Playpens

[Pixie]

We bought a cage for Eliza on the weekend. I am not sure what people think of them here in Australia I remember in the UK they were like on you for caging your child....ANYWAY we had to she is quite mobile and we live in a small unit and she has a fascination with a power board and we just don't want any accidents or anything falling on her head..OK justified why I have it now lol....

She still some times topples over so I took her cot bumper and placed it around one side of the playpen, but of course I still want a cot bumper as she lays like a log at night + the one we have has animals that all feel different and she likes to touch them so my question is, are there like special playpen bumpers or do people just put cot bumpers in them or do you just leave them bare and let them hit their head so they learn "fall over hurts, i'll stop doing that lol"

what's the best idea?

[McMama]

Hi Pixie, I've been looking into buying a playpen for my DD who has just started flipping over and I don't think will be far off crawling. Well, a friend of mine has the Valco Veebeen playpen which is hexagonal and has a nice little mat insert and mesh sides instead of wooden bars and she reckons it's fantastic! So I suppose that doesn't really help you but just thought I'd let you know incase the cot bumpers don't work.

[Seekrit]

It may be worth shooting veve a PM.. she has a cool dinosaur mat that she puts in her playpen

[Sarie]

We had a 'jail' for both our boys and while they were still learning to sit up propperly we put their fold out couch in it was a fairly snug fit and if they fell over it was nice and soft.

[MummyCharmzy]

I've got the valco veebee that was mentioned above and its great, mesh sides so they can't hurt themselves and the padded playmat is great if you'be got tiles (we will when we move)

[becky_boo84]

cage..... i think playpen sounds better... although i have had a few friends wanting a sound proof room at times but that is just wishful thinking... Im thinking about getting a playpen for my bub when she/he arrives... just for safety sake if i need to do something and dont wanna take my eyes off them.

[Ana Gram]

I loved Ruby's cage!! Truthfully, some kids are a lot more inquizitive than others and you can't watch them every second.

Ruby's came with a mat, so I would suggest a vinyl mat - soft and east to clean.

Plus it can be used later to protect furniture. We had it round the tv to stop her fiddling with it.

[subaruforestermum]

I had one for my son, at home I would use it if I wanted to go for a shower for example, I would put him in there to play near the bathroom so I could hear him....

When I was cooking dinner, I would put him in it to stop him coming into the kitchen etc.....

At my mums house we used it when on the balcony, as she is lives in a 2 storey house....

I think they are handy to have as they cant really play well and have limited space if put in the port-a-cot, so I dont see a problem with them...Mine was a saviour

And this year, as he climbs out of it so is useless to use now for him, but we are going to use it to protect our christmas tree:tree: ......

[veve]

cage..... i think playpen sounds better...

I think cage is used by lots of us .. but it is definately tongue in cheek ..

I haev a cage - but we now mainly use it to BLOCK off stuff.. as Jack is much more mobile now .. and he gets flustered when we put him in the playpen (its GREAT .. its like a huge moveable gate) ...

umm re: the mat that JAck has in his pen - I went to clarks rubber .. and bought a camp mat - you know .. like the ones used for Yoga -- cut it down (I bought the extra wide one .. which nearly fits width wise- about an inch too little) .. (my mum made the cool dinosaur cover for it - so it is an exact fit) .. but you could by the cover first ... a cot mattress cover might work??

it never stopped Jack hitting his head on the BARS .. but if he toppled over in the playpen - he didn't hit the hard floor

it you dont get what I'm describing .. email me .. I'll send you a photo -

for a simpler option .. my daycare mum puts a double sized doona underneath the playpen - it doesn't slip around too much .. as the playpen sits inside it (so the frame holds it all in place) ..

just a few ideas... if you are worried about the bars - I'd just put a few pillows in there with bubs .. 90% of the time .. they will hit the pillow - and they DO learn


I hope that essay helps ... lol
xx
JEn

[cheezelkat]

My mum went to a foam shop and had a piece cut to fit and we cover it in a sheet. Cheap and cheerful!

I LOVE the playpen for running out and doing the washing and stuff but DS is beginning to hate it. He hates being restricted in movement, but I don't know how to cut off access to my kitchen yet so he needs to stay in it.