Do I really need a pack and play?

I am going to get a bassinet for our room for LO to sleep in for a while, and my parents are getting a crib for their house. Do I really need a pack and play? What are people using them for besides sleeping out?

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I think it all depends on you and what you will be doing. I'll take it to my mom's and my MIL's. I'll bring it in the backyard when it is nice out.

I remember that my mom used the pack and play EVERYWHERE with my brother. My parents had to rip out ceilings to replace some floor beams when he was about a month old, so she used to drop off my grandmother and my brother at the park with the P&P and food while she and my dad ripped the place apart for like 2 weeks straight. I was in girl scouts and she was my leader, so he was in the p&p in the corner of every meeting. She brought it to her friend's house whenever we went over. It came to the pool with us. She used it in the yard. It was everywhere!

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I think ppl use them as a safe place to put the kid if they have things to get done. I prob won't get one for our house... will just get a play pen gate type thing.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I didn't use it for the first two and won't for this one - but like PP mentioned - it's all about what you might need it for.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I got a very basic one and use it for weekends at my parents beach house, playpen when DD was about 6-10 months, and have even brought it to the beach when she was very little. She slept in it for the 1st 3 months also in our room before she went into her crib. The basic ones are like $75 and it is handy to have even if you dont use it everyday.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

BTDT- we registered for and received the fancy one with the changing table and vibrating soother with music to keep in out living room while she was tiny and sleeping. Instead of getting a bassinet, we got a very simple pnp for our bedroom, figuring we would get more use out of it and eventually it would go to my parent's house. She slept in the one in our room for about 2-3 months, but the fancy one- total waste. All we use it for was a changing table an toy collector. She never slept in it during the day and we never used the fancy bells and whistles it came with.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

It really depends on your situation.

I did get one and it stayed in the box for 2 years until a friend borrowed it.

I had a bassinet and crib, I live in a ranch so there was no need for one really.
Whenever we travel we use the hotel one and I bring my own sheets.
My ILs have one from previous grandkids and DS never stayed at my dads. So really it wasnt necessary to get one!!

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I think it really depends on what you're using it for. I don't think it's completely necessary. I'm using mine mostly over other peoples houses (my mom's and MIL's). I may even keep it at my moms house!

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

We have a PNP from DS that we will use if necessary.

But for the babies to sleep in I got the Fisher Price Rock and Play thingy. So much more compact then a PNP!

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I definitely dont think its necessary, but for us we felt it was to give the baby a safe place to be shielded from the dog! I dont want him constantly on top of her and her toys. I know I'll use it when we visit family too.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

It all depends. My FIL lives 30 minutes away, so we thought it would be useful for when we spend days there or he takes during a date night in the future!

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I used it when they were little a lot. I used it during the day for naps and stuff when they were young (2 floor house). Made things easier. Dragged it outside in the summer. As they got a little older I used it as a safe place to place them when I needed to do something or even just got to the bathroom. I used it a little for travel but not too much because as my kids got older they hated to sleep in it.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

We have a High Ranch house so we are getting a pack n play and keeping it on the lower level of the house. This way when I am downstairs doing laundry or hanging out (that is the main area of the house that we hang out in), our LO can go in there. We will also use it for outside when we are out there hanging out (in the summertime we are always outside in our backyard and people are always over for a BBQ too).

I definitely think it is one of those items you need to decide if you really need/want, or not. For us I think we will get a lot of use out of it.

Re: Do I really need a pack and play?

I think it depends on your house set up. We have a two floor house and DS's room was upstairs. So we used the pack and play for naps so he could be downstairs with us. We also use it for travelling and at grandma's house.