Pack N Play vs Travel Lite Crib

[rebeccaravit]

I would like to use these as a bassinet for the first few weeks home from the hospital and set it up in my bedroom. Afterwards, we'll use it for nights over at grandma's house (one is an hour away and the other is across the country). I would also use them as a play pen for when I need my hands free. I know that the Travel Lite is going to be MUCH easier to fly across country with, but is it functional as a play pen when the baby is much older? The Pack N Play is a full size play pen but weighs 10 pounds more and will be difficult to travel with to CA with all of the other things that we will be needing to bring with us. Any ideas?

Thanks!
Rebecca

[ellies mom]

If I could do it over, I probably would have gotten the Travel Lite, especially if I'd be doing a lot of traveling. The idea of it being smaller would have appealed to me for the sleeping in part because they really take up room. In our case, the Travel Lite could have functioned as a playpen because DD either stood in it to watch me or just sat in one spot. She hardly spent any time in it though.

In our case, my parent's ended up buying a used on at a garage sale for $25, so we never had to travel with ours. They also bought a booster seat for the same reason be that would be another post.

Knowing what I know now, if I decided to get another one, I'd probably go for the smaller one as long as a laundry basket fit into it. Because quite honestly, it was most useful as a place to protect the clean laundry from DD. So, if you check it out at Target, you could schelp a laundry basket over to test it out.

I have to warn you, like most baby things, for everyone that feels it was borderline a waste of money and to avoid all the extras (changing tables etc) because they never got used. There will be another person that thinks it was the best money that they ever spent and used every accessory daily. You really just don't know what your needs will be until you actually have the baby.

Anyhow, sorry for the rambling novel. I hope it helps a little.

[rebeccaravit]

Thanks so much for your thoughts! You're right, we really don't know what we need most of the things we registered for until we are going to be using them.

My aunt asked me what I'd like her to buy me that I could use right away and I thought that a portable crib would be perfect so that I don't have to give up my bedroom when I come home from the hospital. My mom is staying for a few days and then the IL's. There is an extra bed in the baby's room, so having the baby in the playpen in my bedroom is an easy solution.

I could just get a playpen, but I thought that the bassinet feature would make it easier for the night feedings to just scoop baby out instead of getting him/her out of the big playpen. What do you think? Do I really need the bassinet feature?

[ellies mom]

I had a C-section so I did actually used the bassinet feature some. If you are planning to have DC sleep in it that I think the bassinet feature is nice to have. I'm old, the idea of trying to put a sleeping baby all the way into the bottom wasn't appealing. Can you get the Travel Lite with a bassinet? That would seem like a great compromise.

It looks like you can get a the Travel Lite at Target, and it does come with a bassinet feature. If I could do it over again, I'd go that route (minus the ruffle).

ETA- Here is the link to the one at Target. I'm not saying you should get it at Target, just that you can check and see if a laundry basket will fit in it, which I still say was what I used ours for the most.

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=9001ELA&CategoryID=14#

[KentuckyRK]

Just also wanted to note that all Graco Pack n'plays that I have seen come with the bassinet feature (we're talking lifts the baby up higher as an infant right?)

I bought the least elaborate version of the pack n'play (minus the changing table, vibrations, music, hoods and whatever other new added "bonuses" the stick on there these days) and we loved it. Used it from the day Connor was born (with bassinet feature) and still use it now (without). It has ample room for him to romp and play and ample room for him to stretch and roll around while he sleeps. It's also only about 2 pounds more than the Travel Lite... so really it's just up to you.


Actually, with the money you would save from buying either this pack n'play
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_5/602-5424127-0018257?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0006IJI0E
Or the above mentioned Travel Lite instead of a more expensive versions of the Pack n'play... you might even find that you'll want to get both in the futre. I would go with your gut and let future decide :O)
Good Luck!
~Rachel

[mudder17]

We have the PnP and did use the Bassinet feature in the beginning (although not in our room). We took it with us cros country a couple of times and then decided to leave it at our destination the second time around (FL relatives), because the only other place we would travel to were my parents and they decided to get one, since they knew my older sister would eventually be having kids and we would be visiting from time to time. I have to admit that although it wasn't that big a deal checking it in and all that, it was kind of nice not having to haul that around in addition to each of our suitcases, a car seat, and stroller, and of course, baby.

For grandma who is across the country, if it's not too expensive, I would consider getting one for her place, and then get a pack n play for yourself which can easily be driven to close grandma's house.

As for the bassinet feature (which creates extra expense) and the changing table, they're both nice features, but some love it and some don't. I liked having them, but I could have used the PnP without those features just as easily. That would certainly cut down on the weight of the PnP.

HTH some!

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif , 18 months & counting


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png

[rebeccaravit]

Thanks so much for your opinion. You've convinced me to get the least elaborate PNP for my home. I really don't need the canopy, the vibrations, lights or music. Its basically going to be used for a couple of weeks as a bassinet, a travel crib/play area for my mom's house an hour away and when DC gets older as a play pen. When I visit my MIL I will ask her to buy a plain play pen for DC to sleep in. MIL's niece is expecting a few weeks after me so the play pen will always be useful in CA and it also alleviates the need to shlep it across country.

Thanks so much!!