Playpen questions.....

[Beach Mama]

My MIL has asked us if we would like her to buy us a playpen (my DH calls them a baby jail so you know what he thinks but he wont be the one at home with her all day every day! Its a generous offer. Just wondering a few things:

* Do you have one and if so, when do you use it?
* What type do you have? (wooden/plastic) and how big is it!? (I think I want one as big as the lounge )
* If you dont - why? and how do you get around not having one?

My mum and MIL tell me once Isabelle is moving it will be handy to have for cooking/showering/vacuuming - anything I need to do when I cant keep an eye on her and also to cordon off areas that I dont want her getting to..It just doesnt sit all that well with me though for some reason even though I can see myself using it minimally during these times? Mmm just not sure...

Thanks everyone!

[StrawberryMumma]

I think they are a great idea! We have always planned to get one, so it will be interesting to hear what others say. When Laila is mobile I can't imagine how else I will be able to control my little monkey when I need to get stuff done! Just for short periods I think they are great.

How much do most of them cost Tan?

[{sarah}]

I personally don't like them, but each to their own. What I did was put Zander in his high chair, because by the time he was mobile I was thinking about solids & had the high chair ready to go. He liked it because he was at a good level to watch me cooking or in the shower (I had him in the hallway outside the bathroom).

[Antheia]

We have one that had mesh sides. It was for when Lily was picking on Charlie or via versa and so we'd put Charlie in ther with lots of toys(or his lunch etc) but we've recently had to put it away because he kept tipping the sides over on pupose to get out and i didnt want it broken(or him getting hurt) So now i just have to put up with them fighting

[*LovemyKids*]

I don't really like them either i prefer to use the high chair thing too. I was given one of the older wooden styles.i only use it to put around the christmas tree to keep the kids from pulling it on top of themselves. Everyone is different i sometimes use it outside when lachlan was crawling cause he liked to eat rocks leaves etc.

NIkki

[Beach Mama]

Lee - the ones Ive seen are anywhere from about $100 upwards?! Baby Bunting have all different types....
Mmmm thanks for the comments ladies, Sarah - I was thinking high chair too and Tegan - I was worried about the whole thing toppling if she pulls herself up on it? Does that happen or are they pretty sturdy?

Anyone else??.........

[Antheia]

Ours is quite sturdy its just Charlie is very strong and would actually lift the side up off the ground and then pull it over some how lol. i dont think babies can normally do that!

[Rach75]

we had th eole fashioned wooden 4 sided one, used it heaps when we were at our holiday home where our dog comes inside, we would put jack int he pen with his toys then Harry (dog) couldn't slobber on his stuff, we also used one at home was perfect pop jack in it if I hung out washing etc, he was safe and again away from Harry also if I wanted to hang washing out and it was too hot out would pop jack in it with toys I then knew he was safe and sound.......we now use our as a barriers, one for our room doorway and one for spare room we have other 2 sides cable tied together for kitchen entrance

[MantaRay]

We got a really large one (1.5m sq) as I didn't like the idea of Jack being in a confined space, but thought that from a safety point of view it could be useful. As it turned out, he would only stay in it if I was in there with him, so that didn't work at all! We got it out again for a while when Tom was born, and I used it at times to put Tom in so that he was safe from Jack when I was briefly out of sight, but before long Jack could climb over it! Then the two of them would play happily in it so it finally got some use. Not that much though - but that's probably my boys more than anything. Also, being larger, it was safe from them pulling it over etc.

[rolymogs]

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