Aibu for thinking baby pens are necessary?

[BySereneMintSwan]

I have a baby who is very much on the move.

I'm looking at baby proofing the house and downstairs is open plan, but a step down to the kitchen and an unused wood burner fire (slate base).

I feel that play pens are quite restrictive but I don't think it's possible to baby proof the ground floor -socks, tables, chairs, radiator, toy storage etc. although downstairs is somewhat spacious for a terrace house it's also quite small.

Baby never took to the bouncer and he's 10 months.

Thoughts?

Sorry didn't know where else to post

Only if their pencil is broken

I have 2dc and never used this. I was gifted one like this and set it up and my baby cried so much wanting to come out. What is it that you can't baby proof? We also have a step into the living room but used a gate instead. Either we were there with the baby or she couldnt enter.

I don't think I'd bother getting one at this point. We did a makeshift play pen by rearranging furniture and using one of those baby fences to bung her into if the doorbell rang or something but I don't remember her ever going in there beyond about 11 months. A toddler isn't going to tolerate it.

I don't think you can eliminate all dangers like climbing on sofa and falling off etc so for me i find a playpen helpful. I only use it for short periods though like 2 minutes while popping to the loo or loading the car so I only have a tiny one. Never saw the point of a large one.

Both of mine liked the playpen. Having something with bars was good for practicing cruising and standing and it helped the older one play with their toys without "help" from the younger one! Sometimes older one took Lego into the pen to keep it safe from younger one ...

That was one thing everyone insisted we needed, including husband but I refused - partly due to space issues. I’ve never regretted my decision. We have a gate at the door ( which lots of people choose not to have) and corner protectors on a couple of bits of furniture and that’s been fine.

It depends on the layout of your home and on your child. With DC 1 we didn't need one, she would be happy in a bouncer or highchair while I was cooking and wasn't the mischievous type, she was never 'into everything' like some kids. With DC2 we realised quickly that another approach was needed. He was on the move early and babyproofing didn't work as he would climb on everything and get himself into all kinds of dangerous situations. You had to watch him constantly as he was so quick. He hated the highchair and the bouncer. We got a large playpen, put it in the corner of the living room and made sure we rotated the toys and books in there to keep his interest. It meant I could go to the toilet, put dinner on or have a quick shower without worrying he was going to get himself killed.

We had one for a few months when DD started crawling and pulling herself up. It was mesh and I often had the door open so she could go in and out easily but it was useful to have a safe place to put her if I needed the loo or to make lunch. She got frustrated with it relatively quickly so we just put it away but it was also a good place to store toys.

was this one: https://www.babyplanetonline.co.uk/tutti-bambini-hexagonal-playpen-grey?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjww5u2BhDeARIsALBuLnOTWcGqOwTRBljsEUFrVJctcA9uhPeDn_MheZMXwruIG2Rv0tuF4S8aAnzxEALw_wcB

With the old wooden ones, at a certain age they actually love them when they're learning to stand up -nothing like those wooden rails for hauling yourself up 🤣

Feel it's a bit cruel them being behind bars!
Seriously?🙄
Play pens were an excellent help when mine were small. I was able to do things like make the tea, and do the ironing safely. It's not like they were in for hours. The kids has toys in to play with, I was able to keep an eye on them but do what I needed to do. It was a win -win. The play pen folded flat when not in use so took up no space.

I guess people who think they are cruel have the same mentality as those who think people who use baby straps and restraints are treating their kids like dogs!

We had one but in practice very rarely used it and then eventually got rid.

We found the downstairs really needed to be baby proofed - but we took a fairly relaxed attitude to it. Main things were cupboard locks, medicines and cleaning products in a high cupboard. Didn't mess around with sockets (not necessary in the UK), corners of furniture or anything

We found that when they were babies, they just naturally came with us - e.g. to the toilet or to answer the door - and when they were in the really destructive phase 12-24 months ish a play pen didn't restrain them at all. At 10 months, DS 2 could walk, climb out of his cot, and vault over a playpen. By 12 months he could undo the locks on stairgates.

if yiure really unsure you could just get a used one off marketplace or see if someone can lend you one. A second hand one will cost next to nothing and if you don’t use it then just re-sell it.

Baby pen is useful if the doorbell rings. I used to sit in one to sew as that was the only way to keep the pins and scissors away from toddler.

They are handy to have. We had one for both my kids with toys in them. They weren't in them for long. Only when I needed the toilet, hanging washing out etc. I think they are fine if you're using them for short amounts of time. My 2 played well in them but would have gotten frustrated if in it for longer than 15 mins.

I doubt a play pen will be much use for a live wire tbh, i doubt containment for long. My first was like that, running at 9 months. We installed stairgates for the kitchen and stairs, and just baby proofed. Furniture strapped to walls, removed the coffee table from living room (and installed 8x4 crash mats for downstairs neighbour...). You can hey strips of thick foam adhesive stuff - I've installed it underneath the top bunk for ds (now 5, sleeps in the bottom in theory...) as he remains as accident prone as ever. Show them a hot radiator, touch it yourself and ouch, hold their hand close to feel the heat. TV up high for now. If they're going to have kitchen access, make a dedicated bottom cupboard/shelf for them with all their safe plastic stuff, so they can route around and help themselves without being tempted/having access to danger knives/glasses etc.

My second is a potato baby lol, this kind of stuff isn't necessary, we just have to watch for lego that looks like cupcakes... She tells me off if we go too close to the oven on the way to get ice lollies. My kids are complete opposites in most ways.

We have this one it’s great! Not like a prison at all. One year old happy in there for half an hour here and there. Filled with toys. Also helps if I pop a baby tv show on. He’s happy whilst I sort washing/dishwasher or whatever. Otherwise we have done general baby proofing by removing anything unnecessary that could be dangerous, stair gates, a baby lock for the cleaning cupboard etc but he is always supervised when roaming free. Venture All Stars Joy Square Baby... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RQ1YB2G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Yeah similar for us - I feel like either a child is just not the sort to be contained by a playpen so it doesn't actually work or a child is one that just doesn't need a playpen so it's pointless

But that's just my experience, maybe if you have an in between baby, it is helpful. But like you, I had one live wire and one potato

What did you do with your crawler/walker when you needed to cook or go for a poo?

I was going to say, you might get a climber! Mine were also able to scale a playpen before they were 1, though fortunately neither ever showed any interest in stairgate locks.

I'm confused by some of these responses.

I have a live wire aged 7.5mo. He can crawl and pull himself up and is exploring. It's not about trying to contain him, just to keep him safe while I'm on the loo or cooking or whatever. Not more than 30 mins and more like 5. Unless you have very contained rooms and very little in them surely there's a need to keep baby safe when not under direct supervision?

Mine would never have tolerated one. The two times we tried, he absolutely screamed. He hated being trapped.

We have a fire, and had a big step in our kitchen at the time - he learned quickly what was safe and what wasn't. He's nearly 3 now and still knows to leave the fire alone, and he was absolutely fine with the step until we got it removed a few months ago.

We've never had stairgates, either. We do have a door to our stairs downstairs, so we could stop him from constantly going up or down stairs, but it's been permanently open since he was 18 months and learned he could drag something to stand on to open the door.

Dh built a sort of fence with a gate across our kitchen so that there was a safe end while I was cooking. Otherwise I was always with them and we just did the normal baby proofing. Stair gates. Rubber corner covers for sharp edges at head height. Some cupboard locks for crockery and chemicals but other wise we let them get tupperware and pans out to play with. Didn't bother with a fire guard, we just didn't light it when they were awake. We did have a travel cot in the lounge which we could use for very short periods and the cot in the bedroom e.g a dash to the toilet, answer the door, unloading the car with the front door open.

When they are older they can escape the play pen

Had a wooden one it was great. toys inside my twins used to play together in it.