Play Pen..what do you think?

[missmum05]

I was wondering what everyone thought about play Pens? Those wooden ones...? I have been thinking about getting one but havent bought one yet because my dh really thinks they are bad he thinks they are like a little jail and doesnt really like the thought of having one, but I find it really hard to have a shower while my bub is awake because she is very active and now into everything and I think that if I had a play pen maybe I could put her in it while I have a quick shower knowing she cant get into everything.

I would love to hear what everyone elses thoughts are on a play pen to help me decide what I should do.:confused: :confused: I was also thinking that maybe I could just put a safety gate on her bedroom door and when i have a shower i could put her in her room to play ( make sure her room is safe) and know that she cannot get into everything. She crawls into the kitchen bathroom anywhere she can. if I don't watch her for a sec and cant find her she usually crawls into the shower or behind the computer to lay with the cords :p

[drewid]

Hi

When Andrew was at that stage, I used to put him in the Jolly Jumper in the doorway of the bathroom. I could keep an eye on him and he didn't feel left alone and was safe. Alternatively, sometimes I put him in his cot with a bunch of toys. Or just waited until he was asleep!

I'm not sure the playpens are worth it - Andrew doesn't like being 'contained', and I figured for the amoutn of time I would use it, it just wouldn't be worth it when I coudl just use the cot for those 5 minutes instead IYKWIM.

[Natsmummy]

Obviously you won't leave her in there all the time so I don't see a problem. I'm going to get one when my bubs gets mobile, even if only for when I take a shower, etc. Also my friend gets in there herself to do the ironing (to keep iron away from baby) and she puts her heater in there too so her son can't touch it and burn himself.

[Issey]

I just bought a second hand wooden playpen that folds up and is compact for $25 :thumbsup: . I got it because I can't fit a saftey gate across my kitchen and I am planning on putting bubs in there when I have the oven on or am cooking.

You can also get a device that fits over round door handles so bubs can't open the door, you get them from Bunnings (not sure of cost, but my friend has them on her doors) this could be an alternative if you don't mind shutting bubs in the room for a while, plus it is good as they can't open other doors to rooms as you need adult size hands to squeeze the two parts in to be able to turn the handle.

At the moment I take DS in the bathroom with me in his rocker, although he is now sitting up so it isn't going to work much longer!

I think the play pen is a great idea if you have to go out the room for something, you know they can't get into any mischief. I would only put bubs in there for that reason. The rest of the time he is with me otherwise he will be making a fuss.

[jaimie]

I think they can be great. The ideas that have been listed already are fantastic..although i know a girl from mothers group that leaves her baby in there waaaaaaay too much. And i dont think that is very nice.

[Jem]

i think they are a great idea!! only wish i had of bought one for my kids :yes:

[wattle]

I reckon they're great :smiliedance: Ds has most of his toys and blocks in his, so it's heaps of fun for him in there. I bought one of the big hexagonal one, and I sit in there and play with him sometimes. He feels like it's his special place.

It's also a zillion times easier to keep the house tidy if most of the toys are in there.

Sometimes us Mums need a bit of peace to shower etc, I wouldn't feel guilty about using it at all. My hubby was against the concept too, but after we bought it he changed his mind very quickly.

[Tarnya]

INVEST INVEST INVEST! :idea: I wish I had bought one for the 1st two but I have just got one off ebay for the 3rd as I have had every trick tried from them.

Everything from DS wrapping himself in the cot sheet and almost suffocating (because he got bored) when i put him in there whilst in the shower.

To my 12 mnth old at the time pushing her drawers across the room to stand on them and open the door to let herself OUTSIDE!

I think as most of the girls have said they are great for short containment when you need do do things like have a shower, check on dinner, run a bath for the other two etc :D

[SassyMummy]

I dunno if they're a good idea or not...I guess you'll soon discover that after you get one.

I felt I needed one because DD was rolling everywhere and she'd just roll up the whole hallway...I thought it would be better to give her her own little "space" when I needed to do things (like pee...lol).

She liked it for about 2 weeks, and since then has completely refused to go into one. She chucks the biggest tantrums...so I just don't bother.

When I have a shower, I let DD in the bathroom with me. She just sits on the bathroom floor with a few of her toys, or stands at the baths edge (we have one of those shower-baths) and plays peekaboo with me using the shower curtain.

If I don't do that, I just wheel her in in her high-chair and give her a rusk to munch on. She likes watching me while I shower...

[aardvark]

I have one with a raised floor.

I didn't have or use one at all with #1. With #2, I really only used it in the garden while working out there.

I'll probably use it in the garden again with DS.

[Mamaduke]

If you're worried if you'd get enough use out of one you could always hire one first.
I think they're a great idea!
I wish I'd have had one the day I went to the bedroom to answer the phone and Jesse got into the kitchen and swallowed dishwasher powder...wouldn't have had to call an ambulance, go to Emergency, watch my little boy in pain, see the burns on his lips and in his mouth....get the picture?
"Baby jail isn't as bad as Emergency":(

[reAllytee]

"Baby jail isn't as bad as Emergency":(

Exactly :yes:

Ours was a god send a few months ago because we were renovating so there were certain areas we didnt want Boof to get to or near & hadnt got baby gates at that stage. Plus we hadnt done the floor either so it was good that i could keep him in an area he was safe in for him to play. Funny thing was that was that was how he learnt to crawl properly because before that he would only do commando crawling at 9mths. We had to stop using it though because he knew how to stand up & then one day discovered he could drag it around to get to other areas lol luckily we had done the floor by then & bought those baby gates hehehe.

[Mamaduke]

We had to stop using it though because he knew how to stand up & then one day discovered he could drag it around to get to other areas lol
Hilarious! You've got one gifted little boy there...love it!!:laughing:
Sometimes I wonder how brilliant my boys could be if only they'd use their powers for good instead of evil!:D

[reAllytee]

Hilarious! You've got one gifted little boy there...love it!!:laughing:


You want him ??????????
He is allllll yours :laughing:
I have a sneaky bugger on my hands his fav thing to do now is to turn the t.v off then run away giggling when im watching something. So im stuck sitting on the lounger pondering whether its worth putting my biccies down & getting up to turn it back on :rolleyes:

[Mamaduke]

Sorry I can't take him...got the hands full with Lukey at the moment!
Left the room to turn Jesse's electric blanket on last night and in the 2 minutes (if that) that I was gone Lucas climbed onto the kitchen bench (using the drawer handles as steps), got my glass of Coke (zero of course!), walked ever so carefully over to the couch (didn't spill a drop on the way), pulled the cover off and then poured the whole glass onto the couch!!!!
See what I'm saying with the whole "using their powers for good instead of evil"?;)

[JATS]

I refuse to use one. Have no problem with people who do, but I couldn't do that to my son.

[reAllytee]

Sorry I can't take him...got the hands full with Lukey at the moment!
Left the room to turn Jesse's electric blanket on last night and in the 2 minutes (if that) that I was gone Lucas climbed onto the kitchen bench (using the drawer handles as steps), got my glass of Coke (zero of course!), walked ever so carefully over to the couch (didn't spill a drop on the way), pulled the cover off and then poured the whole glass onto the couch!!!!
See what I'm saying with the whole "using their powers for good instead of evil"?;)

Oh ouch !!!!!
I nearly had a similar disaster the other day but geeees that takes the cake !!!!
You can keep yours :p
Then maybe if they all get bad enough we can get a group deal on a boys home :laughing:

[Ana Gram]

Fantastic! And the bonus of when they have grown out of it, you can use it to protect things you don't want then to touch. We had it round the TV for a while.

I really don't see a problem in putting a child in there with some toys while you dash off to has a shower. God forbid you get 5 minutes to shower by yourself! Sorry but I like my alone time and sometimes the shower is all I get so I found the playpen very handy.

[Mamaduke]

I couldn't do that to my son.

:laughing: Give it time!!!:laughing:

[Ky]

I have used door barriers a lot and still do to keep visiting kids out of my dd's room while she is at school and unable to say no with regard to them touching her stuff!

I haven't had a playpen, but all of my friends that had one have all made a very similar remark .... "they are great for protecting the Christmas tree and presents and also for putting yourself and the ironing board in so that little ones can't pull on the cord!"

With regard to using a door barrier on a kids bedroom (safe one) while you have a shower or get something done ... go ahead ... it's amazing how quickly our kids learn to entertain themselves and with a door barrier at least they can see that you are still around and that you will be coming back! With a closed door, they are cut off from the goings on! I used a door barrier when ds was newborn ... it meant that I could put dd in her room to play safely while ds and I had a snooze ... she would usually have a snooze too after a little play!

[JATS]

:laughing: Give it time!!!:laughing:

Not a chance in hell. Hubby and I are completly against them.

[HugsAndKisses]

sorry havent read through all the posts, so if its been suggested already im sorry:o

when i have ashower or just need a few minutes break i just put DS in his porta cot downstairs with a few toys...he cries a little at first but after that he's distracted by his toys and i can have a peacefull shower or just a cuppa without running around after him :thumbsup:

[Jenko]

I was going to suggest a port-a cot-too (if you have one) But i think they are a good idea. Some lil ones are more adventerous than others and can get themselves into all sorts of mishchief. I like the idea of using it for things later on too eg around the heater.

If you can, i think it would be a good idea to hire one first as someone already suggested. You may find bubs hates it and refuses to stay in it.

[missmum05]

Thanks Girls, such great advice from everyone. I think I am going to go and buy one and just give it ago....:smiliedance:
It's funny a friend of mine has one and her youngest are 18 months old and they no longer use it but the 5 year old uses it to sit in there and do puzzles so his sisters don't come and destroy his puzzles :laughing: so cute.

I have got a port-a-cot and she sleeps really well in it when she is at her nanna's house so I didnt want to start using one of those because then she might assosiate it with a play pen and not go to sleep when we need it for that... and also i think play pens are alot bigger then port-a-cots.:thumbsup:

Thanks Everyone,great advice !:D

[~Danni~]

hey!!

we have a play pen but it was taking up heaps of room, it now lives in our bubs wardrobe:rolleyes: I somtimes think it would be handy though....

For showering I put bub on the bathroom floor and she is happy to scoot around while I wash:D I can still see her that way (I put all the stuff she shouldnt play with into the bath, cos she cant get into that......yet:p )

oh yeah we use the panels to section of rooms and heaters and stuff though...

[Poopa]

Hey, I thought the same - 'it'll be hard to shower when he's crawling'. I will probably just put him in the portacot for 5 minutes while I shower if needed, otherwise I wait until he's asleep or put him in his bouncer/rocker at the bathroom door, he likes that as he can hear the water.

[shed]

I plan on getting one to put our Christmas tree in when the time comes for little fingers to be picking off the decorations.

The last two years it was my puppy trying to eat the decorations and this year it will be bubby. My christmas tree always looks funny coz there are no decorations at the very bottom.

If playpens are used correctly then there is nothing wrong with them. They are not designed to be a punishment, they are for safety of your baby IMO.

Or your Christmas tree of course :D

[OscarTheGrouch]

If "Baby jail isn't as bad as Emergency":(
Exactly.:thumbsup: I have a Valco 6 sided playpen and it's huge. It's large enough for him to crawl around in. It's got soft mesh sides so there's no chance of him banging his head. It is well worth the $256 I paid for it.