Pack N Play: The Most Important Newborn Item Needed

The pack n play was such an important staple in my parenting with a newborn. Having a good travel system for baby is a close second place to this gem. Not only was I a first time mom when I had my son, but also a single parent. Getting absolutely anything done with a baby that didn’t feel he needed to be put down seemed impossible. Baby wearing was a large help with this issue, but some things just couldn’t be done with him. Like, I don’t know, SHOWERING! Between naps, changing, and seconds for mommy, the pack n play was worth every penny I spent.

Pack N Play Key Benefits

Pack N Play Sleeper

Don’t let the name fool you. One of the major benefits of utilizing a pack n play is not play at all. Sleep was the primary benefit.

There are many kinds of pack n plays. From the most basic playpen to the sophisticated kind with bassinets that flip into changing pads. The latter was the kind I purchased and I did not regret it. Babies can sense being lowered into a crib. Imagine doing all the hard work of getting your little on to sleep, only to have them wake up because you lowered them into a deep crib. The pack n play offers a more shallow but still fairly secure option.

You should not leave baby in this unattended but it is handy when baby is taking a nap and you’re sitting next to the pack n play folding laundry or relaxing. There’s also an insert that you can set the height for on the inside. This was primarily what I used for him to sleep in at night because he liked being in the room with me. Without this life saver I may have never gotten any sleep.

Getting Things Done

While baby wearing is helpful for standing chores, some things need to be done baby-free. Keeping baby occupied is a full time job! There’s a reason they make all those rockers, swings, and toys. The nice thing about the pack n play is that you can set baby in it with his or her favorite toys. Alternatively, you can utilize the hanging items while utilizing the napper and it comes with stars. Baby will stay occupied by reaching for the stars.

This will free you up to do dishes, workout, cook, and whatever else your heart desires for at least a little while.

Pack N Play Changing Station

I did not have money nor the space to invest in a changing table. I was doing good to be able to afford the crib that I barely used. The pack n play that I purchased had a reversible attachment. Therefore, the sleeper was the changing pad. You could flip it over and have a surface similar to that of a changing pad that comes in a diaper bag. It easily wipes clean and provides a more shallow surface to place baby on.

This saved me a lot of time that would’ve been spent cleaning up messes after changing baby in my bed. Wiping up the mess with a wipe beats washing covers and sheets any day.

Transporting To Grandparents House

My parents caught on pretty early that my son was not one to sleep in the bed with. To this day he sleeps horizontally and you might catch a foot to the head. Before they purchased their own pack n play, I would pack mine up at home and let them take it with them. Let me just say this is no easy feat but it’s possible.

Mobility

Pack n plays come with a nice bag like a folding chair for transporting. This is super convenient once you grow out of the sleeper phase. You obviously can’t fit the sleeper/changing pad in the bag. However, even the shallow insert fits neatly around the pack n play and into the bag.

This item is probably best just for toting around the house and less for actually packing up. Once you put in the labor of setting it up, the last thing you want to do is take it down and do it all again. Some may not fit through your doors but I was lucky enough that mine did. This made it easy to go to whatever room a task needed to be completed in. If your child can see you, they are slightly less likely to get fussy.

Containing crawlers

As previously mentioned, pack n plays come with inserts to make them more shallow while your baby is a baby. However, when you get into the toddling and crawling phases, you’ll want to remove it. This makes it harder for your child to climb out. So repurpose from a sleeper and changing pad to its intended purpose, play! Consider moving it to the nursery instead of your room to get your child ready for sleeping in a toddler bed. It’s also a good transition for independent play.

Cleaning

Try to maintain a clean playpen. Once you start to let stains accumulate and set in, it never looks the same. Spot clean stains as they come up and reduce overwhelm trying to clean months of mess. A standard laundry detergent/water solution should do the trick. Follow the instructions provided on the label for hot or cold instructions.

Leave comments below on how your pack n play has improved your new mom life. Also head over to The Mommy Pro Shop and check out other cool baby gear.