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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I have a playen -would u get one?

34 replies

pumpkinsweetie · 28/03/2012 15:18

I have always used a playpen for my dcs,
and was wondering what peoples thoughts are on them ?
I have found using one invaluable when cooking, cleaning and doing general housekeeping, it keeps my daughter out of harms way and i know shes safe whilst doing housework.
AIBU in using one or do you think they are a good invention?

OP posts:
CailinDana · 28/03/2012 15:19

DS quite likes his, he asks to go into it now and again. I don't need to use it very often as the sitting room is safe and has a gate so if he's playing happily there I can watch him easily from the kitchen. I know some people have a problem with them but I'm not really sure why.

DaenerysTargaryen · 28/03/2012 15:21

I'd use one, shit, I wish I had one!

Shanghaidiva · 28/03/2012 15:21

I used one with mine when I had a shower, went to the basement or answered the door.
When I was cooking I put them in the highchair in the kitchen with me

trixie123 · 28/03/2012 15:22

I use one in the kitchen as DD can open the oven and as its quite a big room I can't feasibly gaurantee that I would always get there in time to stop her. In our old house I just made sure the living room was safe and gated but our new house layout doesn't really allow for that.

nickelhasababy · 28/03/2012 15:23

i'm going to need one (bookshop, open door etc)

i think they're a very good idea if you need to do stuff that means you can't keep a constant eye on the toddler (cooking etc)

Psammead · 28/03/2012 15:24

It depends on the child, the set up of the house and other elements, imo.

I am not against them but never felt the need to use one. If our home was more open plan, I think it would be useful so long as the child enjoyed using it. If we had big dogs or visitors who brought some, it could be useful. If we couldn't childproof one room completely, it would be useful.

lesley33 · 28/03/2012 15:26

Yes, think they can be great. Never understood people's moral objections to them.

Original poster
pumpkinsweetie · 28/03/2012 15:28

Nice to know im not the only one that uses one as sometimes im made to feel guilty by ILs for using itConfused
They call it a 'sinbin' Hmm why exactly they call it that i dont know

OP posts:
Rhubarbgarden · 28/03/2012 15:29

I just use ours when I need to - nipping to the loo in peace, answering the door etc. I never leave dd in it if she doesn't want to be there. As a result, she really likes going in it and often asks to be put in it. When her friends come round for a playdate, they all want to go in it. At the same time. I've had five delighted toddlers crammed in it before now. DC2 is on the way now and I know it's going to be invaluable as a safe place to put the baby in in his playgym, while dd is running around. So yes I love mine. Especially the fact it has two height settings, so babies can be raised up which is more interesting for them and easier on my back.

NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown · 28/03/2012 15:29

It was the first thing I bought when I was pregnant and I've used it once. It totally depends on the child but there is no way DS would stay quiet put in such a small space for more than 5 minutes. It's one of the things I'll probably sell to make space and money for the next one

spartafc · 28/03/2012 15:30

I didn't use one at all until DH was recovering from an op and was out of action for a about 8 weeks. I realised I was never going to get to shower again, ever unless I did something!
I just used a travel cot, in the bedroom next to the en suite door.
I didn't use it at any other time, just because there wasn't really a need. We have safety gates downstairs so it's relatively safe.

YouOldSlag · 28/03/2012 15:32

Mine was invaluable when the DCs were tiny as our house is old and linear and I can't see into the other rooms from the kitchen.

I think some people have misgivings as they imagine the child is left in it all day while the parent goes about their business. However, as far as I was concerned, it was a safety net for when I had to shower/ do a wee/take in the supermarket delivery.

I think they're a good thing.

belindarose · 28/03/2012 15:35

I have no moral objection...but DD did! In the end I filled it with plastic balls and it kept her happy for minutes at a time. Was useful when we first got the puppy too. I'm hoping to use it to keep new baby safe from marauding toddler and aforementioned puppy when he arrives in June.

ModernToss · 28/03/2012 15:35

I also found ours invaluable. I don't know why people don't like them.

Emsmaman · 28/03/2012 15:36

Like others posted, I use it to nip to the loo, or anytime I need DD out of the way for a moment like if cleaning up a spill. She won't stay in it for long but I put the good toys in with her so she can entertain herself for a few mins. We have noticed that she is quite happy in the ones at my IL's place and my parent's place, they both have ones which are shorter and when standing, her head is above the bars. She will happily stay in those whilst we have an alfresco meal for example. So if I were to recommend one it would definitely be one which has shorter bars, unlike our tall lindam one.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 28/03/2012 15:37

Got a travel cot up in the living room to dump DS (9months) in when I'm too busy to watch every move he makes. He's been crawling since he was 7 months and we have an open plan front room/kitchen with no obvious way of keeping him out the kitchen. DD went in it too, with much less protest- DS arches his back bellows most of the time.

Alligatorpie · 28/03/2012 15:40

I used mine when I was in the shower but that was the only time dd ever went in it and it was also useful as a toy box when I was trying to clean up fast - I could throw stuff from around the living and tidy up in less than a minute!

moonbells · 28/03/2012 15:47

We have two modular babydens (ebay was my friend as they cost a fortune new!) and joined them together round the living room to fence off the fireplace, the TV, the window area and the furniture, so basically all the carpet was enclosed but DS couldn't climb on anything dangerous or get out of the huge enclosure, while we (and the cat!) had no trouble. It was brilliant, and it also gave him something to grab while cruising. He was walking at 11mo.

Never felt like a playpen (as I guess it would have, had we just had the one six-section unit). We also used it (occasionally) to fence off the stone steps in the garden and the barbecue area. Very versatile.

I just have to get round to ebaying them on to the next owners at some point!

AnEcumenicalMatter · 28/03/2012 15:47

I have bought one in preparation for the arrival of DC1. I have dogs and thought theplaypen would be somewhere safe to put baby when I need to run to the loo/answer the door/fetch in the washing without having to round up the dogs or take baby with me.

SparkyMcSparrow · 28/03/2012 15:50

We bought a Lindam one for ds.
We used it a handful of times to put him in and the rest for chucking toys in. Also ds used it for cruising :)
Tbh I wish we had just bought a cheap travel cot.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 28/03/2012 15:56

I have always used them.
I am very sad that DC5 had learnt how to climb out of his.
We call them baby cages.

The other DCs would wail 'muuuuuuuuum put the baby in his cage!'

We only took it down this week. I am bereft.

It was huge. It was a lindam with extra panals from the old cages added to it.

sigh.

StripyMagicDragon · 28/03/2012 16:01

I used to use the travel cot when she was younger, now she's 3 I wish I could contain her somehow!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/03/2012 16:05

We never bothered, but no moral objection to them, it was more that we didn't have space for one and didn't have particularly adventurous babies. I don't remember ever really wishing we'd had one, we just barricaded certain areas off with furniture and stairgates.

Original poster
pumpkinsweetie · 28/03/2012 16:08

I have the Lindam one, its very good and can be used as a room divider Smile

OP posts:
Meglet · 28/03/2012 16:11

They're brilliant. The days of being able to contain my children are long gone though .

DS learnt how to break DD out when he was almost 3 and she was starting to crawl and pull herself up. I did toy with sticking a bike lock on the gate but never got round to it.