to wonder why playpens seem so unpopular

[Housewife2010]

Why do playpens seem so unfashionable? We have one & I wouldn't be without it. I have somewhere completely safe in which to put my 18 month old while I answer the door or do a few jobs. He's never left in there for long. I seem to be in a minority though as so few of the other parents I know use them. How do you manage without one?

Totally agree with everyone that says it's a way to keep your child safe in the house. For us it was all the reasons mentioned above plus the fact I lived in America at the time and had very short maternity leave for my part time job. To continue breastfeeding I had to pump milk quite a few times a day even when with my son and the playpen was a godsend to keep him safe and in one place. I couldn't follow him around when attached to the pump. Also - it kept him safe from our big dog who although gentle is clumsy.

Normality - just wondering if you've never found that a baby needs anything 'specific' what you used to perfectly baby proof your house? Did you not use a baby gate for example?

I'm sure you don't mean to come across this way but your comments make it sound like anyone who cannot perfectly proof their house or manage their (possibly very inquisitive and determined) child why they'll clean, cook and answer the door is somehow inferior - also assuming that if they need nothing 'specific' they'll be perfectly amused all the time. As I said above, you may not mean this at all but it comes across as somewhat condescending to those of us with those (and inquistive and determined) children who couldn't manage without that extra safe place for a few minutes here and there.

I used playpen, reins and 3 baby gates. But then DD was crawling at 4 months and putting everything in her mouth! Running at 9 months too which would have made my life a constant chasing after her without any of the above!

I often wonder where I went wrong when I see other peoples babies happy to sit in the bouncy chair or buggy for hours on end. There seems to be a definate trend to keep babies from crawling/walking too early IMO. I wonder how many playpen haters take their child to tumble tots or something similar? My guess is, they would never dream of encouraging it!

I love mine! I have put a cot mattress in the bottom so it is comfy, and it has the tiny love mobile and special toys that stay in there. She doesn't use it everyday and not for a very long time but DD likes it and so does my friends baby when she pops him in there when she arrives & sorts herself out. Doesn't faze him at all.

I had originally wanted one to keep the baby from crawling on the hard floor when the dogs have been all over it & to keep the dog away from DD. It is actually better at keeping DD away from the dog as she always is trying to pull her hair! Living in a town house would require a minimum of 4 baby gates just to get upstairs for each nappy change. Playpen is far more realistic option to use when i need her to be safe in the kitchen whilst i'm cooking, ironing etc

Great when used in moderation. Perhaps some of the "I would never cage my child" people imagine children left in them all day. Certainly not the case for me, just for short chunks as and when. I would much sooner do this than be carrying a baby/toddler up and down stairs repeatedly esp if I've got other things in my hands. Also handy to protect them from siblings (!) while you pop out and I liked to stick them in for a few minutes while I ironed something just to be sure they didn't get too close.

My MIL suggested we put our baby/tots in a play pen when we visit her but actually I don't see why sh can't just put her dogs in the play pen and let the kds rome.

normality
it is a good thing to put a baby in a cot awake. They need to learn to self settle.
How did you get your hands on a cot if you don't go in for baby paraphanalia !

I wonder how many playpen haters take their child to tumble tots or something similar? My guess is, they would never dream of encouraging it!

What a weird statement. How does one follow the other? I never used a playpen, and neither DS like bouncy chairs. They just wondered about, or sat on the floor. DS2 was also running by 9 months. Not using a playpen doesn't mean that you strap your baby in, or immobilise them

Sorry, that was responding to pugsandseals

I think the "I would never cage my chikd" people have a certain type of child... dd1 I never really used the playpen. DD2 has a deathwish, and regardless of how "childproofed" any room was would find a way to injure herself in the time it took to answer a door. DD1 was the kind of toddler you could say "no" firmly to, and got it, dd2 thinks that all furniture is an extended climbingframe, and can for example open the kitchen cabinets, and use them to shimmy onto the the hotplate.

We also often use the playpen these days for dd1, when she wants to e.g. do a jigsaw/ build a tower etc without her sixteen month old sisters "help".

I'm not a playpen hater but never had the need for one or for reins, stairgates etc. I just either watched my children, took them with me or left them, according to the circumstances. I suspect if I had had one I would have got used to plonking them in there to do things and thought I couldn't live without it. Have only ever seen one and agree with whoever said thattheyhad no idea so many people used them.

I have a tenty travel cot thingy which is very handy, because it is so light it gets moved between the backyard deck and the kitchen/dining room.

DS2 seems quite happy to chill/nap there while I sort out the washing/cook.

Had similar sort of thing for DS1, he doesn't SEEM to be deeply traumatised, but we can probably afford the therapy.

Nospringflower, "I just either watched my children, took them with me or left them, according to the circumstances"

I can't take my one year old to toilet with me and I can't see him from the toilet and I can't carry a load of clothes upstairs whilst watching him or taking him with me. Well done for managing without one, but some of us find playpens very handy indeed!

Mine is padded, safe, and has some interactive toys in. He's not in there for long but my house is old, hard to completely babyproof and the utility room and kitchen are down the hall where I can't see him.

Apart from short spells in the playpen, my DS2 has a full and busy life and I always have him "free range" between leaving the room/peeing/putting soemthing in the oven etc. It would be a lot less responsible of me to leave him alone in a room where I can't see him.

Despite me sweeping our floors twice a day and being vigilant, I once took a spring, a piece of chalk and a coin out of his mouth in the space of a day. The playpen is much safer if I have to leave the room.

I don't know why people are so anti them and I feel very heartended to see I am not alone as a playpen fan.

BTW Darleneconnor- it is true that a child tragically died of strangulation whilst in one but that was because a duffle bag had been looped over it (I believe it was a nursery in Glos). Playpens are safe if you don't leave long cords etc in it or near it.

dont like them.somewhat agricultural,like a pen

'somewhat agricultural'?? I agree, I loved having my playpen for keeping my little one safe for a few minutes here and there. I also exclusively breastfed so pretty proud of my agriculture related activities. Or were you just trying to be offensive inflammatory?

offensive and inflammatory, sorry

kerching triple mn i-am-offended-by-fuck-all-points for you

LOL talk about seeking offence were none meant,and you even got to mention bf and be offended about that

imo to clarify for the hard of thinking play pen aesthetics look like a sheep pen,summat on a farm

i await you processing this as i called ypu a sheep

i presume you remain annoyed at my irreverent and inflammatory post

I too am sniggering at the lame ass attempt to make a discussion about playpens about bloody breastfeeding. Only on mumsnet would the too ever be linked...

argh. two. feel like Miranda trying to sweep.

I can explain a little more simply if you like. I wasn't making the discussion about breastfeeding, I was using an example to illustrate my point. A little complicated I know so try to stay with me.

as i called ypu a sheep and lame ass attempt. This is where I leave this 'debate' as it's clearly above my intelligence level.

Yes, Monkeytoo you are very very clever and above us all. I understand about examples but I think that breastfeeding was a rubbish example to illustrate your point and smacked of wanting to say you had breastfed rather than actually constructing a well thought out argument.
I know two farmers wives and both ff. About as useful a point as yours.

hilarious attempt to start a bf debacle from playpens

monkey dont quote me erroneously.even In italics^