Crib vs pnp

Here's the back story -- we got our nursery furniture from my SIL who has singletons, so we have only 1 crib. We started the kids out in the same cosleeper in our room. Now that they are too big to share the cosleeper, one sleeps in the cosleeper in our room and the other sleeps in the crib in the nursery (that assignment is random -- each one has slept in each place).

They are rapidly approaching the point where they won't be safe in the cosleeper, so we need another option. They still aren't great about going down at night and still wake frequently and promptly roll over upon waking (that's a whole other post!), so sharing the same crib (our initial plan) doesn't really seem like a good option.

I mentioned to DH today that we should look into getting another crib, and he got all weird about it. The nursery IS very small and would be cramped with two cribs, but his solution was to put the PNP in there and put one kid in that. That feels weird to me, but when he asked what the benefits of a crib over the PNP were, I couldn't really articulate anything specific.

So ... are there reasons to get a second crib and not just use the PNP, or am I just being fussy? (BTW, it's not really about money -- we can afford an inexpensive crib, particularly since we have so many hand me downs that we haven't had to buy much at all for the girls.)

Kim

 

We used PNPs for the first few weeks because we were living at my parent's house for help. The best argument I can make is that you have to bedn down further for the PNP. It used to hurt my back to have to do that. I also thought they were noisier than a crib. Our PNPs, even with the sheets on, would be very noisy when the girls moved around.
I'd go for the crib, eventually they will be to big to sleep comfortably in a PNP anyways.

 

The crib is larger, so you can use it for a longer duration. Also the mattress is much more comfortable.

One more thing is that my guys both learned how to climb out of a PNP at 20 months or so, and Jon learned how tho climb out of a crib at 23 months--Marc never did. So much more longeveity.

 

Since they are developing so fast right now, wouldn't the mattress and firmness of a crib be better on their bodies rather than a thin, soft pnp mattress? Just a thought from this little brain over here!

 

I disagree with the previous posts... My PNP matress was very firm, so I put a little pad over it... and my DD who is almost 3 can still sleep in one, if she needed to. My DS just grew out of one...

I had two cribs until they were 1, then I had a PNP and a crib, then DD that was in the PN went to a toddler bed at 15 months!

I think it really depends on how long you plan on using a crib... Are you someone who would use it until they could no longer safely fit, or would you move them to a toddler or twin bed before they were two? If you would use it for a couple years, then get one... If you plan on moving to "big beds" sooner, then save your money for that and use the PNP.

IMO HTH!

 

Ours are only 4 1/2 months and they haven't slept well in the PNP for a while now. Then again, this was together--I found they rolled towards each other much more in the PNP than the crib. And, I agree with a PP about the mattress not seeming as comfortable.

We were in the same dilemma at one point. We got a crib from my sister (who DID have twins, but sold one of the cribs awhile ago!) We ended up getting one from a neighbor at a garage sale, but we have a large nursery.

 

Both of mine sleep in pack and plays. We got port a crib mattresses and put that in on top of the mat that comes with the pnp. I did have to get another pnp as it was getting too small for both of them and I was worried because I found one twin sleeping ON TOP of the other twin. But they sleep fine for 12 or 13 hours in them each night.

 

my kiddos love their cribs.....we they have to sleep in the pnp they usually don't sleep as well. If I was in your situation I would invest in a crib....just my opinion.

 

mine have cribs and pnp. they nap in the cribs and they sleep overnite in the pnp in the living room. this is only because all 3 of my boys must share a room and i don't want the babies waking up my 2yo during the nite (although they have been sleeping through the nite the last 2 nites, so i might try overnite in the cribs). I was so badly to move them to their cribs permanetly...the sleep better in the cribs, the pnp's are noisy, you have to bend so far down to put them down (and that's not always very graceful and i end up waking babies). I would invest in a crib...I can't wait until I don't have to use the pnp anymore.

 

We used PNPs for the first 10 months, from months 12-15, and for many trips up until age 2. The PNPs worked wonderfully for us and we never did anything special to them. One disadvantage is that the babies will outgrow it earlier and there's no crib tent for a PNP so, once they learn to climb out, you have to move them to a toddler bed. You can buy yourself about a year before you have to move from a crib to a toddler bed if you use crib tents and that makes it a lot easier to make the change.

 

I would personally get another crib. This is from someone looking back from the end of her 2nd year. These are the reasons....

Crib mattress is way more comfortable than PnP

They will be at the same level and will eventually want to be able to see each other as they will talk etc.

If the Crib is above the PnP, then baby in crib will eventually throw stuff into pnp and baby in pnp will be hit!

PnP mesh sides will eventually rip if messed with enough. They aren't as sturdy feeling to me either. Although I happily use them on vacation regularly!

Those are my reasons

 

PNP are not meant IMHO for long term use. The mattresses are thin and uncomfy. They need their own BEDS aka cribs. My boys can climb out of the PNPs since 19 months. There is no way I would switch them to toddler beds then EVER. Next step is crib tents.

So YES another crib please!

 

Thanks for the excellent insights -- I will use those ideas in the discussion with my DH. Hopefully he will be convinced!