Co-sleeper versus pack-n-play

[Anonymous]

We're fist time parents-to-be living in a one bedroom apartment. We're considering staying here a while so we would like to set up some kind of sleeping arrangement that would allow us to not buy a full sized crib until we decide to upgrade to a two bedroom. It seems from reading reviews that people generally like the pack-n-play as a bassinet but since the bassinet part can only be used until the baby is 15 lbs, what do you do then? Can the baby sleep in the playpen part? Is that practical? I read that the arms reach co-sleeper bassinet can be used up to 30 lbs but lacks the changing table and reviews suggest that it's not very easy/useful for travel.

I've also read that some babies are just not very comfortable is either the pack-n-play or the co-sleeper, so there's a big concern that it just won't work out either way and then we'll be stuck. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I've tried both the Pack N Play and the Co Sleeper. We've settled on the Co Sleeper in the bedroom for night sleeping and DD sleeps just fine it it. We keep a waterproof pad in the room and use it for changing at night. You can use the changing pad anywhere, even on the floor, which is good once they get all squirmy and wiggly (no falls).

We've set up the Pack N Play in the living room with the changing station installed. DD naps in it sometimes, but mostly we use it for changing during the day.

DD is not 30 pounds yet, but hopefully we'll be in a bigger place by the time she is and then we'll try a crib or toddler bed.

[Anonymous]

We used the pack n play bassinet and it was OK. But I can also say that my kids slept way worse in the full pack n play (whether traveling or at home) than in a crib. So, we were fine with it for traveling (when they were likely to sleep poorly anyway) but would not recommend it for fulltime use.

[Anonymous]

If your concern is size, the pack n' play is just a few inches smaller than my ikea crib. And I think it cost just about the same....

[Anonymous]

We used the pack n play at a second (grandma) home where we do many 3 week long trips. It is great for travel as a second bed, but not as good a sleep as a crib and real mattress.

[Anonymous]

My baby is 8 mos. old and has only ever slept in a pack n play -- her brother was not ready to vacate the crib as planned and we don't have room for 2 cribs. Now we are traveling for summer and not practical to bring crib -- so she will be in pack n play at least a few more months. She sleeps great in there.

There have been no problems with it other than that the bassinet feature does not work past I think 10 pounds and it is hard on my back to lift baby in and out of bottom of pack and play.

[Anonymous]

Our baby resisted napping in the Pack n Play at first, but seems to be much happier now that we added a foam sleep positioner. We got ours at Babies R Us -- not expensive.

[Anonymous]

My DS Slept in the co-sleeper at night through almost 5 months. At that point we transitioned him to his crib.

This was driven by us needing a more restful night's sleep.

We have a nanny share in out house and the other child naps in a pack and play. She is approaching 2 and the last few months she has not slept as well - but until about 20 months it worked very well.

I think it really depends on the child and what you as parents set as expectations.

I loved the Arms-Reach co-sleeper and would suggest it for an infant. I do not find it as easy to pack up as our pack and play for travel. (We are lucky that we have a lot of friends who had a lot of gear that they passed down so I have tried a lot of it)