Crib and playpen...really need both?

Hi, another question to reveal how little I know in the run-up to my baby's arrival in September!


Do we really need both a crib *and* a playpen, or can a baby sleep perfectly happily and safely in a good playpen? Reason I ask is that our flat is *so* tiny...I'm looking for any (sensible) ways to economize in terms of space. We have a small outdoor area, so it seems that a playpen would be a good thing to have...but must we have both?

By crib, do you mean cot or moses basket (sorry, different nationalities have different terminology)? If moses basket, then you will not need the 2 simultaneously. By the time that a child needs a playpen, he/she will have outgrown the moses basket. We had a separate cot-bed which seemed too big for a newborn and we only used it once we transferred the children out of our room when they were 6 months old. You can buy dividers for cots so that they don't seem so huge. I bought every single item that the shop suggested and used about half (during which time my house seemed to shrink daily).


Personally, I do not think a moses basket is necessary at all. In truth, you can get away without a playpen too, if you can 'fence' off a safe play area somewhere, perhaps with a stairgate in a doorway.


One possible option, if you think a cot is too big initially is an Arms Reach Co-Sleeper (www.armsreach.com). Once the baby has outgrown this, it can be used as a playpen apparently. Have not found a supplier in HK, but they do sell them in Singapore.

I personally had both with my first and second. I found that i travelled around alot and needed the playpen for when travelling. However, most cribs here in china are either cribs or playpens built for being a crib. I know there is a concern for SIDS in children who dont sleep on a proper surface. If ur flat is small i would suggest a smaller crib that can be changed into a toddler bed so you can save on money. They also make them with wheels so u can move then out into say the living/front room. Not sure how safe these are since i havent used them yet. I am in shanghai and putting baby in bed with me for the first 6 months or so then will transfer him to a crib/cot when Bfing isnt so demanding during the night. If you are overly concerned i would ask a pediatrictian what he thinks due to space and SIDS.

if you HAVE to choose one, choose the crib. A good sleeping surface, a proper place to call bed is more important than a temporary "place" to put your baby when you need to run to the loo. (we just use the crib for this very function.)


I highly recommend the Pali - it's smaller than a lot of the UK cribs that come in, and also slightly smaller than US cribs so US bedding (which is far cheaper) can fit on it. (I remember reading that you were from the US - so this is a plus if you're in the mood to shop in the US and bring it back.)


Furthermore, you can remove one side and lock it next to your own bed if you want to co sleep (co sleeper - no extra equipment) and you can remove one side later and make it a toddler bed. So it's sort of 3 in 1.


We have a pali and it was well used for two girls already. STill looks beautiful has held up well (it's solid wood after all) and although pricey has been well worth the investment in our opinion. My second daughter slept in the crib in her own room from day 1. Never looked back.

Thanks for the advice, everyone! You're all a great help.

We have 2 children, aged 5 and 6, and only had a crib. I don't remember wishing I had a playpen.


The bottom of the playpen is usually covered by an uncomfortable, thin pad and it is a LONG way to bend over to pick up a wee one who can't sit or stand. Tragic accidents have happened when people have used a box or whatever to raise the bottom of the playpen.


We felt that, while it took up less space, the local-style crib was too small (baby would outgrow it too quickly) and too high (very dangerous when babe is able to stand), so we bought a crib from IKEA which had two levels: higher for when they were small (at first, they looked SO small on the big mattress); and lower for when they can stand and try to climb (which they both did). The IKEA crib converted to a toddler bed with the addition of a small board when they outgrew the need for a crib. We were also able to take our IKEA bedding on an extended holiday and it fit most cribs.


If you use a playpen and a crib, you must clearly deliniate that one is for play and the other is for sleep.


Happy planning!