Playpens - are they a big no-no for natural parents?

[colsy]

Can't make my mind up about playpens. Yes, they're useful and give you some breathing space and give baby some safe playing space ... but I can't help thinking they remind me of putting an animal in a cage at the zoo. Which doesn't really fit with my more natural semi-attachment style of parenting. What do other natural parents think?

 

[Shazzy-babee]

would you like to be put in a cage?
i think they are a no no..

 

[cabaretmum2b]

I think that it is essentially your choice, as you know your baby well and you know how you'd use it. Personally, I don't like the idea of playpens because they are prety "cagey", but I can see the appeal in them to some people, and I think that if you're in the same room, tidying up for example, and baby is HAPPY to be in one for a little bit, then I don't see the problem, as long as you're not just leaving them alone in it for ages when they don't really want to be there. If you're just keeping them safe in the same room as you while you get on with things, then I do think they can be ok.
Honestly, I think you should go with your instinct on it. The thing with parenting is that it is about your choice, and everyone's different. Just because some people don't agree with it, doesn't mean it will or won't be the best thing for you.

 

[kglo]

I have not found playpens useful with either of my boys, they cried from the moment they get put in.

I found a door hanger thingy rather good, both mine loved it and they get to exercise their little legs.

 

[Rachel_C]

I hate playpens but have found no alternative but to get one. We live in a very small flat where the living space is living room and dining room combined with an open arch way into the kitchen. We have so much stuff packed in that there is no way I can keep LO safe without somewhere enclosed to put her. I hate putting her in there but she doesn't mind (she currently loves pulling herself up on the bars and giggling through them) and I only use it when I need to do something where I can't be right next to her. I found it a lifesaver the other day when I dropped a full glass of Coke onto her jumperoo. It bounced off it, hit a table leg and smashed. Her jumperoo, play mat, changing mat, the wooden floor and the rug were all covered in coke and shards of glass. She wouldn't let me put her down in her cot in the bedroom but she was happy to watch me from her playpen which thankfully avoided the mess. Without it, well we would still have glass and coke everywhere!

To be honest, I don't think it's helpful to pigeon-hole different things into 'natural' or 'unnatural'. I read somewhere that early humans used to swaddle their baby, wrap them up in a kind of baby sling and hang them up from a tree while they went off to hunt etc. I think I'd prefer a playpen to that, but they were as natural as you could get really! When I first realised we needed a playpen I fought against the idea for a long time, but eventually I realised that what is 'natural' or attachment parenting is what feels right to you instinctually and keeps baby happy. They're not for everybody but in our case, somewhere safe to put LO where she can be happy is as natural as it gets really. I still hate the way it looks so I'm currently coming up with ideas to decorate it and make it look more friendly.

 

[leighbaby]

I think they'd be useful for the times when you have to run out to collect in the washing from the line when it is raining type scenarios, but I don't like the idea of them for anything more than that.

If i'm desperate and it is raining - I put LO in his cot and RUN!

ETA: they remind of the old cartoons of the rugrats - and the babies getting up to big old adventures!

 

[xxxjacxxx]

I have one. Well I actually have two joined together...I got 2 of the soft sided babydans and joined them to make one large one. Its sat at the top of our living room full of his toys.
9 times out of ten he comes and goes, I only shut the gate when I need to go peg out washing/put it away or need the loo and he's back out again.
Invaluable piece of kit for me

 

[leighbaby]

I hate playpens but have found no alternative but to get one. We live in a very small flat where the living space is living room and dining room combined with an open arch way into the kitchen. We have so much stuff packed in that there is no way I can keep LO safe without somewhere enclosed to put her. I hate putting her in there but she doesn't mind (she currently loves pulling herself up on the bars and giggling through them) and I only use it when I need to do something where I can't be right next to her. I found it a lifesaver the other day when I dropped a full glass of Coke onto her jumperoo. It bounced off it, hit a table leg and smashed. Her jumperoo, play mat, changing mat, the wooden floor and the rug were all covered in coke and shards of glass. She wouldn't let me put her down in her cot in the bedroom but she was happy to watch me from her playpen which thankfully avoided the mess. Without it, well we would still have glass and coke everywhere!

To be honest, I don't think it's helpful to pigeon-hole different things into 'natural' or 'unnatural'. I read somewhere that early humans used to swaddle their baby, wrap them up in a kind of baby sling and hang them up from a tree while they went off to hunt etc. I think I'd prefer a playpen to that, but they were as natural as you could get really! When I first realised we needed a playpen I fought against the idea for a long time, but eventually I realised that what is 'natural' or attachment parenting is what feels right to you instinctually and keeps baby happy. They're not for everybody but in our case, somewhere safe to put LO where she can be happy is as natural as it gets really. I still hate the way it looks so I'm currently coming up with ideas to decorate it and make it look more friendly.

some cultures still do this

 

[colsy]

I have one. Well I actually have two joined together...I got 2 of the soft sided babydans and joined them to make one large one. Its sat at the top of our living room full of his toys.
9 times out of ten he comes and goes, I only shut the gate when I need to go peg out washing/put it away or need the loo and he's back out again.
Invaluable piece of kit for me

xxxJacxxx, the soft sided babydan sounds interesting. Any chance you can give me a web link?

 

[xxxjacxxx]

OMG just imagine hanging Leo from the conifer in our back garden whilst I collected the washing

 

[xxxjacxxx]

I have one. Well I actually have two joined together...I got 2 of the soft sided babydans and joined them to make one large one. Its sat at the top of our living room full of his toys.
9 times out of ten he comes and goes, I only shut the gate when I need to go peg out washing/put it away or need the loo and he's back out again.
Invaluable piece of kit for me

xxxJacxxx, the soft sided babydan sounds interesting. Any chance you can give me a web link?

Here you go, these are the ones. I got two 2nd hand off ebay...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Babydan-Babyden-Lite-blue-silver/dp/B000NUWGDG

Here's Leo's playpen:
https://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz112/SiggyStoreUK/nappies/IMG_5110.jpg

 

[colsy]

xxxjackxx, thanks so much for the picture and the link. Your photo shows exactly the idea I've had in my head for ages about a little area I'd like to set up. It's somewhere safe that I can shut if I leave the room, but most of the time I could leave safely unlocked. Also, you've got the solution to my flooring issues as well (see my post re hard floors in the Baby Club section earlier today). All in all, you've done me an amazing service so big big thanks. Can't wait to show OH this photo so we can get planning!

 

[xxxjacxxx]

Glad to help!

Its perfect for Leo as he doesn't associate being locked in it and will happily sit and play in there, the only downside is he likes to shut the dog in there with him and terrorise it

 

[Mary Jo]

Rachel_C, your situation is mine, almost exactly, and when Adam became really mobile we had no option but to get something. We ended up with a travel cot. He has some toys in there that stay there, and he loves pulling up and playing peekaboo... the first week or so he didn't like it but now he will play very happily, especially when he's tired. And it is absolutely essential to me, because if I am cooking I cannot have him roaming around trying to get into the hot oven. Wearing him all the time is not an option for me, I find it far too tiring the size he is now, even if he liked it, which he doesn't - he has a limited tolerance for it.

It is 100% a safety issue for us because of not having a separate kitchen, or for times when I simply have to leave him in the room alone for a short period. I never stick him in there at other times, apart from when I was trying to get him used to it so he'd not fuss when I *had* to put him there. If I could get away with just having safety gates I would, but that's not our set-up.

 

[littlestar]

i was given a playpen we use the padded base it came with as a playmat, and the bars will eventually be put together to act as a room divider across the front of all hubbys expensive home cinema stuff.

the babydan looks good - we would consider something that size when he's up and about as we have hard flooring across the whole ground floor of the house.

 

[ellie]

can i just say that looks fantastic!
i had been thinking about this, K isnt mobile yet but when he is i know he will be into everything and we have a totally open plan kitchen/dining room, it just wont be safe for him. we can gate the kitchen off but then he will be 'locked out' of it if i am doing something in there, plus thats the biggest and most suitable area for him to have a play area (in teh dining room bit) as our living room isnt very big.
I hadnt thought he would tolerate a play pen and im not keen on them per se, but i guess used creatively and flexibly they can be really good?

 

[aob1013]

I think whether you are a 'natural parent' or not, it is irrelevant. If you want one hun, go for it. They won't do LO any damage x

 

[Lisa1302]

I think it depends on how they are being used.

I had a HUGE one here, we have a very large front room and the wooden pen was really big (probably another section bigger than Jacs above) - it meant I could leave her play and not worry the dogs could lick her to death etc

She has a normal size one at my parents house, the other day they had it out on the veranda with foam mats and cushions and she was happy as larry and completely safe - she even dropped off for a little nap

She doesnt have the pen at our house now with her walking crawling around etc, instead I use the sections to stop her getting out of the front room

 

[BlackBerry25]

I'm not a natural parent, but I just wanted to say I have a 20 month old and I never used my playpen. It just sits out in the garage. So it can be done without I only used mine for H to have a nap when visiting at other peoples houses.

 

[whiby]

We have one, we don't use it all the time but as others have said it's useful for popping to the loo, when the oven is on and I want to make sure he can't get to the kitchen etc (another open plan house here!)

To be honest as long as the baby isn't in there all the time and is happy to play in it I don't see that they are any worse then jumperoos and other similar devices which entertain your child, and no more cage-like than a stair gate would be to keep them safe. I certainly wouldn't class it as "unnatural" parenting to use one