as a almost full time babysitter. I have not seen them used in a ''positive'' way, as just sitting/laying the child down to do other things that need to be done. 

[HappyMamaBeth]

I had them with both of my previous kids and have one for this baby as well. Never used it as a babysitter (I can't imagine my kids would have been content for a long time confined--I prefer to have them have free reign of the house with cupboards/hazards locked/out of reach). I used it as a bassinet next to my side of the bed for the first few months and then as a portable crib if we were staying overnight somewhere else after that. I don't have a crib for this baby yet (and won't until she's several months old), so that's where she'll be sleeping. I can probably count on one hand the times that my kids were put in it to "play"... a couple times in my bedroom so I could take a shower maybe? Never for more than a few minutes.

[HappyMamaBeth]

Originally Posted by mommy2be2011 

As I said in my post,about parents using a pnp so their full attention doesn't need to be on the child 99% of the time. I was suming up what I have seen done to other children. Some parents used pnp as a almost full time babysitter. I have not seen them used in a ''positive'' way, as just sitting/laying the child down to do other things that need to be done. 

It's unfortunate that that's what you've witnessed.  I guess I've been lucky... none of my friends, relatives, or other people I have spent time with use them in that way.

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by mommy2be2011 

As I said in my post,about parents using a pnp so their full attention doesn't need to be on the child 99% of the time. I was suming up what I have seen done to other children. Some parents used pnp as a almost full time babysitter. I have not seen them used in a ''positive'' way, as just sitting/laying the child down to do other things that need to be done. 

You can see anything used well or used badly, how other people use it shouldn't dictate how you will use it and how you feel about the item.  I have two little ones who are close in age, the pack-n-play was a huge help as a safe place for my youngest to sleep, and was a good alternative for him when I realized he really liked to hit his head against the crib rail if I had him sleep in that.  The mesh is more forgiving.  For the most part we cosleep, but for my own sanity and to get things done, naps are times I feel they need to sleep on their own.  Even now, two toddlers in a room does not lead to effective napping, so my younger child naps in a nook off my kitchen in a pack n play while his brother naps in the bedroom.  

It was also handy (for us) when one of the kids started to be physically aggressive toward the other.  Occasionally I like to pee or shower, and I didn't want to return to an all out brawl (DH lives far away most of the time, so I am  on my own with three kids.)  It's also great for times I have to be occupied by pets  or random emergencies.   I don't use it as a play space, but I do use it as a safe space in a pinch, and a sleeping spot on a regular basis.  I actually have two set up- one in the kitchen for napping, and one in my living room for catch all moments.  

I babywear a lot, and have my whole house set up to be kid friendly, but I am one person and keeping my kids safe has won out over my need to win crunchy mama of the year by not having any 'containers'. 

[HeliMom]

We were given a pack and play, and I used it all of twice. My DD hated it and so did I. We cosleep even during travel, so it was pretty much useless.  My daughter was in a baby carrier  or on the ground if I needed a moment. I cannot imagine ever using it for our next. If you aren't gonna use it, it doesn't make sense to get one.  However if your DH will be using it when he is caring for the baby when you are not around, maybe he can get one second hand. I wouldn't deny your DH something that he feels would help him with the baby, just because I'd be livid if my DH tried to stop me from buying baby gear that I thought was essential.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by mommy2be2011 

To me its just another form of a babysitter, an excuse so the parents don't need their full attention on their child. 

Anyway, I think it depends on your child and your life. I wouldn't buy one until needed. 

[tessie]

Originally Posted by mommy2be2011 

For those of you that are thinking about or do have a pack-n-play, do you think there acceptable to have? Or are you against having pack-n-plays? To me its just another form of a babysitter, an excuse so the parents don't need their full attention on their child. Yet if your trying to cook dinner or at a relatives house its easy to use as a portable crib. My boyfriend wants to buy one for our baby, who is yet to be born. And I'm still deciding on the idea of using one. What do you all think out there, are you for pack-n-plays or against?

When I saw this pop up on new posts the first thing I thought was, 'This has to be a first time mother'.

I didn't have one (did borrow one for trips) but I did use a bouncy chair, and later a high chair, when I needed to do something baby free. As wonderful as babywearing is, sometimes it's good to be able to pee in peace.