Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My DH and I have had our DD in our PNPs bassinet part since she was one month in our room and now that she is 5 months we are trying to decide if buying a crib is even worth it now. She sleeps fine in the bassinet part and now are thinking of just getting a mattress for the PNP and transition her to a toddler bed when she comes to that age.

Anyone use a PNP instead of a crib? Successful or regrets? Any suggestions on mattress, sheets etc?

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My son started jumping out of his crib at 7 months so we literally used it for a very short time. He was in his pack and play (Bjorn) for months before we transitioned him to his toddler bed. Never had any issues...

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My son slept in the bassinet part of his pack n play for 2 months and then in the top part of it until 6 months. That is when we finally put his crib together.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

Misunderstood the question- oops

Message edited 5/4/2016 9:21:54 PM.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

We're going on one year of using or pnp as a crib. I purchased a mattress off of amazon. We live in a 2 bedroom and she sleeps with us in our room since she still wakes up to feed and I don't want her to wake her brother.
No regrets at all. We will be moving by the end of the summer and at that point I will most likely get a toddler bed for her.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My youngest slept in a pack n play for the first year of his life because older ds was still in the crib, and then again for 6 months when we lived with mil while we were renovating. I put a pack n play mattress in and he was perfectly happy.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

If your DC likes it, they can stay in it.

My DS didn't mind the PnP when he was a newborn, but started to hate it around 4-5 months so we would have never been able to have him sleep in it overnight indefinitely.

My DS is 2 and still in his crib so buying a crib at 5 months would not be a waste of money for me. Plus, we got a pretty inexpensive one that also converts.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

please dont flame.. but I just want to point out that that the package itself says it's not recommended to use a pack and play as a baby's primary sleep location. My pediatrician also said it shouldnt be a place where a baby sleeps the nigh.
I ended up buying a great mini crib that included a mattress for just 199 bucks.
Worth every penny knowing it's a safe place for a baby to sleep. Just my opinion

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

Personally, I'd buy a crib. PnPs are good for once in a while, but they're small and not the greatest support for the baby. DS also outgrew the PnP long before we transitioned him to a bed.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

I would not use PNP long term when a baby was older. They should only be in there up to 30 pounds, they are not as big as a crib so baby may get long and not have enough room and i can't imagine it would support them well or be very comfortable on a Long term basis.

My son was in his crib until 2 years and 9 months.

Why not get a crib that converts to twin or full bed so you have it forever?

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

Aren't mini cribs the same dimensions of a PNP? I don't think that a PNP or a mini crib is too small at all for a baby to sleep in.

I know they do sell mattresses for PNPs that add more support so i'm undecided if that isa good option for the time being.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

We used pnp without the special mattress first maybe 6 months. Then he went to the crib til 2, then toddler bed.

My other kids we got the mattress on amazon. Like $35 its so much nicer

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

The tags on the pack and play also say NOT to use with a mattress other than what it came with...baby can get his/her face stuck between the mesh and the mattress. From the graco website:
https://secure.gracobaby.com/Instruction%20Manuals/archive/374.pdf

Probably being over cautious but sleep is such a potentially dangerous time for a baby../I just always used a plain empty crib with a rock hard mattress lol.

Eta I also had a pack and play break while my child was in it...the thing on the bottom underneath the mattress broke and it caved in. I don't think these things are designed for the long term. Jmo!

Message edited 5/5/2016 6:21:36 PM.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

IKEA has very reasonable cribs. I would buy a crib.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My dd was in her crib until she was 3. She was out of her pack n play (which was only used for sleep overs at grandmas sans mattress since im a worry wart like another poster mentioned) until about 1.5-2 she outgrew it.

Just based on comfort, your dc's back and not wanting to cause any back issues I would get a crib. Its worth the $ and they arent that expensive. Ikea has them. Target. Walmart. Look at local people selling one you can def get one for cheap.

Worth the investment.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

I'm not sure if a pack n play could really be used long enough for a child to go straight to a toddler bed... I think you'd need something in between. My boys slept in the pack n play (with a good mattress) until I think they were about 8 or 9 months old, but by then it seemed too small & I put them in a crib so they'd have more room to move around. My older son is almost 3 and I don't plan to move him to a bed any time soon, he sleeps so well in his crib. My younger son just turned 1 and he will be in his crib for a few more years, he is way too young for a bed but too big for the pack n play.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

My tiny peanut daughter (currently 3y3m, 26lb and 32") was in the rock and play until about 7 months old, then slept in the PnP until she was just over 2 before moving to a toddler bed (where she still is now)

I didn't get the PnP mattress do a few reasons. It's advised not to because of the suffocation risk noted in a previous post, and because a hard firm surface is okay for development whereas a softer surface is not.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

I thought the weight limit for a pnp is 15 lbs. I don't think it is safe, and I don't think the surface is hard enough to support the weight of a larger baby, so no I would not use if as a long term sleep solution. I would go to ikea and get an inexpensive crib plus mattress if money is an issue. Perhaps a family member or church would have one for you too.

Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?

Thank you for all. It is not a money issue but more of a space issue since DD is in our room and has been sleeping in a PNP this entire time with no issue. Ped okay'd it as long as she is on her back and take the same precautions as a crib sleeper. Fyi for anyone who was unsure, PNP bassinet tops have a 15lb weight limit and the bottom is 30lb. Also, mini cribs are the same size as a pnp.

Message edited 5/6/2016 8:06:58 AM.

Re: Anyone use Pack n Play instead of a crib?