Too late for a Pack n Play?

[tny915]

DD is almost 8 1/2 months old so now that she's crawling around we need a place to set her down for a few minutes where we don't need to worry about her. We've got hardwood floors through a lot of the house and we aren't completely babyproofed, so I was thinking of getting a playpen for times like when we're getting dressed.

I saw a model at Babyage.com for just over $50 that I'm sure will work. Wanted to check with you all first on your experiences though. How much did your babies use the playpen when they were older, and when did you pack it away?

TIA!

[August Mom]

A lot depends on your baby's personality. DS would not tolerate being in the PNP once he could crawl. He did not want to be confined at all. On the other hand, my nephew was content playing in the PNP after he's mobile. Another consideration is whether you will be traveling much. We primarily use our PNP for toy storage, as a changing table and as a bed for DS on trips. If you might have another use for it as well, it would be more worth it. Once DS was mobile, we just gated off a room to contain him.

Do you have an exersaucer? (We didn't, but I know a lot of people use it as a safe place for baby). Just another possibility.

[JLiebCamm]

I actually use the PnP more now than I did in DS's first year. We use it alot for travel.

[nitaghei]

I still use the PNP as a safe place for DS at almost 19 months. He typically will tolerate being in there for about 10 minutes or so, which is plenty for my needs (getting dressed, taking stuff out to the car). I do throw in a cool big toy (like his big bead maze), to keep him occupied. But 10 minutes is usually all he WILL tolerate - and that's been the case since he became mobile.

So we still haven't packed it away, and don't plan to any time soon. If you just need a safe place for a few minutes, then a basic PNP should be just fine, and you could probably use it for at least a year.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[priscilla73]

My ds is 1 yr old and I use my PNP more than I ever thought I would. I have it set up in my bedroom so that I have a place to put him while I do my morning routine. I also put him in it when I need to take a shower and he's awake. He is very mobile and has to always know where I am, so its been invaluable to me. I can take a shower and know that he's safe. I could use his crib for this BUT I don't want him to resent his crib every time I put him in there when I have to get something done.

When we're downstairs, I have the family room gated off as his safe area. I get to spend lots of time in this 'play pen' with him.

I have also take it on vacations because the ones provided in hotels are nasty and I wouldn't even touch them with gloves.

If you are mainly using it like me, then you wouldn't need all the bells and whistles that the pricey ones have, ie changing table, mobile, etc. The babyage one for $50 sounds like a great price. And they have cheap shipping, too. I don't think you'll regret it. You can always sell it when you're done with it or use it for another child.

Sorry so long, hope this helps,
Priscilla

[JElaineB]

I didn't get a PNP until DS was about 6 months old and I only used it a few times before he was a year old. Since then I have used it every day to put DS in when I take a shower. He plays happily in it while I am actually taking the shower, but wants to get out as soon as I am done with the shower. Although some mornings lately as soon as he wakes up he wants to go in there and play with his Kick N Play piano we keep in there! So I have gotten plenty of use out of it now that DS is older.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[essnce629]

I only use my play pen when we travel for my son to sleep in. I also babysit another baby (9 months old) full time and the play pen is where she takes her two naps during the day. I never use it as a place to put my son, except when we are in the back yard and then he will play in it with his toys. BUT our entire living and dining room are completely babyproofed so I feel fine leaving my son in there to play while I get dressed, wash dishes, make lunch, etc. If it wasn't babyproof though I'd probably use it. Even though the other little girl naps in it every day I still take it apart each evening and fold it up since we have a really small house and it takes up too much room. I did have it set up in our living room for about 1 month when my son first started crawling but I never used it since everything was babyproof and I just started storing his big toys in it. So it got packed away then. If I need to take a shower when my son is awake he just sits in his high chair and watches a Baby Einstein video which he loves. Before that, he sat in his swing and watched it.

***Latia
Conner 8/19/03
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aug2003angel
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[stillplayswithbarbies]

we got this:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B00004RA66/qid=1091531998/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-7250586-7784041

you set it up in a circle and it makes an enclosed play area. There is more room here than a pack n play. Logan sleeps in a pack n play but wouldn't tolerate being put there to play.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
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