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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Playpens? What do you think of them?

43 replies

MammyShirl · 05/02/2004 17:43

I live in a small flat and finding it quite difficult to protect my dd from hurting herself. She is almost 11 months, not yet walking but climbing up everything!!!!!!
I was going to get a playpen but not sure if i would get much use out of it. i know i would find it handy now but what age are they up to?
i just need to contain her ina safe space while i do washing etc... as she has now decided to not sleep/nap in the day which meand i have to watch her all day.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

GenT · 05/02/2004 17:49

Not sure about 11 months, mine might be climbing out of that for sure, but I put her in a playpen like area and she stays there, at least the toys do.

She doesn't associate sleep with it, so that helps.

A sit in baby walker would contain her as well and she would be mobile and not able to hurt herself. She might get bored of sitting down in a playpen but thinks she is independent in a a
walker.

Don't know if that is any help.

sar7 · 05/02/2004 17:54

We used a travel cot that doubled as a playpen and DS1 was fine in it. I used it until about 16 months. However DS1 was not a very active baby (didn't walk until 18 months) and wasn't into climbing at all. Could you try to borrow one from someone, or buy one second hand? You probably won't get long term use from it if your dd is already a bit of climber!

LIZS · 05/02/2004 17:56

We had a travel cot which doubled as a playpen. ds used it as a downstairs contained play area for the same reasons as you cite. However it did have a fairly short lifespan as a playpen (maybe 4 months) as he did not want to be contained once he could walk. It did help him cruise around in safety though. He also used to nap in it during the day. dd (who is very petite but agile) could climb out of it by about 18 months.

hth

gingernut · 05/02/2004 18:14

Have a look at the earlier threads on this topic, e.g. here and here

HTH

twiglett · 05/02/2004 18:45

message withdrawn

mrsforgetful · 05/02/2004 20:54

agree with genT- it's handy for the toys....i have lived in a flat too! Also you can make it fun buy making a tent over it as she gets older and depending what your house rules are...it's a great place for 'messy activites'....also snacks!!! (especially chocolate!)

As she gets to the point of climing out put the settee cushions or pillows around....and in my case when ds3 was in it ds2 who was 3 used to get a stool and use it to clim in with him!!!!

Evita · 05/02/2004 20:59

I'm in a flat too. My dd absolutely loved her playpen. I was against them for ages before I had her but when she was 7-10 months it was perfect as a place for her to be safe and surround herself with her things. It also encouraged her to play alone. She knew when she was in there that it meant I needed to get on with other things and as soon as she'd start calling for me or looking fed up I just took her straight out.

I had a v.v.v. bad stomach upset at one point and had to run to the loo constantly. Without the playpen I don't know what I'd have done!

GenT · 15/02/2004 06:46

Did you get a playpen after all MS? There as a brilliant one on the heaven sent site that melsy found. At least it was the kind I was after.

poppins · 12/08/2004 12:13

message withdrawn

Northerner · 12/08/2004 12:18

Err, why does a playpen stunt a childs growth?

Twinkie · 12/08/2004 12:24

Beat me to it Northerner (are you my alter ego??)

Mind you I have heard that travel system car seats are bad for babies, breastfeeding is no better than bottle feeding (and apparently there is no scientific evidence to support it) and baby rice is severly damaging for a baby!!! OPh and the same girl also told me that it is imperative to slather your childs bits in Sudocrem each time you change them to prevent nappy rash - even if they have a clear peachy bum!!

Maybe it is just ne who is out of touch - but then I used to leave DD in her walker, bouncer and car seat for longer than recommended (mainly for the peace and quiet and to stop her sreaming!!) and she is a perfectly healthy 4 year old now!!

Northerner · 12/08/2004 12:29

Great minds eh?

But a play pen stunting a childs growth? Is she having a laugh or what?

Twinkie · 12/08/2004 12:38

No I don't think so - maybe you are taught that when you do childcare these days??

God I can remember when we were left outside for 3 hours on our prams to get a bit of fresh air - ooohhhhh thoses were the days - accounts for my limp and wonky gait!!

Northerner · 12/08/2004 12:41

Maybe she has a playpen with a lid on it

Actually I just noticed from one of her other posts that she is dyslexic, so maybe she means it hinders their development being confined, rather than literally stunting their growth.

Poppins come back and explain!!!

Twinkie · 12/08/2004 12:48

You are going to get soooo caned girly!!

I think she is perhaps just a little young and takes notice of the stuff that people tell you rather than actually thinking about it and deciding that any sort of cage or chair that you can strap your child into can be and should be used for a really long period of time!!

motherinferior · 12/08/2004 12:48

Now I know who to blame for the fact I'm only five foot tall

wobblyknicks · 12/08/2004 13:34

DD and I LOVE her playpen!!! She can sit in there in her own little space and play by herself, stick things through the bars (finds this hilarious), cruise round the edges, and be safe at all times. She stays in there for at least a couple of hours a day and loves it. She loves coming out to crawl but gets really touchy if she has to stay out too long because its not her nice cosy place.

I thought I wouldn't get much use out of a playpen but had to buy one at about 10 months and now dd is 13 months and I wouldn't be without it, its wonderful. Got the BabyDan metal one, so it has lots of space which is good.

wobblyknicks · 12/08/2004 13:36

And forgot to say - as for her growth - she eats like a horse and keeps getting taller and taller (she's never been fat tho). GP saw her the other day and remarked that she'd end up 6ft if she carried on like that. So hasn't stunted her growth AFAIK.

MummyToSteven · 12/08/2004 13:39

WK - would you recommend the baby dan - is it worth the money - i'm interested in it coz our kitchen/living is a big all in one room, so it looks as if a baby dan would be handy to keep steven out of the kitchen bit if I'm cooking/on the loo etc

marialuisa · 12/08/2004 14:00

Twinkie, the keeping tiny babies in carseats is true. My osteopath was maoning about the trend to clip carseats onto travel sytems and then leave the ababy in them for over an hour whilst mum wanders round town. Apparently spinal development can be affected by too long in a sitting position rather than lain flat. Apparently that's why many cultures swaddled babies flat in slings or whatever.

motherinferior · 12/08/2004 14:06

We've got a babydan and after some initial scepticism dd2 loves it, and she too thinks of it as her 'special place'. Sometimes she tries to close herself in.

Twinkie · 12/08/2004 14:32

marieluisa - I know loads of kids that were strapped into travel systems whilst thier bad mums went shopping - for much longer than an hour I can tell you and all of the kids are fine!!

Easy · 12/08/2004 14:36

oh oh, something else to make mums lives harder, and give us all a guilt trip !!

clairabelle · 12/08/2004 14:37

There has definitely been research into the 'car seat'position, one of the consultants where I work was involved it, there is some evidence that it can affect the development of the spine in some babies if they are left in the seats for excessive amounts of time.

oliveoil · 12/08/2004 14:44

I was going to get a playpen thing but didn't and am glad now as it would have been a waste of 70 quid. I used to put dd in her highchair if I was cooking or whatever and sometime - shock - used to leave the room to go to the loo and leave her strapped in ON HER OWN. No doubt this accounts for her developing the well known Highchair Hunchback you must all have heard of.

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