Do I really need a pack & play?

[smcdonald2]

Sorry if this is a weird question. Almost everyone regisTers for a PNP and almost everyone I know says it's just an oversized toy box in their living room. Just not sure if we'd really use one, so I thought I'd get your opinions. My mom is babysitting for us full time during the day. In the evenings, DH and I make dinner, talk, watch TV...seems like we'll be holding or wearing Dc (since we haven't seen her all day) or playing on a blanket in the floor. We've got a crib for sleeping, a superyard for when she starts moving...what's the PNP for? I should mention that we are really into voluntary simplicity and we don't like to have unnecessary possessions.I'm thinking about skipping it unless I just find a really nice cheap one on craigslist. Am I crazy?

[cvanbrunt]

No, you're not crazy. Here's how we used ours for both girls. For the first few weeks DH and I took turns "sleeping" and feeding in the guest room with the baby while the other slept. We have a big house so it was used as the changing table downstairs for a few weeks as well. After that, it has been used a handful of times as crib when we go to my sister for Thanksgiving and it has been used exactly once as a playpen. You can always get one later if you find you need it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, you're not crazy. Here's how we used ours for both girls. For the first few weeks DH and I took turns "sleeping" and feeding in the guest room with the baby while the other slept. We have a big house so it was used as the changing table downstairs for a few weeks as well. After that, it has been used a handful of times as crib when we go to my sister for Thanksgiving and it has been used exactly once as a playpen. You can always get one later if you find you need it.

That's pretty much how we used our's.

I really was happy to have one. If you have a 2 story house, I think they are valuable.

Ds2 was in it more than ds1. We used it as a playpen for him when we needed somewhere safe to put him briefly. But, you have the SuperYard so you likely won't need it for that.

Beth

[frugal mom]

We used ours quite a bit. I have one with the basinette feature, and DD slept in that next to our bed for the first 3 months or so, rather than using something like a co-sleeper. Then we took out the basinette and moved it to her room for another month and used it as a crib until we got her real crib. She's now 18 month and still naps in it at least once a week when my MIL watches her at their house. We also take it with us as a travel crib on road trips. So for us, using it for sleeping had been great. I've never used it as a playpen, though.

[arivecchi]

We have used ours a ton with both kids. We used it as a bassinet the first couple of months and used the changing pad a ton as well. Once they get bigger, we leave it in the living room for tummy time and so they learn to sit in a safe place. Great for travel as well.

[newg]

We used ours for the first three months as DD's crib in our room...it has a bassinet feature and that's what she slept in at night and for naps...........the bassinet feature sits up higher than the crib, so much easier for me to get her in and out with my c-section recovery................
After that I used it/still use it.......as a playpen.........we have two dogs and it's where I would plop her if I need a few minutes to go to the bathroom or run around the corner and she needed to be safe....
Now it stays upstairs in our room (folded up) and I use it if I need to take a shower and have her stay safe while I'm in there..............

If you have the play yard you might not need it...........unless you would use it in your room for the bassinet feature............do you have a friend's that you could borrow....................

they make very simple ones for less than $100 bucks now too..........my MIL and mom both have one at their house for DD........graco and I think they were each $60...........so with coupons you could get it even less...........

[zany]

this might be a dumb question but when i look up pack and plays online the only ones that have a bassinet feature seem to be for twins and have TWO bassinets. i can't find any with just one bassinet. ??? any suggestions as to what i'm doing wrong? thanks!

[zany]

alrighty - sorry i'm new at all this! i just figured out the answer to my own question - the bassinet feature is called a "newborn napper" so when i searched on bassinet it wasn't finding it.

[newg]

Graco makes a ton of pack and plays with the "bassinet" feature.......there are a few others too.....
www.allbeebaby.com and BRU should have a ton of good ones!

[Andi98989]

We got a basic one from BRU. We have it set up in our office in the basement right now, but we mainly have it to use when we travel. DS needs somewhere to nap/sleep when we go to visit friends and family. We'll definitely be taking it with us when we go to see family for the day for Christmas, etc...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2786140