Pack N Plays

[MimiV]

What do you guys think of Pack N Plays? My Mom wants to buy us one when the time comes. My only hesitation is that they're so low to the floor. And cribs are so much higher and I'd imagine easier to use.

I know many people that use the Pack N Plays for their cribs and wonder about this. I'd love it, but have some hesitations.

[vonda]

They are wonderful. The one we have is a three in one, with a changing table and a bassinet. We use it when we travel to parents house and such. Plus, you can move it from room to room, kind of hard to do with a crib.

[MimiV]

So, it sounds like I may really need both. I was thinking one or the other.

[ErinFiat]

I bet we have the same (or similiar to) as Vonda. It has been so useful in many ways- traveling, taking outside to pot plants when she wasn't old enough to help, etc.

I definately wouldn't want to use mine as a crib though. We do use it on vacations for such. However, for every day use, I think it would be hard on the back muscles.

I've seen them on pretty good sales lately (between $40-50).

[Tami C]

Mine has a crib insert, bringing the baby up to almost waist level. Terrific, but definitely done the INSTANT baby makes a motion to sit up.

We have a crib for home, mostly use the pnp when we visit relatives and when we go camping. Now that she is older, Patti sleeps closer to the ground. Even in the tent this summer she was plenty warm. Last year she was 5 months old when we camped, slept up higher, and we just layed a blanket across the top of the pnp, leaving her a corner to see out and us to see in. She loved it.

[Moppel]

We have the Graco one, and we love it. We don't use it as a crib, but a lot during the day. It's perfect for putting baby in a safe place while I do things. And Dylan loves it too. We got some toys in there with him, and he can also watch TV while in it. I can do things without being worried about him getting into things, or the dog being alone with him. I'd say, they're worth the money.

[MimiV]

We have a small one bedroom apartment until the end of 2004. We do have a large bedroom though. Plenty of room for our Queen bed, crib and all of our dressers. We also have a large walk-in closet.

So, I'm thinking that we dont have room for a pack n play and may avoid that expense until after we move. Or perhaps a generous family member will buy us one!

I'm trying to put a budget together for everything we'll need. I know it's early yet, but I'll want to budget money out of our pay each check to provide us with the necessary items when we do need to buy stuff.

[Libby]

We have two which I used alot with the girls (there was a bassinet part to it that was great during the first couple of months) but only as a napping area during the day - I don't know that I would use it in place of a crib since the mattress does not offer alot of support.

[Heybabyx2]

I recommend both. My mom keeps our pack and play most often so tyler has a place to sleep when he visits. We use it also every time we travel. Now that he is getting to big for it, I don't know what to do.

[lunchbox]

We loved ours! We not longer use it but we also have the 3 in 1. Its great for travel. We co-sleep, but Lulu did nap in it if I was not napping at the same time (I was afraid she would fall off of the bed.) We also used it in the living room when she was a newborn and she slept in the bassinet.

I can tell you that I never used my crib. And I have a HUGE baby (30 lbs at a year, 36 lbs at 16 mos) and lifting her out of the P&P was never a problem.

We don't plan on having another and I am getting rid of all of my baby stuff and maternity stuff but I am keeping the PnP just in case because it was that useful. It would be one of the few things that I would want if we had another.

[Skeetz]

I wouldn't buy one to use as a crib - too uncomfortable. Maybe if your Mom bought it, it could stay at her place for visits.

[MonicaLeigh]

I would NOT use it as a crib. Pack N Plays aren't cheap. I am sure if you shop around you can buy a crib which is a wiser investment especially when you have to put baby in bed while they are already asleep. A P&P is a long reach down. We have our P&P set up dpwnstairs in the familyroom. I use it to change diapers and I put her carseat in the other side. Great extra changing station and excellent place to plop the carseat when I get home and she is safe and the big dumb dogs can't get to her and lick her - yuck!!! Shop around. Do you have any consignment shops in your area? Of all the baby gear you will have to buy, a crib is one piece that is just as great used (buy a new mattress though)

[mommy999]

We have the 5 in 1 with the bassinet feature. We used it as her bassinet in our room until we moved her into a crib. Now we just use it for travel. I would not use it instead of a regular crib but love it for travel or as a safe place to put baby when you need to take a shower or whatever.

[Calimom]

We have one that is called arms reach. It is a "pack and play" that has an insert so that it makes the baby easy to reach when your sleeping. Very good for nursing moms. :) It runs about 150.00-180.00.

[lunchbox]

Just wanted to clarify that I wasn't recommending using one in place of a crib. We bought a crib and never used it. She sleeps with us and we used to PnP for naps. And lifting her out of it was never a problem. :)

I guess I was just saying that we bought the crib intending to have her in it and luckily we decided to co-sleep which is always an alternative to buying the crib. :)

[lizamac]

I would definitely get both if you can...

Liz

[missing]

We picked one up used (THANKFULLY) and it was a total waste of money - Boo sleeps with us (we bought a crib too - another money waster).

Pack N' Plays actually aren't safety rated for sleeping mostly - there are some that are - so if you plan on using it for that, make sure you really read through what you're getting. I cannot imagine them being comfy for sleeping though - and the bassinet feature would be gone once the baby is rolling over or sitting up.