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?

You sounded just like her with the dr comment formally

I don't do those things i need, I just don't need a playpen to ensure my child plays on their own. I don't do enforced isolation at 1, it's not a parenting technique I've decided to take up!

I've seen a 9 month old baby walking at a playgroup. I thought that was within the normal age range for learning to walk?

DS didn't take his first independant step until he was 14 months, but I'm skeptical about the notion that being in a playpen while I went to the toilet / made dinner / etc caused a delay there.

Well don'[t take it up then! No one is telling you that is what you must do unlike you who is telling everyone else they must do it your way! Your way might be best for you but it's not best for everyone else.

I have never used a playpen or CC but I still don't judge people who do they have simply made different choices. Doesn't mean they are any better or worse than the choices I made just different.

After thinking about this for a while, I think he must have had a nap, 2.5 hours is too long, even for him. Usually he has woken me usually after an hour by shouting out for me.

As I said before I will take naps next to him from now on and will set the alarm. I will also keep in mind the climbing out of playpen scenario, I have always make sure there were no big toys in there that he could use as steps but will be on the lookout for him started to climb.

I disagree about him being neglected at any level. I have never done any form of CIO and have always been responsive to him. It just seems that he can entertain himself better than other children his age. He is a very busy, inquisitive boy and he loves playing with his toys. We go to a toy library so he has a good turnover of different toys so he doesn't get bored.

Thanks to whoever suggested Paul McKenna CDs for insomnia, will check that out.

Sounds good lexiss, enjoy having a child who can amuse himself - it's great

Lexiss, do remember that mumsnet is essentially a cross section of the deluded, desperate and dreadful but also the supportive, laid back and normal..

You parent how you think best.... It's only what we all do.

I don't judge people who use play pens per se but I do judge leaving a baby in the play pen for 2.5 hours whilst they were asleep in the day.

I very much judge CC, it's just wrong on every level. It seems I'm on my own in having these opinions OR there is a pluralistic Ignorance at play here.

what thebody said.

the body, speak for yourself with the first part of thst sentence. The OP has posted to ask if she was unreasonable? Not everyone is going to say yes.

Have you spoken to your doctor about your insomina? You need to get this dealt with, I wouldn't use a play pen so I could have a nap, and you have probably only a couple of months of being able to do this anyway before he can get out on his own. The first time you will know this is when he does it.

You need a different solution before that happens.

He hasn't got 'issues', but he's very clingy and he always has been. It's a shame as he is missing out socially. He noticeably changed after the CC. How can I be ignorant, it's not hard to read up on what it involves, what the methods are, it's not hard to grasp. I think it's a dreadful thing to do to a baby so I don't give a flying duck if it offends. You think I'm a twat- and? Does that make you feel better now you've been 'offensive' something you said you didn't like being?

What has CC got to do with this thread anyway?

Well I have a clingy toddler at the moment but it's a stage this child has never got over that stage. Well I think I have a bit of an idea about why with my own DD is clingy at the moment so I beg to differ but - I do.

Golden, do you find the idea that every child is different that hard to grasp?

IMO children should be treated like dogs, fed watered hugged exercised loved and caged when the need calls for it.

Am I the only one who struggles with the idea of play pens? I understand, logically, the reasons for using one, and they are very sensible inventions. BUT, we were gifted one and when we put it up and put DS in it, it just felt wrong. I don't want to be judgemental about people using them, if it's something they find useful for their family, but they just make me a bit uncomfortable and I can't quite put my finger on why.

Actually I have to admit that I get inside the playpen with my 8mo and sleep in there while he plays cos the bottom is really soft so I can sleep and if anything happens I'm right next to him.

That's weird isn't it?

Children are different - yes
CC - always wrong

My mum struggled with the idea of playpens when we got our one for DS.

But for some reason only know to my mum, despite her aversion to playpens, she didn't struggle with the idea of putting a safety gate on my bedroom door so that I couldn't get out of the bedroom when I was a small child.