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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to buy a playpen?

64 replies

pamelat · 18/10/2008 13:47

DD 9 months, not crawling yet but will be soon ish.

I am keen to buy a (large) playpen. I wouldnt leave her in it all day but am think its a nice stress free back up if I am cooking, on the phone etc.

Opinion is divided.

Friends without children and my family think its essential

My antenatal group see it as cruel. I would be the first play pen purchaser! Their babies are all on the move and they say that its not really that stressful anyway, yes welll ....

So AIBU, are playpens terrible or necessary?

OP posts:

LadyOfRoffle · 18/10/2008 13:49

Depends. When I had one alot of my house wasn't very child friendly and I bought a massive one and it was excellent. But now my house is being gutted I would rather the whole house totally safe , + we have put in french doors to kitchen so can shut them, whereas before there was an arch.

Yanda · 18/10/2008 13:50

I didn't use one, but not because I think it is cruel I just thought it was another one of those baby purchases that would only have a use for a few months so I wouldn't say it is essesntial. I did used to put her in her cot if I was having a shower but other than that I didn't actually find it a problem keep her out of mischief.

LadyOfRoffle · 18/10/2008 13:50

Without a playpen not sure how I would have washed/cooked!

2point4kids · 18/10/2008 13:51

It will take up half your living room and look ugly!
Have you already got a travel cot?
Keep that in the corner of your living room and use it to plonk your DD in when the doorbell rings or you need to answer phone/cook etc.
I did that and it was absolutely fine.
Travel cot is smaller too, so you wont get tempted to leave her in it just a bit longer than you need to (not saying you would, but you know!)

DeJaVous · 18/10/2008 13:51

Definitely not being unreasonable, sometimes you need to be able to put DC in a safe place for a short time. IMO it's far better to put them in a play pen than in a highchair/pushchair/bouncy chair.

Original poster

pamelat · 18/10/2008 13:51

Ah you see, my house isnt huge so I guess I will always be there to keep an eye on her, so maybe I am being lazy?

I think until she (eventually ) moves I wont really know how baby safe we are.

We have big bookcases in the lounge, not planning on moving the books off the shelves (?) but they are very pull up-able on. I may need to move house!

OP posts:

ilove · 18/10/2008 13:52

I used mine a lot, it was brilliant. It was a gorgeous wooden one from Holland though, not a net and nylon thing.

Original poster

pamelat · 18/10/2008 13:53

Yep I do have a travel cot but its mesh at the sides (rather than bars of a playpen) and she associates it with sleep - not sure I want her to think that a cot is play time?

Also I have a cat and she is obsessed by the cat and I fear for her (the cats!) safety.

I feel that I am trying to justify it to myself?

OP posts:

LadyOfRoffle · 18/10/2008 13:53

If baby is having their own room you can always make that totally 'crawl safe' and put a stair gate up.

LadyOfRoffle · 18/10/2008 13:54

Obviously not for a 2 floor house if you are cooking!

midnightexpress · 18/10/2008 13:55

I agree with Yanda. I don't think they are cruel, but I also didn't really feel the need. We were given a hand-me-down one, and had it up briefly for ds1, but he hardly ever went in it and in the end we just took it down. DS2 was much more of a handful but I never really missed it 2nd time around either.

It won't be 'stress-free' if your dd is screaming about being in it (as some babies do). If you're cooking, it's easier, IMO, to give her a cupboard full of unbreakable stuff that she can go in. Mine spent months taking out boxes and putting them back in and putting things inside other things. As for being on the phone, well I still can't do that and they are now nearly 3 and nearly 2

crokky · 18/10/2008 13:55

Well they're fantastic IMO. I put my 6 month old in there (not for a long time), but it stops my 2yo falling on her accidentally etc. When my 2yo was a baby, he liked in there, I put loads of nice toys in there.

I have the hexagonal babydan one.

When a baby learns to pull up onto his feet, bars like that are helpful to them.

Also, I am having Christmas tree in corner of room and blocking it from toddler and baby using this playpen.

Honestly, just get one. They are great - if you don't use it, eBay it.

People's perceptions of what is "cruel" are quite bizarre really. It's not like you are going to put your baby in there and go out for the day.

Original poster

pamelat · 18/10/2008 13:56

I have one of those fisher price jumping frog toys (over priced, under used) I suppose that would "contain" her for short periods!

OP posts:

LadyOfRoffle · 18/10/2008 13:56

oh yes, blocking the Christmas tree! I really don't know how anyone would survive without one!

DeJaVous · 18/10/2008 13:57

pamelat - seriously, you don't need to justify yourself. A playpen can be a godsend and no thinking parent is going to over use one.

If you want one get one, believe me when your DD starts crawling you will really pleased you've got it

Tommy · 18/10/2008 13:58

we used a travel cot and I plonked all of therm in there at diferent times. Sometimes you need to be able to put them somewhere safe and to do it quickly. Play pens are ideal for that.

I don't see what the problem is at all with them

MrsMattie · 18/10/2008 13:59

Your antenatal group are judgemental bores, then!

Get one.

Uriel · 18/10/2008 14:45

I found having a playpen useful for short periods like you're suggesting. I was lucky enough to be given one by one of my antenatal group friends.

Keep some toys in there just for the playpen, then dd won't get bored with them when you have to put her in it.

A godsend for when the doorbell went etc.

RustyBear · 18/10/2008 14:49

I had one my sister passed on to me - I had it in the corner of the room & it was very useful - most of the toy boxes were in there, so DS never minded being in there for a short while.

2 years later, when DD became mobile she wasn't so keen on it, but DS loved going in there to play with his lego & other stuff with small bits, so that DD couldn't wreck his masterpieces.

Oh, and we put the Christmas tree in the playpen....

CicatrickOrTreat · 18/10/2008 15:33

I have one. DS does NOT like it but it keeps him safe whilst I am in the shower and I really didn't want him to associate his cot with anything but sleep.

Sometimes you just really really need to put them somewhere safe for five minutes.

shhhh · 18/10/2008 15:38

I got one for dd when she was around the same age, its a wooden type and I found it a god send. Although it was used minimal times Allowed me to make dinner or nip to the loo etc in peace knowing she would not be getting up to anything.

Its your choice and if you feel safe using one then do it.

With ds I then started to use it to store toys and with having dd I knew that she would shout if he was upto no good iykiwm....

btw, you are welcome to buy mine if you are after one .

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/10/2008 16:13

they are fantastic - def get one or use a travel cot

we had a huge play pen in last job and my older child wouldgo in there himself, shut the gate and then play with his cars/jigsaws and then his baby sistare couldnt ruin his game

do your antenal group also think cots are cuel?

potoftea · 18/10/2008 17:05

Another vote for.

I also found it useful to keep a crawling baby safe when other children were visiting. Baby was less likely to be tripped over or stood on if I could pop her in to play with her toys there, and even if another child joined her there she was still safe.

Also didn't want my dc to think the cot was for anything other than sleep. And the playpen stored the toys at the end of the day. So the living room looked better.

3littlefrogs · 18/10/2008 17:11

Oh God - it is the reins argument all over again. I used reins and a playpen when circumstances required it. If I had not, there is every chance that one or both of my dss would be run over, electrocuted, drowned or worse. And my house was as child proofed as it was possible to be, but my boys were extemely lively, inquisitive and resourceful.

They are both normal, well adjusted young men now, and are in no way damaged by having been constrained a little in order to preserve their lives and my sanity.

It really isn't anybody else's business as long as you keep your child safe.

Had I only had dd I would have thought these things were unnecessary, as she was a sensible, good child from day one. Every child is different.

3littlefrogs · 18/10/2008 17:12

Do your antenatal group have any small boys???

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