# Is a playpen even necessary?



## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

I was thinking about all the things I would need when I become pregnant and I was thinking about a playpen. I have a two story house and I thought it would make sense to have a 'sleeping and changing' area downstairs. But then I thought about how I really really want to sling my baby from the get go. Do most of you wear your baby all day, even during naps? I would love to do this, but I am just curious if even seasoned professionals (that would be you guys







) need a break and allow naps in playpens, swings, boppys, bouncers, etc. I am really beginning to think that all I need are a few slings, wraps!


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## filiadeluna (Oct 2, 2007)

Seems to me that you don't *have* to have one, but surely there will be some occasions when you are doing something that would require you to set the baby down, i.e. vacuuming probably wouldn't be very easy as vacuums are heavy anyway & you probably wouldn't want baby breathing in all the dust. Another example could be if you're sick and you don't want to cough/sneeze/etc on the baby. Also, I can't imagine trying to stoop down to put in/take out dishes from the dishwasher with a baby on you. I'd be afraid of hurting my back, or bumping the baby's head on something, or dropping the dishes. So, while it may not be needed per se, it's probably helpful to have just in case. I would be careful about what you buy though, it seems sooo many playpens are recalled.

Just my thoughts, but I'm sure people who are already moms will have better advice for you.


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *filiadeluna* 
Seems to me that you don't *have* to have one, but surely there will be some occasions when you are doing something that would require you to set the baby down, i.e. vacuuming probably wouldn't be very easy as vacuums are heavy anyway & you probably wouldn't want baby breathing in all the dust. Another example could be if you're sick and you don't want to cough/sneeze/etc on the baby. Also, I can't imagine trying to stoop down to put in/take out dishes from the dishwasher with a baby on you. I'd be afraid of hurting my back, or bumping the baby's head on something, or dropping the dishes. So, while it may not be needed per se, it's probably helpful to have just in case. I would be careful about what you buy though, it seems sooo many playpens are recalled.

Just my thoughts, but I'm sure people who are already moms will have better advice for you.

I love this forum...what great advice! I never thought of all those occasions where I shouldn't wear baby...thank you


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## Jes (May 28, 2005)

We've never used a playpen. I always found alternative places to sit/lay DS's down if needed. When they were babies I would put them in a bouncer if I was doing something I couldn't hold them or wanted to get something down quickly. Now that DS2 is older he loves to be put on the floor with some blankets down and explore.


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## milkmamma (Aug 20, 2007)

We found ours useful, especially for shower time and when we were f=getting ready to leave the house. The one we found is a pack and play but it is square so its bigger than the triangular pack and plays.

I baby wear and did the same with my 1st one but I find/found that they like time to explore in a safe environment. This comes into play more with ds2 who I put in the play pen more for his protection. Tummy time can be dangerous with a 4yo and a sib. husky chasing each other around!


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## filiadeluna (Oct 2, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Longhorn* 
I love this forum...what great advice! I never thought of all those occasions where I shouldn't wear baby...thank you









Thanks LOL I tried. I mean, I'm not a mom *yet*, but I do have tons of childcare experience (both at peoples' homes and in a daycare setting). So I was just visualizing things that might need to be done throughout the day where it would make it awkward or potentially unsafe for a short time.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jes* 
We've never used a playpen. I always found alternative places to sit/lay DS's down if needed. When they were babies I would put them in a bouncer if I was doing something I couldn't hold them or wanted to get something down quickly. Now that DS2 is older he loves to be put on the floor with some blankets down and explore.

Oh, DUH! Great idea. Yes a bouncer would probably be best for a really young 'un, but a baby that is already sitting up & crawling might be happier in a playpen for awhile. Blankets would work great if you can be in the same room, but I'd be paranoid if I had to leave the room, especially since I have a cat (she's a very sweet kitty, but heck, baby could pull her tail and then she might retaliate with a scratch or nip lol).

I'm glad you asked this question! More for me to think about, too!


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## Juvysen (Apr 25, 2007)

My dd slept in the swing or in a bean bag chair when I put her down. We used our pack-n-play... uh... twice? Actually, we did use it when I cut dh's hair a couple times, so she could be with us, but not in the hair. Not worth it at all for us, but, then, my dd didn't hang out much... she was always on the move if we put her down.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I have a thing against playpens. We never had one, dd was never put in one. We never missed it. Sure, I set her down a lot. Baby on a blanket on floor works fine.

-Angela


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

I have a cat and a dog and I worry about setting the baby down somewhere where the pets could get close. I know the dog will want NOTHING to do with the baby, but my cat is sooo sweet and uber affectionate and I know will eventually come close to the baby. So I go back and forth with getting a playpen. Its a nice placed elevated off the floor where I can put a tummy mat or a baby gym and I think it might work until atleast 6 months when crawl starts to creep around the corner. But on the other hand I dont want my living room to look like babies r' us threw up in there with baby stuff EVERYWHERE







! So I try to see if things are actually necessary.....


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## stellimamo (Jan 9, 2006)

Theres a time and a place for them I think. I find them particularly useful for times I need to put baby down (cooking by the stove, cleaning) and want them near by but also want them out of the reach of the other children.


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

i personally do not like them for our family, so we never got one. they're like little baby jails.







: i can of course think of scenarios where they would be appropriate, but for most families imho it is not a necessary piece of baby equipment, they usually end up being large, cumbersome and expensive clean laundry basket or toy bin.









if you have animals, remember that you are not supposed to leave a baby and a cat/dog unsupervised for any length of time, anyway. and most cats that i know can easily get themselves into a playpen, so it would not end up being that safe haven from your feline family member.









best of luck in ttc!!


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kidspiration* 

if you have animals, remember that you are not supposed to leave a baby and a cat/dog unsupervised for any length of time, anyway. and most cats that i know can easily get themselves into a playpen, so it would not end up being that safe haven from your feline family member.









best of luck in ttc!!


Good point. I of course never intend to leave my baby alone with the furry friends, so I suppose I never thought about that and the fact that the main thing I thought I would need the play pen for, keeping the pets away, isnt really a problem at all given that I will be with the baby 24-7. I suppose a bouncer while I am downstairs cleaning is just fine.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Longhorn* 
I have a cat and a dog and I worry about setting the baby down somewhere where the pets could get close. I know the dog will want NOTHING to do with the baby, but my cat is sooo sweet and uber affectionate and I know will eventually come close to the baby. So I go back and forth with getting a playpen. Its a nice placed elevated off the floor where I can put a tummy mat or a baby gym and I think it might work until atleast 6 months when crawl starts to creep around the corner. But on the other hand I dont want my living room to look like babies r' us threw up in there with baby stuff EVERYWHERE







! So I try to see if things are actually necessary.....

We have two cats. It was never an issue. Not once.

-Angela


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## hibana (Jun 9, 2006)

Not necessary, but helpful sometimes. I got a huge wooden one on ebay for very little, and it survived a two-week camping trip where it was very handy.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

I agree that it's not necessary, but can be really helpful. The bouncy seat was wonderful especially during shower time, but it only lasts for a short time. I think DS outgrew it by around 5 months. He figured out how to bounce it hard enough to flip it over. The swing lasted until about a year. I never put DS in it to contain him while he plays. It's more of an area where I put him while I'm cooking or unloading the dishwasher now. I use it about 10 minutes every two or three day, but it's great when I do need to get DS out of my way for a bit!


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

We chose not to have any baby gear-- no crib, playpen, swing, bouncer, exersaucer, etc. My baby started crawling and cruising at 5.5 mos. so they wouldn't have gotten much use anyway. Before that, when I wanted to put him down I used a blanket on the floor and he practiced rolling over and wiggling. But really, I can do pretty much anything with a baby on my back, and I was doing back carries with a mei tai before 2 mos. And the first 6 weeks you should be able to lounge around with the baby all the time, anyway.


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## Eliseatthebeach (Sep 20, 2007)

Wearing your baby is awesome, and you can get more done than you'd think. You can always put baby on your back if you need more of your front, like cooking or something. The bouncy seat is great up till about 5-6 months or so for when you need to put baby down or absolutely cannot wear your baby, but want to keep baby close, like when you are in the shower. After that if you have been wearing your baby for any length of time, chances are your baby will not be happy in a pack n play or similar. Baby will want to be closer to you, even if it's on the floor on some blankets. Looking through the mesh of the pnp at you not holding/wearing her may just upset her. I really think these huge items are unnecessary. Even if you do use one, you probably wouldn't use it for long, certainly not worth the real estate it takes up or the expense.


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

Quote:

*Is a playpen even necessary?*
For us its never has been. We have 4 kids ages 7 yo to 4 months.

I dont know what we would us one for









Though i must say we are looking to a buy a house that is disgustingly dirty. I suppose it would be handy to have her in one to keep her off the dirt while we clean. She is not mobile yet so a play pen I guess wouldn't be necessary.

We have however done a room remodel that got the entire house dirty with another baby and we didn't need a play pen as once again the baby wasn't mobile yet.


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## delphiniumpansy (Mar 1, 2007)

IT really depends on your situation. I had one with dd#1 and she would scream the minute my hands left her in it. I, apparently, was exactly the same as a baby. So, we did not use ours and got rid of it. Used the bouncy and saucer much more and yes I wore/wear babies while napping a lot. I also put them down on a blanket, especially the play mat with the arches above for hanging toys. But, it depends on your baby and your needs.


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## filiadeluna (Oct 2, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kidspiration* 
if you have animals, remember that you are not supposed to leave a baby and a cat/dog unsupervised for any length of time, anyway. and most cats that i know can easily get themselves into a playpen, so it would not end up being that safe haven from your feline family member.









Aren't there screen-like covers you can purchase just like with cribs?


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## katydid317 (Dec 18, 2006)

We had one, because my ex-mil got one from somebody she worked with for cheap. It didn't get used much. we tried using it as a portable bed but ds always co-slept so it just got lugged around. When he got older it ended up being his bed at mil's house for when he has sleepovers there. I wouldn't have bought it new, that's for sure.


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## JamesMama (Jun 1, 2005)

We never had one with James, our first baby, but we got one for this baby. I figure there will be times when I have to set the baby down (play with big brother, clean, dishes, pee, etc) and since we will not have a crib at all I need somewhere safe to put her out of reach from the Toddler Monster (AKA- Big Brother)

As for it being a 'need' that depends on your definiton of 'need' for a first baby, I don't think I needed it at all, I could easily put him in the swing or on the floor on a blanket if I needed to put him down...when you add a Toddler Monster into the mix those low down places are DANGEROUS.


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

Wow that great responses! It looks like the general consensus is that it isnt needed, and those that did use one used it sparingly. One of the main appeals of it for me is that it has a diaper changing station but I can just buy a mat and do that on the carpet. And I plan on getting a swing and a bouncer so I'm sure when it isnt napping on me, it can nap in there. I want to use a sling and or wrap most of the time though.







:


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## UlrikeDG (Sep 4, 2002)

My mom thinks so. She put the Christmas tree in it so I couldn't pull it over on top of myself.


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## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

Didn't use a playpen. Used a bouncer if I needed to put her down.


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## annethcz (Apr 1, 2004)

All of my kids are older now, but I never had a playpen.


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UlrikeDG* 
My mom thinks so. She put the Christmas tree in it so I couldn't pull it over on top of myself.


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## PatchChild (Sep 1, 2006)

We have one as well, but it rarely gets used. Lots of time on a blanket when DS is not in my arms. He won't be in a sling in the house though. Somehow, he became convinced that slings are just for walking outside, we're working on that though...


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## Leilalu (May 29, 2004)

For us, we got a co-sleep attachment for our bed, but then never used it, as we all fit in bed just fine.
Instead we converted it into the playpen you could also use it as. it gave dd a safe space to crawl in the kitchen while I cooked, and gave ds a safe place away form his sister when I had to put him down.
My kids never liked being slung all day. They were way too active. I don't think you NEED one at all, but for us, with the kids only 19 months apart, it was good to have a safe spot.


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## maymorales (Dec 9, 2006)

my MIL always urged me strongly to get a play pen and dismayed that I never did. I think they take up space. But that's just my opinion.


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

We have a small house and don't use ours often, but it has come in handy a few times now that he can sit up and play with toys.

Working outside. Sometimes I can wear him, but gardening and deck work goes much more smoothly when he's in the pack-n-play with mosquito netting over top.

Camping. I typically poke myself in the eye several times when DH and I are erecting the tent. Much easier (and safer) to put a happy babe in the playpen while we do this.

My best friend used to drop her son off with his pack 'n' play when I babysat. Since the babysitters she had were all college kids (we were young), most of us did not have baby-safe homes. We could let her kiddo play and self-feed in the playpen when we needed to attend to dishes or housework or homework. We never let him sit to cry, obviously, but he was often content to play in there, rather than explore our mazes of wires.









I take it when we travel. We pile laundry in it and use it to hang-dry diapers. Very handy.


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## Kino (Jun 18, 2006)

Everyone told us we would need one. So we bought an inexpensive one. It sits in the garage unopened









My daughter always had to be worn/in someone's arms! I take my showers before DH leaves for work anyway so constant contact wasn't that hard. Now she's crawling off on her own adventures and would scream if confined







:


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## loree (May 19, 2004)

I wore DD as an infant all the time around the house.

I do have a "play pen" -- "pack & play" that we got as a shower gift for DS. As pp said, these are great for when you are going to grandma's house and need a place for a nap, staying overnight somewhere, etc.

Neither of my children ever "played" in them.


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *filiadeluna* 
Aren't there screen-like covers you can purchase just like with cribs?

so it becomes even more like a baby jail?

if i really needed to keep my animals away from my child, i would choose putting the animals in another room behind a door or a gate vs. placing a child in some contraption that's meant to keep the animals away.







:to banish the baby and let the animals free, yk?

but that's just me.







:


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## Longhorn (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kidspiration* 
so it becomes even more like a baby jail?

if i really needed to keep my animals away from my child, i would choose putting the animals in another room behind a door or a gate vs. placing a child in some contraption that's meant to keep the animals away.







:to banish the baby and let the animals free, yk?

but that's just me.







:

well put!


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## Jenlaana (Oct 28, 2005)

we have one. I would like to use it for this next baby (due Saturday wuwu!) but we did not ever use it for DD. She would wake up if we tried to put her in it to sleep and scream if we left her in it because we used it so seldom that it freaked her out I think. I'm hoping this baby will be used to it before she reaches a point of realizing its wierd.

That being said, its so full of toys atm that I have no idea what to do with them all so that we can use the pack and play (ours also has the changing table deal but I'll just be using a mat on the couch - most diaper bags come with them). I do wear my kids a bunch though when I can. I wore DD in her mei tei every chance I got, back issues permitting. We also used some other carriers when she was first born, and never really put her down, but there's no way I can do that this time w/ DD as well being 2 yrs old. Plus, to be honest, I need to put physical space between myself and the kids sometimes, just long enough to use the bathroom or recollect myself. Its not that often, but it helps me to reset sometimes when I'm getting worn out, to take 2 minutes to myself.

My kids have all hated bouncers too. I dont know whats up with that. We have wasted bunches of money on them...1 for each kid.

oh... and I could not put the baby down on the floor w/ DD in there...there's just no way. Nobody is safe in our house atm w/ DD terrorizing everyone. She is rough with everyone and every animal around her. She's not mean, she just doesnt realize her own strength and is in that phase of poking and prodding and hugging too roughly etc. I cant bring them both into the bathroom with me, so I will settle for a pack and play and 12 yr old DS watching them. (he has adhd and is not the *best* babysitter, but he can keep the toddler out of the pack n play atleast for 3 min while I use the RR)

I dont really care what people think though...baby jail and all that. I also use a harness when we take DD for walks etc and am perfectly happy doing so. IT makes it easier for her to get out her energy and easier for me to not worry about her getting run over or running off.


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Totally necessary... where else would you keep the 7.3 trillion stuffed animals that you will for sure get as gifts?

Seriously, we loved ours. Never used it much, but if one kid, say, barfs everywhere and there's a crawling baby in the house, it's kinda good to get crawling baby up and out of the way while you clean up other kid/floor/self. Awesome when camping. Also awesome when doing something especially dangerous in the kitchen, which is where we kept ours most of the time. I could pop a crawler in there for 20 or 30 seconds while I drained the pasta pot, for instance, or opened the oh-so-appealing, just-the-right-height-for-a-crawler-to-pull-up-on oven.

I'd say we used ours an average of maybe 30 minutes total in any given week, probably much less, save for camping. Even with so little use, I wouldn't want to care for an older baby/young toddler w/o one.


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## twopinknoblue (Feb 22, 2007)

We have one that we never used with DD1, she was the type of baby, even when she was crawling, that I could sit on the bathroom floor with some toys while I showered, and she'd stay right where I left her. I'd never get to shower if I didn't use it for DD2. We didn't start using it until DD2 became mobile, and she's the type of baby that if you leave her for just one second, she will have squirted dish soap all over the floor, spilled a box of jewelery making beads all over the kitchen, emptied the book shelf, etc. (these are all things she's done in a matter of seconds







). So, when I need a shower, I pop her into the pack and play while I get that done. I guess it's not a necessity, but it is very handy.


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## treqi (Dec 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UlrikeDG* 
My mom thinks so. She put the Christmas tree in it so I couldn't pull it over on top of myself.

OMFG THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was going crazy trying to figure out where to put the tree!!! PURE GENIUS!


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## ewp11100 (Oct 16, 2003)

Oh playpens are WONDERFULL!!!!! ....

As tents! if you turn them on the side and put a baby blanket over the open side, hours of fun expecally with a sibling to play peek-a-boo with!


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## lifescholar (Nov 26, 2006)

I used mine for:

- naps (he napped for 10-15 minutes at a time...hardly worth my going ALL the way downstairs to put him in his crib, and I wasn't comfortable leaving him on the floor if I wasn't going to be right with him the whole time

- travel (my son has always gone down in his own space, then joins me in bed later, and I wasn't comfortable putting him on a bed by himself, especially once he was mobile!)

- for times when I was cooking (my son was crawling at 6 months, and it took a few months to teach him to stay back while I was in the kitchen. It was a safety issue, so he'd read books in his play pen for a few minutes while I cooked)

- when we moved (the house was in disarray, there were movers all over the place, and the door was being held open...again, a safety issue)

I personally prefer a play pen to a bouncy chair. I felt that he was much more able to move around in a play pen, rather than being strapped in somewhere. I also didn't use a swing or exersaucer.

Oh, and my son hated being worn until he was 5 months, and able to do the hip carry. Plus, he was a very fast grower, and was over 23 lbs. at 6 months (13 lbs. @ 1 month!!), so I couldn't physically hold him for long periods in a sling.


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *treqi* 
OMFG THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was going crazy trying to figure out where to put the tree!!! PURE GENIUS!

Ah, yes. If you don't already have a playpen, get one of those super play yards that has no floor in it. Works really well, and you can buy extra panels if you need more room for all the presents!

I kept my computer desk in one of those play yards for several years, before we got a house where I had room for an office. Worked great!


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

the only time we used ours was when we were traveling, specifically for naps or for early bedtimes when the baby needed to go to sleep but we weren't ready, since most of the places we were seemed to always have the bed in the middle of the room rather than against a wall and i was paranoid the baby would roll off the bed.

i never used it at home, except for visiting friends who wanted to put their babies down for naps in it.

a blanket or a lambskin on the floor always worked great for us. we did have a bouncy chair someone gave us that vibrated, and occasionally i could lay them down asleep in that thing and get a few things done. but my kids did nap on me a lot. the key is to perfect a back carry so they're up out of your way - you can do virtually anything with a kid on your back.


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## garretsmommy (Jan 21, 2007)

DS is nearly a year old and we've gotten by without one... he sleeps in bed with us when away, or sleeps on the floor (on a blanket) for naps, when I need to get something done without wearing or holding him I put him on the floor with some toys or in his exersaucer (nested in his boppy, his swing or bouncer when he was younger). As far as the animal concern, until I felt comfortable with the dog being alone with DS I made her come with me when I was leaving the room- but mostly I just kept DS in site. Good Luck!


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## Sanveann (Mar 19, 2007)

Quote:

if i really needed to keep my animals away from my child, i would choose putting the animals in another room behind a door or a gate vs. placing a child in some contraption that's meant to keep the animals away. to banish the baby and let the animals free, yk?
Gates don't work with cats, and trying to round up three of them and shut them in the other room every time I need to set the baby down for five minutes seems highly impractical. It's not "banishing" the baby, IMHO, if you're only setting them down for a few minutes.

We have a playpen. We don't use it much -- I love wearing him, as does DH -- but it's nice to have. Times when I use it: when I'm cooking something "splattery" and don't feel wearing him would be safe, when I'm doing my hair (I don't want him breathing in hairspray), when I'm just too darn tired to tote him around one more minute but I need to get something done









We have an 85-pound dog, so I can't just leave DS on the floor when I need to set him down for a few minutes. I don't think Ti (the dog) would EVER hurt Matthew on purpose, but even if I did think it was a good idea to leave him unattended with the baby, I would worry about him accidentally stepping on Matthew. (He's pretty klutzy!)


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## ebony_vbac (Jul 14, 2006)

i wanted one for dd1 but couldnt afford it, we did fine without one. i never wore her but she was really idependant and didnt want to be held much anyway. dd2 can lie on the floor on a blanket if necessary or stand in her exersaucer or sit in a boucer, you dont need a playpen unless you want to side car the bassinet side up to your bed for sleeping


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## cchrissyy (Apr 22, 2003)

no, i've never had a playpen, but I don't wear a baby all day or during naps either, not by any means. well, my 1st napped only in arms or in-sling, but he was special needs and such constant acomodation was only posisble because i had no others.

you do need somewhere to set baby down safely, either for their nap or so you can shower or eat or whatever, and just because even if you don't need to get free, maybe sometime each day the baby wants to stretch or roll or whatever.

but that doens't require a playpen- at various ages you can probably use your own bed, or a blanket on the floor, or just free in a room with babygates as needed.


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## UlrikeDG (Sep 4, 2002)

I wanted to add to my earlier Christmas tree tip... Playpens can also be a great place for older siblings to play where the baby can't "mess things up." They can climb in and out by themselves, so they don't feel trapped, but they don't have to be isolated in another room just to get a safe place to play.


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## Jennifer Z (Sep 15, 2002)

With my first, wasn't neccessary at all. I got it because it was cheaper than the diaper changing furniture and changing diapers up high (rather than on the ground) was really helpful with my back. It ended up being a good place to store diapers and clothes though.









With my second, it was much more helpful, simply because it gave me a place to put her to protect her from him when I needed my hands.


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## moodymaximus (Nov 13, 2007)

yes. for stroing toys when your kids are 4.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

They make great hampers!!


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## christyp (Mar 23, 2007)

We were given a hand-me-down Pack and Play and never used it until we had a sitter to watch DD during the day for a few days. DH and I are vigilant about keeping an eye on her and keeping her away from stairs, etc, but I didn't trust that the teenager would have the same instincts, so I set up the Pack and Play and instructed her to put DD in it if she was cooking or had to go to the bathroom. Gave me peace of mind. Now it mostly stores toys and slings, but she naps in there sometimes.

My other point is that you don't need to spend a lot of $$ on a new one - this is why they invented hand-me-downs, and craigslist.org We actually received a new one as a shower gift (not registered for) and were able to exchange it for a bunch of other stuff that we did want.


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## indignantgirl (Jul 24, 2005)

I've never had one, never used one. I did wear all three of my babies, but my youngest is the only one I've worn all day long.


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## crysmomofthree (Mar 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UlrikeDG* 
My mom thinks so. She put the Christmas tree in it so I couldn't pull it over on top of myself.

when my first two were little my older son liked to play with little lego, but my toddler was quite the lego eater, I put the older kid in the playpen wiht his "creations" and let the toddler run around Problem solved!


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## crysmomofthree (Mar 18, 2004)

we have a pac and play, I never use it at home but I use is all summer when I"m camping and when we visit family. our extended family do not have baby proof homes, no baby gates and lots of open stairwells and a pool! so if my dh or I can't have full attention on the baby (which is difficult with 4 other kids to watch) the baby needs to be in a playpen

I don't htink they are useful before the baby is mobile, and if we didn't have one I don't think we would miss it. its not something I use often


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## wonderwahine (Apr 21, 2006)

I loved my bouncy chair, and the playpen, dh couldnt be around all the time, ds has sensory issues so hates to be held to long or worn, without those things to keep him safe when i had to pee or cook, i would have gone insane.


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## UmmIbrahim (Feb 16, 2007)

I used to think all these "new fangled" baby gear items like strollers, swings, play pens, you name it were STUPID and wastes of money and was determined to do things the basic, old fashioned yet better way.
Well, at 10months ive changed my mind.

dont get me wrong we dont have a ton of this stuff in our tiny apartment but we gasp...at 10months are actually USING the playpen (pack 'n play) as a crib (cant cosleep no more...sleep deprivation issues)...anddddd we just bought a small umbrella stroller (no clue why, butu maybe we'll need it someday!







)...and we have a Exosaucer which shockers of shockers Ibi actually enjoys being in!

basically what im saying was we were hardcore anti-modern parenting ...seriously hardcore and i liked it. But as Ibi has gotten older ive found that utlizing a few of these "modern parenting inventions" can be rather handy dandy at times.

Its hard to babywear 24/7 w/ a 17lbs rugrat...its next to impossible...after a few months you wont do it...most children start to like rolling around or doing whatever for short periods OFF mommy at around 4 months...so sometimes stuff like that can come in handy. We didnt have it and so i always had to entertain Ibi which was kinda exhausting at times.

Just my coupla centz


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## boheime (Oct 25, 2005)

The only baby "gear" we've ever used are carseats and slings/carriers. Nothing else has been needed. I now have a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and a 4.5 month old - when did they get so old?


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## Kay11 (Aug 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I have a thing against playpens. We never had one, dd was never put in one. We never missed it. Sure, I set her down a lot. Baby on a blanket on floor works fine.

-Angela

I agree!
I wore my DC when vacuuming, etc. That's what learning back carrying is for imo! As for not wanting to cough/sneeze on/near baby, well I'd imagine that's bound to happen if you've got a cold unless you find some way of nursing them several feet away from where you are.
Personal view here obv, but playpens are like baby jails to me. I truly loathe them and can't see a need for them at all ever. Sorry, but jmo.


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## hipmummy (May 25, 2007)

I have to use one. I detest using it, nut our laundry room is three stories down. I acnnot carry ds and the laundry (safely). I carry the monitor with me and then come right back up. I also use it when i load the car and shower and boil water. Heis maybe in it a total ogf 20 minutes a day. he reads his books and does not mind.


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## AutumnNoelle (Sep 23, 2007)

Well, I had a playpen set up downstairs when daughter #2 was born, she 4 months now and I never put her in it. I used it a lot with my first daughter.. I wasn't doing AP then.







So anyway, instead of putting her in that, we just put her on the couch, in a boucey chair (when I was cleaning or something).. things like that. I don't wear her at all in the house... I do hold her a lot though. Our playpen is under our crib upstairs, which we never use either. LoL.

Autumn







engaged, to Billy







, SAHM to Audrie (3)







and Lily (infant)







:







:














:


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## mom2alicia (Nov 30, 2004)

i never had a playpen. my kiddos have napped in a sling/wrap and in my bed.


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## Kat_shoshin (Feb 16, 2007)

we rarely use it... when I need to run the toddler to the car I stick my 8 mo in it until I come back for him.

Also once we used it to stick 3 boys under 2 in it while drilling the floor. Safest place where they could all see - but it just turned into a cage match!

handy if the kitchen is on fire... but other than that...


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## Julian's Momma (Oct 25, 2006)

Never had one and never really missed it.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

We have a kiddie corral thing that sits on the floor instead of a pack 'n' play-type playpen. DS likes to crawl around in there sometimes and it keeps him away from the cats. We sometimes get in there with him to play. It's definitely a PLAYpen though. He doesn't sleep there.


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## phreedom (Apr 19, 2007)

A playpen was one of those things I thought I needed as well.

It was useful at times, but it was mostly used as a physical barrier in front of the entertainment center, to keep DD away from the stereo. Looking back I would have survived just fine without one. I had a bouncer I could put her in for a quick minute if needed.

I could see it being more useful if we were away from home alot and DD needed a place to sleep. (we don't co-sleep) We got use out of our pack-n-play for that..but not much.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

I never used one. My MIL had one at her house and the baby would scream if he was put in it.


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## LinzluvsGJ (Mar 16, 2004)

I agree it really depends on your situation. With our first daughter, it was an essential thing for us (both before and after I found babywearing). My parents had a ton of cords and a fireplace in their living room that made it an unsafe environment for her to explore so I let her play in a playpen. Later when we were living in temporary lodging w/ the military that was not babyproofed we again used it for playtime, and for a while as a crib because the bed was too small to accomodate all of us. My second and third child it has been rarely ever used (primarily just at my parents house).


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## leighann79 (Aug 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *filiadeluna* 
Seems to me that you don't *have* to have one, but surely there will be some occasions when you are doing something that would require you to set the baby down, i.e. vacuuming probably wouldn't be very easy as vacuums are heavy anyway & you probably wouldn't want baby breathing in all the dust. Another example could be if you're sick and you don't want to cough/sneeze/etc on the baby. Also, I can't imagine trying to stoop down to put in/take out dishes from the dishwasher with a baby on you. I'd be afraid of hurting my back, or bumping the baby's head on something, or dropping the dishes. So, while it may not be needed per se, it's probably helpful to have just in case. I would be careful about what you buy though, it seems sooo many playpens are recalled.

Just my thoughts, but I'm sure people who are already moms will have better advice for you.

I just had to giggle when I read this because I wore my DD doing all of this.







Vacuuming while wearing was a great way to calm her down and wearing her while doing the dishes was the only way to get them done. I didn't bend over, I squatted instead.







I never worried about coughing or sneezing on her because I breastfed her, but I suppose that might be a worry if you were to formula feed.

I never used a playpen. I would have liked to at times, but if my DD wanted down, she wanted down to explore, not to be confined in a playpen. Even with two other kids running around it wasn't at all useful in my case.


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## aishy (Dec 13, 2001)

We have a playyard that works great for keeping little hands off the Christmas tree when you aren't up to daily rearranging. OR a place for mom to fold clothes she isn't going to put away right away. OR a place for big brothers to play with something *NOT* toddler friendly. It also sits in the garage well (sigh).

In my opinion, there is no saying any baby item is necessary or not, as every mom child & situation is different. With the exception of some out there stuff that I just can't see being useful, most of it might be useful to someone. I don't do product bashing very often.

I do, however, encourage all moms to at least TRY babywearing. We don't do it much anymore but I always have my sling, pouch, etc in the car just in case my daughter asks for it. With pregnancy & back issues we use the stroller or she just walks most of the time. She doesn't want to be UP so much anyway! Can't wait to wear a newborn again!!!!!


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## jee'smom (Mar 17, 2004)

i own a play pen and never used it. i got a small travel swing. whenever i needed to put baby down, i put them in the swing. it lasts just long enough to get a shower, etc. (i also layed them on the floor.)


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

I've never had one. Wait, I did have a Pack and Play w/ my oldest. I think it's still in the closet. I used it just a few times.


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## heidirk (Oct 19, 2007)

Never bought a packnplay until DS was about 6 mos old. Never used it except as a travel bed, for which it works very well.

I hated confining DS for any other purpose than protecting him, or doing something I absolutely would not have been able to do with him sitting in the middle of it. Like the time he dumped an entire BOX of baking soda all over him and the kitchen floor.....I had to put the gate up in the kitchen doorway, and I felt horrible.

The other day my grandma asked wouldn't he sit in a playpen for an hour or so?
















No....he wouldn't....Oh well!


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