Play yards

ImperiumWife · February 2016

My mother in law is insisting I put one on my registry even though I don't want one. So, since I apparently have to get one, because she thinks I need one and I don't feel like fighting, I want to ask some questions of you.

1. Do you have one, and if so, what brand do you have?

2. How well has the one you have held up?

3. How often do you use it on a scale of it's collecting dust in the corner to I can't live without it?

Thanks!

jtmh2012 · February 2016

1) Graco

2) It's held up great since we never use it

3) We never use it. Great dust collector. We only have it because somebody bought it for us after seeing we didn't have one on our registry and thought we needed one.

lovealwaysfindsaway8202011 · February 2016

1. yeah my mother in law was like that with some stuff too. I pretty much told her to butt out. Some stuff I have a specific thing picked out and I want to go buy it...that's why it's not on the registry. or we don't need it right now or want to wait till he gets here. I can't wait to see who doesn't listen to me and buys something "we have to have." He's already gotten two swings and two bouncy seats after I said don't get us anything like that cause I don't want people to waste their money on something he'll hate.

2. By play yard....do you mean a pack n play, like a portable crib type thing? If that's the case...we have two...one upstairs next to our bed and one downstairs in the living room that will travel to grandparents houses/camping this summer. pretty sure they are both Graco. One I got my sister in law and she said my nephew loved it and would only sleep in that until he was about three months old. Wanted nothing to do with his crib, swing, bouncy seat, etc. She.s had it for a year and half and it's still holding up well. The other one is a brand new Mickey Mouse one I couldn't resist via an Amazon sale.

ImperiumWife · February 2016

Lol. I saw the Mickey Mouse one, so yes, that's what I'm talking about. I just hate to see someone spend money on something that is going to collect dust. I think maybe it's a generational thing, that they all used them so much, that they don't think we can live without them? She actually put her sister up to contacting me and asking if she could buy me one. And if I really need one, I'll go buy it later. Thanks for the input so far though!

jtmh2012 · February 2016

ImperiumWife said:

I think maybe it's a generational thing, that they all used them so much, that they don't think we can live without them? She actually put her sister up to contacting me and asking if she could buy me one. And if I really need one, I'll go buy it later. Thanks for the input so far though!

I'm not sure that it is necessarily a generational thing. I know a couple people younger than I am that have them and love them. We used it a lot more when we could put Ryan in the changing table insert or put him on the flat piece that hung higher up, but when he became too big for those, we could never put him in it because he'd just cry. We used it more as a moving baby gate than anything else.

lovealwaysfindsaway8202011 · February 2016

That's how I feel regarding swings/bouncy seats. I got one handed down to me from my sister in law and that's fine...but everything else people are buying brand new. I have receipts for them...so I honestly might end up returning them.

I knew I wanted a couple of pack n plays though, since we travel a lot and go camping with my parents and with his nursery being upstairs and whatnot. Plus, it'll be nice to put him in with a few toys to keep him contained like while I"m in the kitchen making dinner. We have some awkward doorways that won't fit a baby gate. Just like to have options = ). Would I have bought two? No. But getting one for free, plus I paid literally 40 bucks for the other one was nice. So if he hates both of them...I"m not out tons of money.

Honestly, I've learned to just smile and say thank you and just deal with it lol. Especially with people in my family who don't know how to listen and think I know nothing regarding babies. I may be a first time mom, but I know I don't need that much stuff lol.

ImperiumWife · February 2016

I'm not so good at it when it comes to my mil. Other people, I'm pretty good. And if I was in a situation like yours, I would probably agree more with getting one. But we live in a one story house, which I can really easily gate off and have safe. I'm just hoping I get receipts for things. I have three things from my baby shower at work I want to return, but no receipts. Two of them are the same gift pack of soaps/diaper cream. And I wouldn't mind keeping the soaps, but the diaper creams I can't use because of the cloth diapers. It's not like I blame them, it's not really common knowledge that you can't use those types of creams with them.

lovealwaysfindsaway8202011 · February 2016

It's hard with MIL, I understand. I have to be gentle but firm with mine and be careful how I come across so I don't hurt her feelings. Ty is a self-proclaimed "mama's boy" and gets frustrated when I'm "too mean." It works most of the time lol.

And I get it, everyone's house and situation is different = ). Could you maybe suggest something else? Say something along the lines of "I appreciate you want to get us something but we really do not have an need for a play yard right now. I know you think we need one, but we really do not. I would hate for you to spend your money on something the baby won't use. We could use a....whatever...she would get much more use out of that." If she won't back down....you can't go wrong with any Graco one you pick. Honestly, they are all made the same from what I've seen.

TaraW1979 · February 2016

Yes, we had one. We had the Bright Starts Sunnyside Safari. It was great. We liked it because it didn't take up much room. It wasn't as big and bulky as some of the other ones. We

changed her diaper on it until she was 2. She also napped in it quite a bit. Then we moved it up to our bedroom and she slept in it with a pack and play mattress for a while. So yes, I think you will get a lot of use out of it.

ImperiumWife · February 2016

Thanks Tara. I'm looking for a lighter one if she doesn't back down. Amber, I think that's going to be my approach. I did forget to mention that she's trying to do this through her sister, thinking I won't say no that way. But J has convinced me to call her and just say basically what you said. And I was talking to my mom today, and she thinks they probably just didn't see the small travel crib I do have on my registry, cause it's well below my stroller and she didn't see that.

lovealwaysfindsaway8202011 · February 2016

Good luck! = )

shellyamf · February 2016

I put one on my registry with Lily thinking it was one of those things I had to have. It was pretty much a dust collector with her. I took it with me to my parents house a few times but then my mom insisted on buying a crib to keep at her house. So yeah, the pack n play was just in a closet. I'm glad we didn't get rid of it though because we have it set up in our basement and have used it so much with Josie. Our basement is our family room and I use it for changing her when we are down here and for naps during the day so I don't have to take her all the way up to the top floor where the bedrooms are.

I heard about rock n plays when I was pregnant with and had Lily. Wished I had gotten one but never did. Got one now for Josie and it's what she sleeps and naps in on the top floor. It's smaller than a pack n play and sits next to the bed. I'm loving it. I would say the pack n play is definitely optional depending on your house set up, ect. With multiple levels I think it's a handy thing to have. But in Oklahoma we had a ranch style so I think that's why we never used it.

I had a swing and a bouncer with Lily. Both bought at consignment sales and I was so happy they weren't brand new. Lily hated the bouncer and would only stay in the swing for short periods of time. We donated both when we were moving out of Oklahoma. I do want to get a swing or bouncer for our main level, so I can put Josie down in something when I'm cooking and cleaning. I thought about getting another pack n play but a bouncer will take up less room. And since it won't be used a ton I'm going to try to get one at a consignment sale again.

Ask for gift receipts. You can say just in case you get multiples of items. But then if you get something you don't want, you can return it for something you do want.

jjbmstinco · February 2016

Get got a used Graco pack and play. Right not it holds most of her toys and it sits in the living room so we can put her in there to play while we cook or do something. I could see it being used outside if you liked to spend time outside. I do sometimes wish we got a newer one with the baby bassinet on it. We do have the Rock and play that is by my bed. We like it but I wondered if it would be better to keep her flat as opposed to an incline. Our day care has one and uses it for the toys thing as well.

lovealwaysfindsaway8202011 · February 2016

Love the idea of using one outside !

jjbmstinco · February 2016

I am just putting it out there...

There is a pin on pintrest called the ultimate guide to a registery. You answer questions based on your lifestyle and it gives you an excel spreadsheet. I used it to just double check I had everything I needed. I can send it your way if you can't find it.

jtmh2012 · February 2016

shellyamf said:

I would say the pack n play is definitely optional depending on your house set up, ect. With multiple levels I think it's a handy thing to have. But in Oklahoma we had a ranch style so I think that's why we never used it.

We've got a 3 floor house. Still never really used ours.

I think it really depends more on your child and the parent.

Penguin12912 · February 2016

We had one of the pack and plays with the infant napper and where you could have to pad up at a higher level. Abby napped in that for a bit downstairs, until she decided I was more comfortable. We had a rock and play right next to our bed that she slept in upstairs for naps and bedtime. I love the rock and play and suggest it highly

The pack and play you can probably do without. You can always upcycle the pack and play later into a little reading nook/fort. I did that for Abby and plan to put it back out when we move to our new house.

ImperiumWife · February 2016

Thanks everyone.

I am going to look into getting a rock and play, or something like it, but I want to wait and see what she really likes before I make that purchase.

Jen- I think I actually did do that at some point. It was back when I first started though, and pack and play wasn't on it, of course.

Megan- That is a really cute idea! I loved tents like that as a child. If I end up with one, I'm going to do that.

J convinced me that I should just call his aunt, because she is very reasonable, and she will tell me for sure that MIL is butting in. And he thinks she will ultimately respect our wishes with it. So I'm going to try, I just haven't gotten the chance yet.

shellyamf · February 2016

Just chiming in again. We did use our pack n play a few times outside during the summer when we were in Oklahoma. I used an extra crib sheet across the top to keep the bugs out. But I still agree that it's something you can wait and see if you need it.

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