Too much time in playpen for toddler?

[lexiss]

This morning DS 17 months woke up at 6am. I got up bf him and put him in the playpen. It is one of those extra large, hexagonal playpens.

Around 6.15 I gave him some water and changed his nappy. Then I went back to bed after making sure the playpen had only safe toys and the baby monitor was plugged in.

I fell asleep and woke up at 8.30. I went out to see DS and he was happily playing with this toys. He is very into small manipulative puzzles, shape boxes, stacking cups etc at the moment and he was busy playing with these.

He had been in the playpen for nearly 2.5 hours! Is this too long? Is there a problem that he plays happliy for this length of time by himself?

Most days I have a nap during the day for an hour or so and DS spends this time in the playpen but I have never left him for 2.5 hours before.

What do you think about this?

Its not unusual or unheard of at 8 months or even a big deal.

No because calling me a lentil weaver is not judgemental is it? No I haven't been a single mum- yet. Can I not have an opinion if I'm not a single mum.

the youngest ever walking baby is 6 months. That would be something to be surprised about.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-440202/The-baby-walking--months-old.html

and the little boys so so cute watch the video awww

Sorry not read all the comments, if you put him him back in his cot with toys and monitor at 6.30 in the morning what would people think? Ive been into my dd and I'm sure she has been awake for ages but just happy playing (not that much in cot just dolly and teddy). She is just 2, is playpen with monitor not just big cot? As long as toys r safe and you can hear them, he might have a little nap as well :))

No if you were a single mum I think you would be a lot more sane and a lot less precious about putting your baby down for 5 minutes.

You can have an opinion on things without judging people simply because their choices are different to yours.

Goodness me, didn't realise I was here for questioning. When did MNHQ appoint discussion monitors?

My opinion is that 2.5hrs in a playpen once in a while is not going to harm a child in the slightest. Assuming no special needs a 17 month old is perfectly capable of letting you know if he wants anything. It was in the morning, a time when the op was entitled to be asleep and clearly needed that sleep. Unless I missed something she didn't intend to be asleep that long. It was a safe environment as she states she had already checked the contents of the playpen. Crying neglect and that she's hindering his development in some way is ludicrous.

Now, is that ok?

Very wrong IMO ! Same room ok , separate rooms not ok! Also .. Set an alarm ?! Make it so you only have 45minutes - 1 hour . 2.5hrs is far too long !

Sooooo, have we mentioned gates on bedroom doors yet? Or shall I wait a bit longer before I come in and talk about my style of neglectful "by the seat of my pants" parenting.

I walked at 6 months and photos were taken to prove it. It's common in our family, amazed anyone thinks it's Guinness book of records stuff. Ok it's unusual, very unusual but it's not a world first! Own children walked between 9 and 11 months, their dad walked at 17 months so they came in between us.

I think i'd be judged judgmental if I wrote what i though of putting a child so long in a playpen, even worse putting them and going back to bed.

I shouldn't have said 'you know nothing about developmental delays', you could be a developmental paediatrician for all I know, so I am sorry for making that sweeping statement.

I should have said that 'your post displays a complete lack of knowledge about developmental delay'

Well so are you suggesting that people cannot have a clue unless they work with children. You don't need to be a professional to recognise poor parenting, neglectful parenting or even good parenting.

He did often look sad, not very happy, vacant and I think his clinginess was everything to do with CC. He was very clingy after the cc and it definitely prohibited his bravery in trying things.

Well from what you have said you obviously have very little idea as to what poor neglectful parenting is if you think CC crying comes close to being in that category.

(and I say that as someone who doesn't like the idea of CC at all)

Hold on a few posts ago he was happy babbling to himself in cot and pushchair looking a vacant and now he's clingy, come on at least keep your story straight.

All these babies walking at 6-9 months. Quite a difference between 6 - 9 months though. It's funny how you never see such young babies walking at baby groups, I would imagine its very, very rare but still lots identified on this thread.

So based on one example of a child who was quite clingy/vacant/slow and whose parents also tried CC - two things which must, you feel, be linked although you'd have to see a dramatic difference after the CC for even this anecdotal example to stand up - it is a bad thing and probably lastingly detrimental that the OP fell asleep for a couple of of hours?

OP, are you still there? (Wouldn't blame you if you've gone home.) Just wanted to say that I had similar insomnia patterns to yours, and got some CBT via my GP which really helped. The sessions took place over the phone, which was a lot easier than having to go for appointments. Also the Paul McKenna book/CD is quite good, although I find his voice a bit creepy.

I've seen 9 month olds walking at playgroup, and I walked just before 9 months myself!

There are degrees of neglect and that is where I would place cc for a 5 month old baby. It is what I think, you're going to change that sirzy. Like I don't think a playpen for 2.5 hrs is neglect to the extreme, it is not burning the child's toys in the garden whilst they watch kind of abuse but it's not great IMO - that's the key, IMO not yours or the majority on this thread but IMO which I am allowed to hold.