Graco Pack N Play--Do I need everything?

[fedoragirl]

I want to buy a pack n play for a newborn, but only for visits to grandparents' house a few miles down the road.
I am definitely not going to use a bassinet, but do I really need a pack n play with a changing table, bassinet and other attachments?
I've been looking on Amazon, BRU, and Target, and they all seem to have tons of things that I may not use. I'm not a minimalist but I don't want to buy things that are just going to collect dust.
So, which PNP do you recommend? And how long does this last, anyway? I'd like to get, at least 2-3, years out of it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

May I ask why you don't want to use a bassinet? Do you plan to co-sleep or go straight to a crib? I ask b/c with ds1 I didn't have a bassinet and with ds2 we did- and I would now always recommend a bassinet. Most babies like to be in more enclosed spaces, like the womb, right? They are also a very handy feature on the PnP models because they allow the baby to be more in reach. We used our friend's mini PnP and it had the bassinet part. We used that for him to nap in during the day and also did diaper changes in there till he reached the weight capacity.

I don't think you need lights, vibration...but I think you should get one with bassinet. The changing table was useful as well.

Beth

[fedoragirl]

We would prefer to go straight to the crib. I'll keep it in the bedroom right next to my bed.

[SnuggleBuggles]

The PnPs with the bassinet feature are not much more and you might find it to be useful. Lots of infant sleep is trial and error and it's nice to have options,

Beth

[alirebco]

We had one with a bassinet and changing pad and we had it on our lower level. The changing area was great and the basssinet part was too. You don't want to bend down all the way for a tiny baby.

[hellokitty]

A changing table attachment and bassinet attachment are the best combo. Skip all the other stuff like the mobile, music, lights, etc.. I speak from exp. I have two PNP, one at my parents with just the bassinet (which is great, seeing how we barely used it) and one with all the works. The only two things I use are the changing table feature and the bassinet. The bassinet is only good up to 15 lbs. The changing table up to 20 lbs. By 3 mo, DS3 has outgrown the bassinet (he's huge compared to my other when they were babies), and we'll probably get a few more months of use out of the changing table. The changing table is great, b/c after you give birth, the last thing you want to do is bend over or kneel to change a diaper, esp if you have a c-section.

[doberbrat]

putting a little baby in the bottom of the pnp is brutal on your back and the gp may not be able to do it at all.

I think the bassinet feature is important. the changing part not so much b/c I could always just lay a changing pad in the bassinet.

nothing else was important to me. and be aware that the size on some of the 'full featured' seems ALOT bigger. the cannopies, toys mobiles etc take up space.

[army_mom]

I would say the bassinet and changing table as well. We got one with all the extra things and can say we never used them. DD has always slept in her room in her crib at home and we only used PNP during trips. We got the basic one with only the bassinet for the grandparents house and, looking back, I wish we would have just bought the basic model for us as well. We have a one story house so we just used the changing table in her room. However, I can see how the changing table would be very handy if you keep the PNP in your room or if you have a multi level house.

[o_mom]

I would say the bassinet is the only 'must have'. We never used the changing table (or anything else), but the bassinet was used until they outgrew it. Being able to lay them down without folding yourself in half is worth it.

[zag95]

agree with PP that the bassinet feature was nice to have! We used it when we took DD with us on a couple of beach trips until she was too big- we had a more basic PNP that was under 100. Ours had a changing table feature, which was also nice for the beach.

When DD came home from the hospital, she slept in her crib across the hall from us- so not as much of an issue.

In the summer, when we went to the beach, we also took the little music box that hooks on the side of the PNP and it was nice for dd- who was about 18 mos at the time- for some white noise!

I went with a PNP that wasn't as bulky- some are more so then others.

[traciann]

we also had a basic pnp. it did have the bassinet, but it kinda sloped in the middle and dd never was really comfortable there. she slept more in the swing. we actually threw away our bassinet portion since we never used it and because it was hard to fit back into the bag.

[srhs]

I agree with PPs who've said you'll want the bassinet until DC reaches the weight limit. If you don't want to store the bassinet after that, pitch it. But you'll want it for your newborn, IMO. Also, plenty of storage pockets are a nice feature for diapers, wipes, pacis, etc.

[MommyAllison]

Our has bassinet, changing table, and mobile. DS loved that mobile! We could have done without the changing table part - it was rarely used.

[GraceH]

I have to disagree with the majority here and say that I didn't get a PnP with bassinet or changing table and didn't miss them one bit (DS went in a crib in his own room... ).

I DID have a pack & play that we've used alot -- I have the Graco Pack & Play Sport -- I got it on eBay - it's a hexagonal indoor/outdoor playyard - waterproof floor (just hose the whole thing down if dirty) - roof with UV protection - zippered door for later use as a playtent...
we have used it indoors to contain DS for a quick shower or laundry load change (the hexagonal shape gives more room for play than the small rectangular ones), but even more outdoors, for BBQs, yardwork, & camping...
(similar to this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/GARCO-Pack-%27n-Play-Sport-Play-Yard-Tent_W0QQitemZ220501010133QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&itemid=220501010133)

Think of your lifestyle -- do you spend time outdoors? would there be other instances to keep your DC contained?

[MoJo]

I got the one with the bassinet and changing table.

I almost never used the changing table, but I used the bassinet alot until DD outgrew it (by rolling, not by weight.) I totally agree that bending to the floor (with a sleeping child in my case, b/c now she won't fall asleep in the PNP) is a pain.

You asked how long your DC might be able to use it. I just noticed at grandma's this weekend that my 17-mo old DD is only a couple of inches from being as long as the standard size Graco PNP. My DD is 85th percentile in height, so you may get more use, but I know my DD won't be able to sleep in it much longer.

Also, DD has always disliked it for containment for some reason, so we really only use it for sleeping.