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

[beth_terri]

I dont like them. And im a mum who's partner works away Monday to Friday but have never found the need for a pen. Xx

 

[Amber4]

Not cruel at all. I'd rather know my LO was safe if I had to run to the toilet etc

 

[Sarah lo]

I'm a bit undecided. On the one hand, my LO is into everything at the minute and although the front room is mostly baby proofed, there's still things I wouldn't want her getting at that I can't baby proof, like electric plugs, tv etc. I'd love to have somewhere safe I could just put her while I make her breakfast or run to the toilet.

But on the other hand, my LO is pretty touchy and I just think she would scream the place down if I put her somewhere she couldn't escape from so I just think it'd be a waste of money for us

We have a pop-up ball pit which was great for keeping her contained...for a couple of days till she realised she could just push the sides flat and crawl over them

 

[Sarah lo]

Oh also, just to add.. surely they're only cruel if the baby doesn't enjoy being in it? And if they didn't enjoy being in it they'd certainly let you know about it!

 

[Jaylynne]

Great. Another useful tool deemed cruel and judged. Dont people get headaches judging so many parenting techniques and devices?! LO could only sleep in the infant bassinet that attached to or pack n play while he was so little. He hated the normal bassinet. It was a lifesaver. I see no problem using a playpen/pack n play while you need to get something done quick and give LO a safe environment. What if there are pets in the house? Surely if you can't give 100% supervision a playpen helps protect. Also a good place for a daytime nap. If THEY thought it was cruel, they'd scream and cry.

And really?! Some think bouncers, floor mats, jumpers etc are also cruel?! LO loves them.

 

[steph.]

I have one- its huge 3m x 1.5m. Shes not mobile yet so its more to keep to keep the dogs out than to keep her in. Before we had it she would have very limited floor time because i couldnt leave her unnatended for even a second with two dogs around. I would put her in the jumperoo in front of the tv or in the swing if i had to go to the loo or make dinner. Now she has this huge space to practice her floor skills with loads of toys, i climb in and play with her, and when i need to do something she is entertained and safe. I dont 'chuck' her in there for hours on end, without interacting with her while i sip a martini. I dont see how its cruel.

 

[Angelbabymama]

I don't like people using them as long term babysitters.... That is cruel, but using one while you nip to the loo/shower/are cooking is fine!!
We have an open plan kitchen/living room so one will be a lifesaver if it's just me in the house plus our tv isn't wall mounted so I wouldn't want him pulling it over on himself.
Luckily I have a while before I need one though!

 

[aliss]

I used mine for whenever I needed to go to the bathroom or another room, because we had a dog. It was particularly useful for when I was in the kitchen cooking, and he was mobile, so I would keep him in there, bring it into the kitchen, and I could get things done without worrying about him getting into things.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference but here in North AMerica, our houses are a LOT bigger - many of us can't go into a kitchen without being on the other side of the house from the normal living area. So, it makes sense for me. If I didn't have a dog, I'm not sure it would have mattered.

I haven't kept him in it for 'long periods', god forbid he actually stayed in it for 5 minutes without screaming! lol...

 

[Leids]

Cribs could be cruel because it looks like a prison too, swaddling could be cruel because it's a baby straight jacket, the list can go on and on. They're there to protect the baby while providing an adequate space to play with toys in. If a baby is completely content playing with his/her toys in it while mom eats/showers/goes to the bathroom, then there's absolutely no harm in it. I think all of us have agreed that for a prolonged period of time isn't right.

There's no reason to belittle people for their parenting choices, especially for something as small as this.

 

[freckleonear]

I'm not keen on them because they limit baby's access to their environment, which is crucial for optimal neurological development. Obviously that's not a problem when used for just a few minutes, and I suppose they might be useful in certain situations.

We've never used one. When the babies were little I just used to take them everywhere with me, either on the floor or in a sling. Once they were a bit older they had free range of the whole house anyway.

 

[sequeena]

We don't use one but I'm not against them. Thomas has only just started crawling and still prefers to just sit rather than crawl so I've not had to worry about him getting into things he shouldn't. My bathroom is downstairs too which is handy

 

[alice&bump]

I actually wish I could still use mine! She'd be out of it like a shot tho! To me it wasn't cruel, it was a necessity, I was a single mum to 2 under 13 months and even with stairgates on every single door, I wouldn't have been able to pee without the baby getting poked or something! Now Es older, she is literally into everything and a playpen would be amazing! I think if you've got an "easy" child, it can be hard to see how things can be useful, but when you go out the room to wee, having removed all dangers you can see, to find your dining table has been dragged across the room to enable climbing onto the fireplace, you really do wish things like that still worked!

 

[kit10grl]

I havent bought one yet as till now LO had a jumperoo and other such things i could put him in when i needed a few minutes to myself. I do plan to get one shortly and will be using it for a few minutes when needed.

Its not our house and my BIL is very set in his ways and we will hopefully only be living here in the short term so it wont be for ever but he wont allow us to babyproof. So no stair gates to block kitchen or stairs, not allowed to reaarange the living room the couch is high, there is a big firplace (no fire gates), the tv unit with the sky box/dvd/playstation etc is all open so the cables are a choking hazard. Its not safe simply put.

So i think itd be more cruel not to use one when i cant give baby 100% of my attention. (the bathroom is upstairs and not clean enough to put him on the floor there so I do HAVE to leave him occasonally to pee etc)

Also the kitchen floor isnt clean enough for him to sit on so cant have him there while i cook either. And when the new baby comes along id be orried about leaving her in amoses basket he could grab onto and pull himslef up on? what if he tipped it over with baby inside?

As far as im concerned its a safety requirement for both kiddies. Its only for minutes at a time but minutes is all it takes for an accident to happen and id rather be safe than sorry, regardless of what others think.

 

[_jellybean_]

We don't have one, but I like the idea of using this instead:

https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11928378

Then lo can crawl around, etc. while you're showering, etc. They're very sturdy too, so they work even if your lo is able to walk.

I don't think a playpen is cruel if you're using it for no more than ten or fifteen minutes (ETA) or for whatever amount of time you need to cook or do something around the house.

I only have one LO, and so DH and I were talking about getting a playpen for when we have a second, but we're going to go with baby gates instead.

 

[aliss]

Hmmm.... with all due respect Not everyone lives in a place where doorways are common to most rooms In many North American homes, you cannot use a door/stair gate to block dangerous areas. For example, my kitchen and living room are one giant room - if I didn't use a playpen when I was cooking, then he could easily touch the top of the stove when he was in that obsessive phase.

Is it more cruel to put him in a playpen beside me and play with a toy while I cook? Or should I just let him learn the stove is hot the "hard way"? My son is over 100th percentile for height and weight, he can reach things most kids his age cannot.

Call me cruel.

 

[AllisonH]

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

Yep...everything in moderation!

 

[alaskagrown]

LOL - it never fails to amaze me what people think is "cruel and unusual" on this site...

 

[summer rain]

I don't think they are cruel, if you have several young children then it would be a real help. I don't have one because we don't have the space but if we did I'd get one of those ones that can be used as a room divider as well so LO could be safely in one half of the living room but away from any dangers xx

 

[_jellybean_]

You're right ladies^^ THere are a lot of homes where you can't just gate areas off. My parents have a house like that.

We actually tried to use our pack and play as a playpen for our son to see if he'd like it because some babies actually enjoy them, but he screamed!

 

[alaskagrown]

I'm not keen on them because they limit baby's access to their environment, which is crucial for optimal neurological development. Obviously that's not a problem when used for just a few minutes, and I suppose they might be useful in certain situations.

We've never used one. When the babies were little I just used to take them everywhere with me, either on the floor or in a sling. Once they were a bit older they had free range of the whole house anyway.

Does the same apply for kids who are in "confined" in slings and wraps when their mothers try to do the dishes, sweep the floor, etc?