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Parenting

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Original poster

What do you think about playpens?

41 replies

eagle2010 · 29/04/2014 07:48

Just that really!

My parents and MIL are obsessed with getting DS (7mo) into a playpen.

We live with PIL and I spend a lot of time in my patents' house too so that's a bit of background!

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Original poster

eagle2010 · 29/04/2014 07:49

Parents not patents!

OP posts:

rabbitrisen · 29/04/2014 07:51

I think that they have their place.
It keeps them safe while parent is busy elsewhere for a few minutes.

Rivercam · 29/04/2014 07:52

I used mine a lot.

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JustCallMeBaldrick · 29/04/2014 07:53

I think they can be a very useful piece of equipment, particularly if you need to make dinner, go to the loo, or do anything else when having a small mobile baby on the loose might be a problem!

snoggle · 29/04/2014 07:58

Yes useful once baby is crawling and for keeping baby separate from toddler if you need to leave the room. Ours was also used as a room divider and a fireguard at different times. And used in the garden so baby can play on the grass while you lie in sun and MN

If its just about short periods of containment, you can use a travel cot for the same thing though.

And neither of mine were that happy about being in there once they realised they were incarcerated :o

NotMrsTumble · 29/04/2014 08:01

invaluable. Having one means I know ds2 is safe while I run to the loo, make a meal or hang the washing out.

Lagoonablue · 29/04/2014 08:03

Used to keep a travel cot on corner of room. As already said, somewhere safe to put baby if you have to go to toilet, answer door etc. also useful if they fell asleep and needed somewhere to nap.

MrsMaturin · 29/04/2014 08:07

Playpens were v popular in the 70s - which is why your parents etc think it's essential. Fell out of favour in the 90s but there is a lot to be said for them. I had a huge one for dd1 which we filled with toys and really saved my sanity :)

Meglet · 29/04/2014 08:08

Very useful IME.

Original poster

eagle2010 · 29/04/2014 08:09

Ooh I like the garden idea! We have a travel cot and a handmedown wooden one with bars.

I think if I'm going to use one I'd better start now because DS strikes me as a baby who won't enjoy being confined! He's rolling all over the place now and after trying to eat the dog's food this morning it may be time for some boundaries :)

OP posts:

rabbitrisen · 29/04/2014 08:58

Aw. You have brought back a childhood memory. I had forgotten that I used to put mine in the playpen in the garden a bit too. It was lovely.

Dumpylump · 29/04/2014 09:00

We called ours the "baby containment device" - invaluable for all the reasons already listed above

Seeline · 29/04/2014 09:01

I used one for both of mine. As others have said, useful once baby is mobile and you need to pop to the loo/shower/cook etc. Also great in the garden, as long as you can provide it in the shade. I found mine most useful though for putting my older DS in when he was playing with lego etc so younger DD couldn't eat it!!

FourForksAche · 29/04/2014 09:04

I think they're brilliant. There are times you want to warm up some food or go the loo. a crawling baby or toddler is nioce and safe for a few minutes in there. Mine didn't enjoy being in it though.

HappyAsASandboy · 29/04/2014 09:12

I found them frustrating to live with, as they take up too much of a room.

I occasionally used a travel cot in the garden and in the kitchen when we had no kitchen floor covering, but other than that I just baby proofed rooms and put stairgates on. We don't have a lot of ornaments/candles etc so it wasn't hard to make sure that everything at floor level was babysafe.

wheresthelight · 29/04/2014 09:45

I use the travel cot but dd hates it as the meshing stops her being able to see what is going on so am desperate to get her a proper one with bars but they are so expensive!!!

It is a brilliant tool though!! My dd is 8 months and into everything!! She escapes the cot on Sunday morning, has learnt to climb onto the first step on the stairs so I have had to get gates a lot earlier than I thought, she can get out her bimbo, bounced chair even though there are harnesses on both. I literally cannot go for a wee without putting her in the cot or taking her with me as she would be off in a shot.

I do understand why people don't like them and like with everything it is personal choice. But don't dismiss out of hand!!

iseenodust · 29/04/2014 09:49

We used for the reasons others have said and also because we have a dog so it gave them both a bit of space sometimes.

snoggle · 29/04/2014 10:21

Re cost, you can get a second hand one, no problem (they are easy to clean). I got ours off eBay

pizzachickenhotforyou · 29/04/2014 10:38

Mine hates it and screams her head off when I put her in there. I reason that I prefer her screaming at the playpen than screaming because she's hurt herself when I'm in the shower/cooking/answering door etc

After the initial tantrum she amuses herself and is happily playing. Probably good for her to learn how to amuse herself for a bit.

7 months a bit young though really useful when they start crawling. They go really fast!

Swoosg · 29/04/2014 10:40

I used a travel cot - it was brilliant for when i needed to pop to the loo etc.

whatsagoodusername · 29/04/2014 10:42

We had one of the Babydan Baby dens - playpen which could open up to a room divider/door gate type thing. It was great, for short periods of time.

Got it off eBay like this one and sold it on when finished - even made a profit on it.

We left ours open so the DC could wander in and out as they pleased and just shut the door on occasion when I really needed to. I think you can get tops that turn them into tents or fortresses so that they are more of a play area to the kids as opposed to just containment.

RedundantEggspat · 29/04/2014 10:43

VERY useful. Had one that was larger than some of the rooms in my house so didn't feel like a tiny cage.

HavannaSlife · 29/04/2014 10:45

We have one, its great to keep baby and toddler seperate if I need to leave the room for any reason

TheScience · 29/04/2014 10:46

Can't imagine needing one with one baby, unless you have a dog/very dangerous house. We did have for eg. a stairgate on the kitchen door though.

When I have looked after two babies or a baby and young toddler though I have found the travel cot very useful for stopping them hurting each other while I'm out of the room.

AntiDistinctlyMinty · 29/04/2014 10:48

We bought one when we moved house to keep DS1 safe during all the packing/painting etc, but we didn't really use it once we were settled. It was pretty bulky too so is still in the shed. We've got the travel cot in the living room at the moment so DS2 can play without his brother 'helping'. He gets time to play, and I can cook the dinner without having to worry about DS1 getting over-excited and sitting on him...

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