Post by ElizabethBennet on Oct 16, 2014 10:52:55 GMT -5
I think a pack n play with an insert is your best bet. That way you have it as the baby grows and you can travel with it.
I do know that a lot of people love the rock and play and it's not that expensive. I don't think it would be redundant to have both that and the pack n play.
Post by demandypants on Oct 16, 2014 10:53:03 GMT -5
the pack and play with the insert is going to take up the most space, but long term you can use it as a travel crib or for sleepovers at the grandparents. The bassinet would have a shorter lifespan being a uni-tasker but it is smaller. I am going to get rock and plays for these two. But I am not sure if we will use them for beds or not. Probably depends on the babies. DD slept for crap and we ended up cosleeping with her 90% of the time for the first 8 weeks. Something I swore I would never do. by 12 weeks she was spending more time in her crib but she still slept with us frequently until she was one.
We got the RNP and the PNP w/ newborn napper. I know a lot of people use the RNP basically exclusively but I am also a little worried about doing so since it's not intended for that... FTM paranoia I'm pretty sure. We'll see what the final arrangement is but I plan to keep one in our room and one downstairs.
I got a pack n' play with the insert to use in our bedroom and then in the future for containment/traveling. I also got the rock n' play which I figure I'll use around the house during the day, in the bathroom while I shower, etc.
I think it really comes down to your preferences, but I think all 3 things would be too much.
Post by estrellita on Oct 16, 2014 11:19:08 GMT -5
Our current plan is to get a PnP with the removable bassinet insert thing. I feel like that's the best way to get more things for less if that makes sense. Doesn't mean we won't eventually get a swing or something also to put him in, but for now I think this will work well to have baby in whatever room we're in. We will also use this in our bedroom in place of a crib until we get a new place.
Sounds like you already have a lot of responses, and already made a decision but I was going to pop in here and say that went with the Pack 'n Play with the full-size bassinet insert.
I wasn't too interested in getting a ton of things, and especially having a ton of stuff that were kind of more limited timespan-wise...I figured the PnP would give us a little more longevity
Post by thatgirl2478 on Oct 16, 2014 11:42:10 GMT -5
You don't need all of them, they are all *basically* the same with some differences.
The pack n play is bigger, but will have more uses post infancy stage. For example we've used ours:
- in the family room as a nap spot / changing table when tiny - in the family room as a baby containment unit when we need them off the floor / out of the way / safe - in the yard at family picnics or when doing yard work so we could keep an eye on them but not be holding them (use a mosquito net over to keep bugs out & put in a shady spot) - on vacations when there isn't a crib available (many hotels just have pack n plays vs actual cribs and honestly they get kind of disgusting)
However, if you have a smallish room you'll appreciate having a smaller sized sleeping space when they are younger (because in all likelyhood they wont sleep in your room long). For that I particularly like the Arms Reach Co sleeper - it has one side that can fold down so you can access the baby that much easier at night (no getting up & getting out of bed to pick up the baby). Plus it has a relatively small foot print which is great for smaller rooms and seems to make small babies feel more secure than the large space of the PnP.
If you find that your baby likes to be rocked (DD1 didn't, DD2 does), you might like the Rock n Play. Honestly, I would wait on that though since it's probably better to get them used to sleeping in a non moving bed. But, if it's the only way to get them to sleep it might be worth the investment.
Post by thatgirl2478 on Oct 16, 2014 11:43:56 GMT -5
FWIW - we only had to buy the Arms Reach - the PnP was gifted to us by a friend who was one & done. I probably would have bought the PnP if we didn't already have it.
I have no idea if it's all necessary, but we have the pack n play with newborn sleeper, rock n play, bouncer, swing, and a travel bassinet. Our kid is going to have multiple sitting and sleeping options, lol.
We got the RNP and travel bassinet on clearance so they were really cheap, and the bouncer came free with the swing. We registered for the PNP since so many people said it was essential. I think the baby will sleep in the travel bassinet in our bedroom for the first few months, and we'll have the PNP and swing in the living room. The bouncer and RNP will probably end up getting moved wherever we need them.
I got both, but was warned against sleeping at night in the RNP, only because it's got a slight incline, and when you move them to sleeping flat - it's a bit of a struggle for some babies. My plan is to have them sleep in the PNP/insert/newborn napper in the room for 3-4 months then move to the crib.
Post by gretchenindisguise on Oct 16, 2014 12:26:03 GMT -5
Just something to think about: PNPs are so incredibly cumbersome for actual travel. And any hotel you'd stay at would have a crib available. We ended up buying a cheap crib for my parents house so we didn't have to deal with lugging anything with us when we went to their house.
We used the arms reach co-sleeper last time. And have the rock n play for this time. If we don't like it - we'll switch back to the arms reach for the first few weeks and then decide what to do. We live in a small 2bedroom, so we don't have a lot of space.
I have no idea if it's all necessary, but we have the pack n play with newborn sleeper, rock n play, bouncer, swing, and a travel bassinet. Our kid is going to have multiple sitting and sleeping options, lol.
We got the RNP and travel bassinet on clearance so they were really cheap, and the bouncer came free with the swing. We registered for the PNP since so many people said it was essential. I think the baby will sleep in the travel bassinet in our bedroom for the first few months, and we'll have the PNP and swing in the living room. The bouncer and RNP will probably end up getting moved wherever we need them.
We took this approach as well, lol.
We plan on putting the bassinet in our bedroom for the first few weeks/months, the PnP downstairs as a napping spot/changing table and the swing and bouncer wherever it ends up working best.
We're using a RNP but both sets of grandparents have PNPs with inserts so we might borrow one of them if we decide we need it. We got them all gently used BTW. It makes it easier to have options when you're not having to buy everything new.
We put our baby in her crib from day one skipping both the bassinet and rock & play. We have a pack and play for traveling to the grandparents and have used it at several outdoor parties at friends.
Post by shekels1222 on Oct 16, 2014 14:07:36 GMT -5
We did a pack n play with DS. It traveled with us too with was the perk over the other options. It's big and bulky to travel with though.
If I had a redo I'd get an arms reach co sleeper instead. I just don't feel like shelling out the bucks when I have a perfectly good pack n play in the garage.
I hate RNP. But that's just me and I'm definitely in the minority.
We used, and loved, the Rock N' Play for nighttime sleep until C was about 4.5 months old. It was also handy to drag into the bathroom so I could shower in the early days and keep an eye on him through the glass doors.
We also have a PNP. When I was home on mat leave, it was set up on our main floor in the living room so I had a diaper change station and a safe place to set him if he fell asleep. Now, C is 2, and he sits in it every morning while we get ready for work and watches Sesame Street. We've never actually used it for travel sleeping, but it has gotten a ton of use otherwise.
We have a PNP that we never once opened in our house with DD1 - we just used it for travel.
The RNP was my lifesaver. The incline is so helpful, particularly with any reflux . I don't personally worry too much about transitions in those first few months - it's truly survival mode when it comes to sleep. Whatever it takes (within safe reason, obv).
We have a PnP with changer and bassinet insert in our family room. It doesn't move and we don't remove the bassinet part. We have the RnP in our basement now, so DH can work out in the mornings before I get up, but after DD has taken her first bottle. This also travels with us to our parents' houses. Finally, we have a regular bassinet next to our bed, which DD sleeps in at night. We do have plenty of space, but I can't see not having any of them at this point. They all get used every day.
DS1 never took to sleeping on his own so we ended up - after becoming zombies for a few weeks - bedsharing.
DS2 slept in a bassinet next to our bed for the first few weeks and then started bedsharing.
We have an ARC this time which I'm excited about. I'll see how things go and what this baby is like before buying anything else. We also have a Bjorn travel crib which is currently DS2s bed and a Bjorn Bouncer so should be good to go.
With T, we had the pack n play with newborn napper and changing table downstairs and the RNP upstairs. It worked perfectly for us with a two story condo. Oh and we had the swing downstairs too
Post by smiledamnit on Oct 20, 2014 10:47:38 GMT -5
My mom just got us the Halo bassinest swivel sleeper. It'll obviously be awhile before we use it since I'm due until April, but it looks awesome & we have high hopes for it's usability!
@pennypie the bassinet part of the PNP is actually the flat raised level that is maybe 8" from the top - it spans the full width of the PNP. The newborn napper/fluffy seat is really just a temporary place to set them down - we were advised not to use it for sleeping.
We used a RNP with DD in our bedroom for overnights and a PNP in the living room for naps.
We got a Graco little lounger. It's basically the same as a rock n play, but has mesh sides and reclines to almost flat. Baby isn't here yet, but it seemed like a good compromise.