can infants sleep in a playpen?

[canadiana]

This might be a dumb question, but I'm surprisingly unsure about this: can newborn infants sleep in a playpen as their crib? I was given a fold-away playpen today by a coworker, and I'm just not sure whether the baby will be okay in there if I'm using it all the time. Do I need any kind of special bed or padding or anything? I'm pretty sure I don't, and that it's fine. I slept in a dresser drawer when I was a baby, and I'm still alive, but I have been getting more paranoid about baby safety lately, so I just need some confirmation or reassurance or something... Is it safe to use a fold-away playpen as a crib for a newborn?

[canadiana]

The pack and play thing they were talking about seems to be convertible between a bassinet and a playpen, and the one I have is a small, fold up travel playpen with no bassinet option, but other than that, they're the same thing. I might look into that crib thing. It would be nice not to have to buy furniture over and over again.

[Brittany12385]

I'm pretty sure a pack & play and play pen are the same thing. And you can buy cribs that end up turning into a full size bed. That's what we did and bought the matching dresser. I expect my son to have this set thru high school, so I personally don't think it's a waste of money

[canadiana]

Well, now I scared myself by reading the Health Canada website. Turns out a lot of things I thought would be fine are unsafe. Made myself more paranoid x_x

[AngelicaDoria]

I think it's fine! I put a play yard on layaway today! One that has bassinet then transforms as they grow. Due July 26..

[wzpb2010]

My son sleep in one and is perfectly fine.  He's now 4 years old

[canadiana]

It's not a pack and play, just a small travel playpen...there's no bassinet portion. But it has a solid bottom, so it sounds like it's going to be okay. Thanks ladies :)

[happimomw2]

Im going to be using onr w a net on top. I personally find cribs a waste of money due to the fact that they only sleep in them for a little over a year. A playpen is totally fine.

[Brittany12385]

Yes it's ok. I suggest not letting the baby sleep in the bassinet portion every night bc it's not a proper back support. It sinks and can cause back problems later in life since babies bones are still mostly cartilage and soft bones that are trying to harden, you don't want them misconfiguring their spines bc of the bassinet. Harder surfaces are much better and as someone else stated you don't want too much padding bc they can suffocate.

[sjpolo]

My son slept in his pack n play until he was about 9 months lol now he's in a crib but they are definitely ok

[CountryMomToBe]

My pack n play came with a bassinet part that raises it up. They sell some with newborn nappers but I wasn't fond of those. I've got that pack n play set up by our bed in the bedroom & the regular bassinet set up by a full sized bed in the nursery.  

[abbb01]

Play pens are fine I just wouldn't put baby on too soft of a mattress or pad so lo doesnt roll and smother and no extra sheets blankets pillows

[hazel413]

Of course! They have attachments to make out higher bed. N they even have mattresses for it if your uncomfortable for how hard it is.