Does anyone think playpens are kind of...cruel?

[loverguts]

I have a real dislike of playpens. To me, they just look like a mini prison! I used stairgates to stop DS getting into kitchen or up the stairs and a few people asked me why i didn't get a playpen but i feel so sorry for babies/toddlers when they are just chucked in them!

I know of one person who put's their DS into a playpen for a few hours each day - that just seems really unnecessary and cruel!

Am i the only person who feels like this about them??

What are the benefits of having one? If YOU have one, how long do you leave your LO in it for and why do you put them in there?

 

[Siuan]

No, I'm not keen either. I can't really see the point. Though I may change my mind once LO is moving around!! About the only good thing I can think of is that its a good place to toss stray toys to keep them neat. But then a toybox can do that too!

 

[maysiemoo]

never had one never had the room but i imagine its a good place to put them quick if your on your own, if you need the toilet, you have older children who leave doors open, so you can get cooking in the kitchen safely without little one getting under your feet unexpectedly. I think hours sound cruel but a quick few minutes here and there sound fine.

 

[Pixles]

a friend of mine had a huge plastic interactive one (bit like little tykes style) that had a tentrd roof n sensery lights, but she tock the door off n her baby used it as a toy station n spent alot of time in there, when we had an emergency oneday she poped the door into place n baby dident even realised he was shut in! but this isent the norm, i personlaly dont like play pens

 

[Scottishmum2B]

I have one and my lo actually loves it. Since she was mobile it's been great to keep her safe if I have to take a quick shower, make her lunch etc. she is in it for about 10/15 mins at a time. She has toys in there which I change everyday for her. I don't agree with them being used as babysitters and the kids just left in there for hours but I think they are a good idea to keep my lo safe while I have to do something.

x

 

[sam2eb]

No not cruel.

Its somewhere safe to put baby if you need to nip to the loo or get dinner sorted etc!

 

[Green Lady]

I don't know how I could possibly get along without it! Otherwise I'd never shower, make dinner, go to the toilet...it would be impossible. LO isn't in there for very long spells; I couldn't keep her in there longer than 15 minutes even if I tried, she shouts at me lol. Leaving a baby in there all day wouldn't be very nice, but to me they're a necessity. It wouldn't be safe or practical to leave her out to wander in the house alone, and I can't always have her with me. She has her toys and things to keep her occupied. I don't think it's cruel.

 

[LoraLoo]

Never had one but can see why other people do and dont think theyre cruel at all x

 

[midori1999]

I don't like them. Everyone I know with them never uses them for a quick shower or whatever, but put their children in them for long periods of time.

I've got four children and have never needed a playpen. I don't think there are any benefits to the child, only the parent.

 

[Green Lady]

Question for the ladies with older children who've never used a playpen--how did you manage? Do you always keep your babies with you? We try to baby-proof the place but I wouldn't trust LO to be out here alone. One thing I've learned is that babies are very good at finding ways to get into trouble! I'd never leave her on her own, and taking her everywhere with me wouldn't be safe or practical. We have a very small kitchen for example and I wouldn't want her underfoot while I was cooking.

 

[Pixles]

My front room is child safe. and i have a stair gate at the kitchen door. he can go where he likes n do what he likes. =S he enjoys climbing the sofa. or standing at the child gate talking to me while i cook. getting given cuttings of veg as i go. =S Dunno, couldent emagin putting him in a cage because I wanted to do something. Dident have my baby to continue with the life i had before. but were all diffrent!

 

[Button#]

I don't think they're cruel if used for the baby's safety rather than as a babysitter.

 

[highhopes19]

I'm looking into getting one... Isabelle is into everything at the moment and I think it'll keep her safely in one place while I get a few bits done

Surely it'd be more cruel and irasponsable if I let crawl off and electrocute herself or somthing whilst I had my back turned!

 

[AngelUK]

I didn't think it would be possible to have more than one child without it. I mean, I can carry one baby while opening the door to the postman/delivery or something of that nature but not two. At the moment I put them on their playmat or leave them strapped into their bouncies when I need to go do something. I cannot carry them both all day long and it isn't fair to carry one and not the other, even if they took turns. So yeah I thought a playpen will come in handy. But if ladies with several children could give hints on how they managed without I would be really grateful

 

[midori1999]

Question for the ladies with older children who've never used a playpen--how did you manage? Do you always keep your babies with you? We try to baby-proof the place but I wouldn't trust LO to be out here alone. One thing I've learned is that babies are very good at finding ways to get into trouble! I'd never leave her on her own, and taking her everywhere with me wouldn't be safe or practical. We have a very small kitchen for example and I wouldn't want her underfoot while I was cooking.

Yes, I keep her with me. I make sure I either shower before she's up in the morning/during her nap or she comes in the shower with me, or in the bathroom where I can keep an eye on her. If I am cooking then sometimes she'll sit by the stairgate or play in the hall and watch me or she'll sit in her highchair and watch me and maybe have a snack. if I go to the loo I leave the door open.

I arrange my life around my baby, I didn't expect it to be any different before I had her and the same applied to my older children.

 

[Green Lady]

Dunno, couldent emagin putting him in a cage because I wanted to do something. Dident have my baby to continue with the life i had before. but were all diffrent!

Well, if wanting to use the toilet on my own is a sign of being a neglectful mummy, then I plead guilty. I'm attached to my LO 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and occasionally I need somewhere to put her down! Myself I don't think any room is truly baby-proof, and I'd feel pretty awful if LO fell off the sofa and hit her head while I was in the shower. I agree that putting a baby in them for long periods of time isn't a good thing but I wouldn't feel safe without it. Hats off to ladies who manage without them, though.

 

[midori1999]

Dunno, couldent emagin putting him in a cage because I wanted to do something. Dident have my baby to continue with the life i had before. but were all diffrent!

Well, if wanting to use the toilet on my own is a sign of being a neglectful mummy, then I plead guilty. I'm attached to my LO 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and occasionally I need somewhere to put her down! Myself I don't think any room is truly baby-proof, and I'd feel pretty awful if LO fell off the sofa and hit her head while I was in the shower. I agree that putting a baby in them for long periods of time isn't a good thing but I wouldn't feel safe without it. Hats off to ladies who manage without them, though.

I don't think anyone's talking about leaving a baby to climb on sofas or unsupervised downstairs while they take a shower? I personally think they'd be fine to just use while popping to the loo/having a shower etc, but I have never known anyone use one just for that.

Our hallway is completely babyproof. It's large and there's a stairgate to the stairs and the kitchen and there's nothing in there unless I piut toys in there. I still wouldn't leave my baby in there unsupervised though, I just don't ever leave her unsupervised, but it does mean I don't have to give her my full attention whilst cooking.

Cleaning I leave until she's in bed at night, except for hoovering/washing up which I can do when she's with me/having her lunch etc.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

No, but who cares? It's not your child. Not your choice.

 

[hubblybubbly]

No I don't think their cruel, they can be used to be cruel by keeping babies in there for hours on end, but that's the same with bouncer chairs, high chairs, cots etc. none of which are deemed cruel devices, it's just another place to keep them safe for a short period, at least in a play pen they can move around and have lots of toys.

We don't have one yet, but will do....sometimes I need a poo, and my toilet is not designed for two and I have one of those irritating houses with a couple of steps up and down every room, tiled floors etc etc etc, so a play pen seems the safest ntil she's a step whizz!

I do the other bits... Shower and housework when she's asleep, or she sits with me in th kitchen.

 

[lhancock90]

I don't have a playpen, but if i need to run and answer the door or have a quick wee, LO gets popped in the travel cot we keep in the living room. No biggie
If a baby is spending 24/7 shut in a pen with no interaction, yep, thats cruel, but an hour or whatever, i don't think theres anything wrong with it.