confused about pack n play sheets, mattress pads, etc

[boogiemomz]

I am planning to let my baby sleep in a pack n play from age ~3m to 7m, at which point we will be moving out of state and will be getting a real crib. But I am confused about how to set up the pack n play, and a staff member at buybuy Baby seemed confused as well. When baby is sleeping in the bottom of the PNP (not the bassinet), does the PNP sheet go around something that is already in the PNP, or do I have to buy an additional PNP mattress? And is there a special PNP mattress pad to make it softer? I have the quilted PNP sheets, so is it safe to have a quilted sheet and a mattress pad, or is that too soft and cushy? What do I need? (I don't have my PNP yet, DD is due in November so I can't look at it and figure it out.) Thanks for your help!!

[newg]

The mattress that the graco PNP's come with is used for the bassinet portion and as a regular pnp...........not sure about other brands, but I would assume the same.........
When you set up a pnp.....the mattress is wrapped around the actual pnp and kinda used to hold it all together while being stored....so you unlatch the velcro straps and put the mattress aside...........you'll notice a red strap that when the pnp is all put set up will be the bottom center of the pnp and the mattress will sit on top of it..........the four sides of the pnp are collapsed and you kinda "snap" them together one at a time (it's much easier than I can explain!!) once they are snapped together you push down on the red strap and that completely opens up the pnp and locks it into place.............then you can either set the mattess down in it...or set up the bassinet holder and place the mattess in there..................

The sheet does go around the actual pnp mattress.........when used as the bassinet mattress and the regular pnp mattress...............
I never used anything more than the basic graco pnp sheets......I have about three.......the mattress itself is kinda plastic so it's pretty easy to wipe clean if you don't want to use a mattress pad.............you may just have to play around with what combination of sheets and pads work best for you...........a mattress pad and quilted sheet does sound a little too cushy to me....but I've never used that combo before...............

Like I said..........at least the graco ones are pretty easy to put together........I pop mine up and fold it down pretty quickly now..........could do it with my eyes closed and holding DD too!! I joke that it's so easy even my younger sister was able to set it up for DD when we brought her home from the hospital...............

hope some of this helps!!

[boogiemomz]

thank you so much! That is very helpful.

[Swimfreak78]

I've had good luck with non PNP sheets that I got a Wal-Mart vs the Graco ones. FWIW