I don't want to buy a playpen

[AppleOrchid]

Hi there,
I'm not a fan of playpens. I think they're ugly and cage-like. Can anyone suggest alternatives? We live in a tiny house with a very roly-poly nine-month-old and need safe places to put her when we need to get things done.
Thanks

have you got a travel cot? I used one for a very short time when ds was little. It was ideal if I had to answer the front door/run to the loo etc. I just put in some books, or balls/toys etc and he was relatively happy!

Yes we had a travel cot instead. Took up less room too.

I don't have one yet, but seems like a good idea. What happens when you need to use the travel cot as a cot? Will little one will be confused and think it's a play area?

It was ok for both. When it was used as a cot we would be in a totally different place generally and we made it up like his cot (and took toys out obviously . As bodiddly said it was ideal for answering the door, or nipping to the loo in peace, knowing he was safe. We did buy it to use as a travel cot first and foremost but it ended up in the living room!

Why don't you just put a stairgate in the door of a "childproof" room?

Yes just childproof a room now. You'll have to do it eventually. I definitely would not waste money on a playpen. If you have an early walker you'll get a few weeks worth in it!

I would just childproof the lounge and perhaps introduce a wee bit of cbeebies for when you need to do things .

Get a Jumperoo or similar. DS would stay in that for 15 minutes but hated is playpen.

I never thought our living room was ever completely 'childproof'. I wouldn't have left my nine month old in there on their own while I answered the door for instance. I just felt happier with him in the cot. Perhaps I was being PFB a bit but did it with DS2 as well.

We never had one. I had a lovely fireguard around the fire and plug socket covers.

Our kids made it into toddlerhood ok.

Pack n' Play is great for travel and does come in handy sometimes if you need to answer door / go to the toilet etc. :) They are ugly but easy to fold down.

Mine also used to double as a toybox (obviously not with child inside!) at the end of the day.

What sort of jobs are you needing done?

For example - if I was upstairs cleaning the bathroom and toilet and hoovering then I would stick DD in her cot with a selection of toys and books to chew on, leave her bedroom door open and whizz around doing my jobs, I could keep an eye on her and she knew where I was. Sometimes she would fall asleep ... BONUS!!

Downstairs I would put her in the bouncy chair or the highchair (depending on age) whilst I whizzed about making dinner or tidying up.

Thanks everyone.

Over the course of the day I've definitely decided against the playpen. It'll be one - or all - of the ideas above. We'll need to get a travel cot and baby-proof the living room any way, so I guess we'll just start there. So, some serious child-proofing ahead (and perhaps a little bit of Cbeebie-ing too!).

We had lots of table corners and a cat. Perhaps thats what I was thinking of.

I know a number of people who have used a stairgate or Babydan playpen panels etc to fence off their TV and computers etc.
I found there's two stages of childproofing - first making the room safe for the child, then making the contents safe from the child...

Dd isn't that mobile yet, but starting to roll around. I use the jumperoo and her cot, but the best thing to keep a 9mo entranced is Baby Jake on cbeebies . I limit it to one episode a day...

Thanks SingingSands. I do similar - Jumperoo downstairs etc, but she's outgrown bouncy chair and won't tolerate her cot at that best of times!

Just joined Netmums. im a Nona (grandma) looking after grandson. hes into everything and so Ive just ordered travelcot. Thanks for the advice.