Do I need a Baby Bed?

20 years ago

Hello,

I used to visit this forum a lot a few years ago and now I am back with a question. Do I need a baby bed or can I use one of those travel playpen things instead? I am a single dad with a 5 month old. She has not yet begun sleeping overnights with me, and DD's mother was making a big deal about my not having a bed. I do not have a lot of money or space and if it is ok to use one of those playpens then that would be very helpful. I know its not the best, but I do not have the funds presently to do much better.

Thanks

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Comments (5)

awbrey
20 years ago
Yea, I dont see a problem with that, do you have any second hand baby stores where you live???? They sell cribs very cheap, probley as cheap as buying a new travel playpen
User
20 years ago
Mil says she never had a baby bed for dh. He slept in the playpen. A lot of people use the pack 'n plays for traveling and napping. My friend keeps one for overnight guests with babies. I think whether or not it is suitable for your household depends on the temperature and draftiness of your house. It's colder to sleep near the floor.

If you're daughter isn't going to be staying overnight with you much, I probably wouldn't buy the baby bed either.
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User
20 years ago
I'm a grandmother looking at those options for my grandson to nap/sleep in when he and his parents visit. I don't like the travel cribs I've seen, they look kind of flimsy.

Her mother is right, you need a bed for her. You can find a nice crib at Ikea, online, for $60 and a mattress for $25, and you can certainly find a nice used crib and mattress for a really good price. Send some of your women friends out on a quest, even your DD's mother might be able to help. Your DD will be able to sleep in a full size crib for 2 -3 years. She'll outgrow the travel crib pretty quickly.

This is your daughter, you want something safe and sturdy for her. As she gets older she'll be pulling up and standing and jumping and rocking, a travel crib won't stand up to that kind of use over time.

Good luck.
lindac
20 years ago
A Pack 'n Play is very sturdy.....very strong....When I found that I was going to be grandmother to twins and the crib used by the previous 5 grand kids wouldn't be enough, I bought a used one.....and it served well for a week at a time for long visits.....and when they got too big I gave it away.....and it was used for several more years.
Th answer your question....yes they are fine!
Linda C
notenoughroses
20 years ago
A Pack 'n Play is very sturdy. We used one almost exclusively with our son, though that is not what we intended... We had a nice nursery set up, with a beautiful new crib... We were married 15 years before we were blessed with a pregnancy; we went all out on that nursery. The crib was hardly used. DS was premature, chronic coughing/asthma since birth and had reflux something awful for the first year or so of his life. We had several specialists, plus our pediatrician, say that he needed to sleep on his stomach - which is totally against the SIDS campaign - but he spit up and choked so much - sleeping on his tummy was the only way he could sleep. We ended up using our Pack 'n Play *all* the time since DS needed constant monitoring. (I don't believe in putting awake children in playpens, unless it is for safety reasons, like when you are showering. I would never just put a child in one to play.) Our pack 'n play got hauled along on half dozen or so vacations, too. DH and I have always said that was one of our better baby purchases.
If you don't have the space to devote to a crib - then go the pack 'n play route. Really, you can buy a cheap crib and mattress for about the same price as a new pack 'n play... Ask around - maybe you can borrow one or hit the jackpot. (Our neighbor found out last year that she was pregnant after many, many years and we gave them everything, as we are - knock on wood - out of the baby business.) If you buy used or get a hand-me-down from someone, be sure to check for recalls - that information is readily available on-line. ~ Suzie