Pack and play! (You don't even need your own. Just make sure the new parents have a nice one they don't mind lugging around.) The portableness of a PnP is nice so you can move it around the house as needed. When baby is mobile, it's nice to have a spot to plop baby safely while making lunch.

Also, don't call it a baby cage until the parents do.

Congratulations to all of ya. :)

Congrats - such an exciting time. Our kids live near us and we just used a Pack n Play. My girlfriends had a Grandmother baby shower for me and that's what they gave me. All 4 of them had used them with their grandkids. We added a cushion under the sheet when she got a little older.

We thought about creating a nursery or purchasing a baby bed but since they only live 8 miles from us we figured that if we needed to baby sit over night it would be easier to just go over there.

Two of my friends have become grandparents in the last year and a half, and they both made nurseries out of one of the grown kid's bedrooms. It makes it so easy for the parents to visit (which I would be inclined to encourage, wink!)

We were so excited when our first grandchild was expected! His 21st birthday is 2/13.

We had room, they live close, so we put up a crib. Made short and long visits easy.

If I had a bedroom to spare, I’d absolutely turn it into a nursery. I can’t think of any other room that’s as much fun to decorate as a nursery!

Congrats! Pack n' Plays have thin, horrible pads that some babies don't sleep well on.

The Delta Mini Crib was a lifesaver for us. It has great reviews, it comes with a mattress, has two height positions and it fits through doorways so it can be moved room to room. After the grand baby outgrew it, we had no problem selling it on Craigslist (to other grandparents).

www.target.com/p/delta-children-174-mini-crib-classic/-/A-51610834?preselect=51529437#lnk=sametab

We used a PnP but if you have room a crib that would convert to a toddler bed would be even better. And don’t forget to add in a comfy chair for a nursing mom. We already had a nice rocking chair and we added a cushion, but any good chair with arms would likely do. And yes, resale on these items is great.

Congratulations to the soon-to-be grandparents. We had our first grandchild in August. DD & DSL came to visit and brought a pack and play they received as a gift. It had the infant bassinet attachment. The baby slept horribly in it the whole time. The pads are thin and covered in thick plastic. The infant bassinet has a fold in the middle of the pad which made it even worse. They're coming back for Christmas, and I have purchased a moderately priced crib from Amazon. It will convert to a toddler bed. This should keep him comfortable (and let his parents get some sleep) for several years!

Congratulations! It's so amazing to see your child and their child - some very deep primal satisfaction, and to be overtaken by such love. I was on a baby cloud those first weeks! But not home. I was able to go there and help out for that first week. Some things to consider: how often will it be used and how much space do you have? My set-up is the pack'n'play (Chicco Lullaby) in the guest room where the parents sleep. What I liked from the start was the nice changing pad that attached to the top rail. That came in very handy, and grandgirl loved her little mobile friends. You'll see this set up has a seat too (on right), but we didn't use that part. The top level bed was great when she was small - easy to reach. As bpath mentioned, in the lower level, it's quite a stretch. The pads aren't cushy but that's for safety's sake so they can't smoosh their faces into the creases. I put an organic cotton pad under the sheet and she slept fine. But we live 250 miles (& covid of course) so she hasn't visited as much as your baby might. If you prefer something you can stow between visits, these work fine. I was thinking I would go used, but as I shopped, I got concerned about any snapped joints or such - these are plastic parts - so I bought new. I do often see grandparents selling outgrown gear on line though, and when she outgrows this, it will be nearly pristine if I do sell. (photo pre-baby & antique frame relocated - it's always something!)

Edited to add: my niece's daughter has outgrown the pack'n'play my sister in law had, at ~18 months, so that supports going for a crib if that's feasible.

We used a pack n play but honestly I’d consider an IKEA crib and crib mattress - will last longer, more comfy, and can be raised in the beginning (less bending over). Might be good to consult with mom and pop however as people have very strong opinions about baby sleep. I’m sure they’d love to be consulted!!

I had PnP’s for the twins. When they outgrew them, I got these inflatable beds. The other thing you might need is black-out curtains for the room where DGC will be sleeping. With the twins, DD and DSIL did a lot of sleep training. The twins had to have all sorts of white noise machines, black out curtains, etc. When #3 came along, DD was a lot more relaxed. When it’s bedtime, 3 goes to bed and conks right out without room darkening, noise cancelling, etc etc etc.

ETA: for any of you considering the inflatable beds, buy an electric air pump. The manual one that comes with them is only marginally adequate.

Thanks for everyone's feedback! The soon to be parent's and all involved are quite excited. We were given a hand me down crib that I worked on cleaning up today. It appears to be quite sturdy from our preliminary set up.

Fori had a great comment on the pack and play being used as a playpen. I mentioned that to DD who agreed that would be great use for one. Target has one half off today and I told her to mention that to MIL who has been asking for gift ideas. We all are tall but with that often comes back issues so hopefully baby won't have to sleep it a pnp too often,

Thanks all. DD is 6'2" and is just actually starting to looking pregnant at 26 weeks (vs I just had a big lunch!)

One used crib test is that you should not be able to fit a soft drink can through the slats (or max 2 3/8"). Enjoy every minute - my daughter and I shared a pinterest page and that was fun too.

Congrats! Has anyone told you when your grandbaby is born that you'll find a much deeper love for that child than your own children? I never dreamed there was a love deeper than what I feel for my boys.

Anyway...if you plan on having the baby at your house quite a bit, I'd get a crib & must-haves/necessities to make it easier on both you and mom. If there was an emergency and you needed to babysit at the last minute, you'll be prepared.

Crib, Baby monitor, and One of these when you want to hang out in another room when baby's awake and wants to look around. Lots of nappies, sleepers and such. You don't want to be shorthanded when baby has a messy day. lol

The Boppy is the best!

Admit it, you'll buy out the store. :)

We had a pack and play with a bassinet attachment but the funny thing is it never really set flat so we ended up putting Emmett on the bottom of the pack and play quite early on.

We had an extra room that we only used for a computer, file cabinet and bookcase so we put in a crib and are so glad we did. I kept it there for almost two years and then used the mattress in a toddler bed for another 4 years. That way they could drop in whenever they wanted for short visits or overnight and we were always prepared. They only live about 30 minutes away but we have always been close and I believe my grand daughter thinks of this as her second home because of this decision. You will love being a grandmother.

Congratulations!!!!!! You're gonna love being a grammie/grandma/grannie..whatever that little love ends up calling you!

Oh the fun you will have!! We set up a full nursery and had far more fun decorating it than for my own babies. So much of grand parenting is more fun. You get to be the perfect ‘parent‘ this time , while you have them. There’s more time and no stress of being the true parent. Both parents worked, so we cared for our nearby grandchildren 3-4 days a week and many sleepovers . So much more convenient and comfortable for us to watch them here than at DD house. As tiny infants, we also had an old fashioned buggy for some naps...very handy to move about. Never had a play pen, but the exersaucer was a great place to plop them when needed. I miss those days! It’s heaven...enjoy!!!