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

[Vici]

Jac i love yours (or Leos ). We are all open plan and cooking is a nightmare now as i'm so scared she's gonna get to the oven. hats often her jumperoo time but an area with toys is fab I def don't think whether you consider yourself "natural" comes in to it - its whatever works for you in your situation xx

 

[Jetters]

I def don't think whether you consider yourself "natural" comes in to it - its whatever works for you in your situation xx

This- through and through.



And I don't think they're cage-like, how are they any more restrictive than a Jumperoo or a pram or a sling?! Fill it up with toys, leave the gate open most of the time and they'll just see it as a place of fun.

 

[OmiOmen]

Wow Jac, that is more like a playroom!

Like some of the others have said I think it is what works best for you. I don't think useing a playpen is going against natural parenting at all and even things that do go against natural parenting to some degree (useing disposable nappies for example) are fine if it works for the individual family anyway.

 

[mommyof3co]

I don't think they are as common here. We have play yards but they are mostly used for napping, especially in newborn stage. Not so much put in there to play. I don't really like the idea of it, like some others said, too much like a cage for me. But again we didn't use a crib with Hayden for the same reason, he just coslept until he was ready for a regular bed. I would rather just have a safe place in my sights while I clean and let them play there

 

[Jetters]

^ and if you didn't have a safe place in your flat? Or had a open plan flat- what then?

 

[bky]

I don't like the idea that it's a 'natural parenting no-no'. Or really that anything is. I think they are situationaly fine. I have dogs and a playpen will be invaluable for me sometimes.

 

[mommyof3co]

^ and if you didn't have a safe place in your flat? Or had a open plan flat- what then?

I don't know, we've never really baby proofed or anything with the boys so by safe I really mean clean spot on a blanket with their toys or something. I would put them in my sights so if I was doing the dishes I could keep an eye on them to be sure they weren't getting into anything. The times I would be in and out of rooms a lot that's when I'd put him on my back in his carrier. I'm ok with gates though, so you can divide a spot that's safer for them, even those big gates that you link a few of them together...I just like that better than a pretty small enclosed space with the tall sides and mesh sides that they really can't see out that well.

I'm not putting down anyone using them, I just prefer not to and didn't

 

[Mervs Mum]

I couldnt be without mine Hebe goes in there and shuts the door behind herself

But having 2 so close it helps. I use it like Jac and if I need to see to Sid and want her in one place for 5 mins.

I dont think there are any 'no no's.....does it HAVE to be all or nothing? I gave birth at home, intend to BF for a year again, BLW, co-sleep and use cloth this time but not all of these with all my children.....there are plenty of parents who probably are more 'eco' or 'green' or 'natural' than me who dont home birth or BF or any of the other associated 'natural' things.....it's just horses for courses surely

 

[xxxjacxxx]

Agree with Lisa here.

I co-slept in the beginning, I FF, I baby wore, I cloth bummed....then I switched to sposies, put him in his cot, fed him puree from a spoon....now I just use cloth...he eats himself, and I use a playpen!

I do what is right for me, like others do for them....what is the definition of a 'natural mama'?

 

[cleckner04]

I personally don't like them but I'm the same way with the crib as well. Putting Emma in her crib just makes me feel like I'm putting her in a cage. Hence, the co-sleeping. I refuse to put my dog in a cage or crate so its similar to me with Emma.

Although, xxxjacxxx, I've never seen one so nice! Your play area is pretty cool. I probably still couldn't do it but that's definitely the best idea IMO if I had to confine Emma to one spot.

When it comes to cooking, etc. I can pretty much do anything one handed. I hold her half of the time and when I'm not holding her she is playing on the floor. I give her pots and pans, a spoon and let her bang away!

 

[Vici]

hats the difference of a diddy baby Cleck - try holding Imi for more than 2 mins and your arm feels like its about to fall off

 

[mommyof3co]

I agree that this doesn't have an impact on how 'natural' you are, it's preference, I prefer not to, some think it's best for their situation so whatever works best for you. I think the term 'natural' might make people feel bad if it would tech go against it. To me there are things that fall under natural parenting...AP, cloth diapering, home birth, birth without drugs in a hospital too, BLW, BF and so on. Doesn't mean you aren't natural if you don't follow them 100%, you do what comes naturally do you as a parent. I have changed so much from Landon to Hayden. And will even more with the next I'm sure. I BF until self wean, cloth diaper, cosleep, babywear, no cio, ap, try to cook from scratch organic (mostly) meals and snacks for the kids....but we circ'd our boys, i had a csection with one and epi with the other two (plan to homebirth the next), Hayden is currently in a mix of cloth and sposie pull ups, we didn't do BLW and I also use a stroller a lot too because of my hips. I don't feel any less 'natural' because of anything I do that doesn't fall under the 'natural description', we do what works best for our family to make for happy parents and happy well adjusted kids.

 

[mommyof3co]

Jac just seeing the picture of yours-that I love!!! I wouldn't mind setting something like that up if it was needed in the home we are in. When I think playpen I think the small ones that they can also sleep in, travel play yard things, where they really can't move around much in thee....that I personally don't want to use.

 

[cleckner04]

hats the difference of a diddy baby Cleck - try holding Imi for more than 2 mins and your arm feels like its about to fall off

Well Emma is starting to get harder to hold but I have some pretty strong arms. I walk around half the time feeding her in one arm and cleaning with the other. The drawback of having a clusterfeeder but it's a good thing I have man arms.

 

[tinkerbellkir]

Weve never bothered but im not against them either. For babies safety sometimes things we dont like too much can be neccessary. I think if they are used when you cant be right there next to baby then they are fine. I woulnt like to hear of someone using them all the time to put baby in so they could just sit on their arse and not have to play with or watch baby and i think its important to have them roaming free to learn what they can and cant do and touch, if they were put in a playpen always then let out when they were ol enough to get out/undo the gate it'd be hell as theyd want their hands on everything and to go everywhere, i like to teach them as we go what we can/cant do in the house x

 

[Vici]

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

Jac, can you do me a massive favour? Iiiii wondered if you could measure how long and wide Leo's playpen is? I assume thats 2 whole play pens and you just haven't used all the bits? x

 

[colsy]

Jac, can you do me a massive favour? Iiiii wondered if you could measure how long and wide Leo's playpen is? I assume thats 2 whole play pens and you just haven't used all the bits? x

Was going to ask the exact same Q!

 

[Vici]

lol, i showed my OH and he wants that playpen for Imi, just gotta rearrange the front room!!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I've decided I want to join another to my existing one now!

 

[princessellie]

i have a travel cot full of leyla's toys that she goes into if i need my arms free, she hates it with a passion but sometimes its gotta be done, id love to be able to carry her everywhere but now that im 7months pregnant, and considering we've just moved so the house is still trying to get done, its just not gna happen lol

x