Second sleep area suggestions?

Hello mamas!

I'm a first time mom, expecting in late May early June, but I wanted some sage advice from new mamas!

So. We live in a two story house. We will have the cribs upstairs in the nursery, but especially in the beginning if I have a c-section or for daytime naps, we want a second sleep area for the babies downstairs. With one, I planned on using a bassinet or a pack-n-play bassinet. But with two, they won't fit or hold safely.

I am hearing iffy things about the twin pack and play, and some moms suggested a co-sleeper. The advantage of the twin pnp is that we can bring it to the grandmas' houses when they are little, and we'll have a place for them to sleep. And I am iffy about cosleepers, consumer reports is strongly against them, and while I understand the philosophical differences about actual cosleeping and family beds, the actual safety standards for cosleepers don't exist from what I am finding on the Consumer Protection Board site and all that.

Anyone have any experience with either? What would you suggest? I know they wont last forever, but just for a few months would do a world of good!

Thanks!
M

 

Good advanced thinking/planning!

However, I am curious as to why you think your lo's will not fit in a regular pack n play? Is it because you want to use the bassinet feature? If your plan is to use the pack n play for only a few months, you might try one pack n play for both. We however, requested two and for the first few months they both fit in one (and we did use the bassinet). It was only when they started "protesting" sleeping next one another that we moved them to their separate pack n plays. The doctors and nurses at my children's hospital actually recommneded that they sleep together for the first few weeks to help them sleep better.

We did not go with the twin pack n play, on the recommendation of another twin mom who was disappointed that she had purchased it. She advised that her lo's did not fit in the twin pack n play for very long. Her recommendation was to buy two, as that it was she ended up having to do eventually. However, this might not be an issue with you as you stated you only want to use it for a few months.

You probably already know this (as you seemed to have thoughtfully and throughly researched this issue already). I looked at the specifications for the bassinet on Graco's twin pack n play ant it has a maximum weight of 15lbs per child per side. The playard allows for a 30lb maximum. We purchased one of the "care station" playards with a changing table attached and a removable bassinet. Graco's website states that the bassinet feature allows for babies less than 15lbs.

Good luck on your decision. Whatever you decide, you seem to have a thorough knowlege of all the issues so I am certain you will make the best decision for you and your family.

 

I had mine in the same pack and play for the first 2 to 3 weeks, then they started waking each other so we seperated them in 2 pack and plays in our downstairs. It worked for us.

I know the manufactuers say only to use the basinett portion of the pack and play up to 15 lbs, but my son is 18 lbs, and I still put him in it and it's quite secure...he's not sitting up yet and still swaddled. My husband has his MBA in manufacturing management and during his studies, he did a paper on manufactuers guidelines as far as weight and expiration dates and knows there are some wiggle room in most.

 

I had mine in the bassinet pnp together for the first couple of months during the day & they were perfectly fine! I had it downstairs for their naps so that I didn't have to be running up & down the stairs all the time. I did have an Arms Reach Cosleeper at night by my bed & they also slept comfortably in that together.

 

We used an oversized Pack and Play - got it at walmart, has the changing table on it, light and soothing sounds.

My girls slept in it until they were 3 months old. They were over the weight limit for the top part, but the top is very sturdy and the babies still didn't move around at all. I kept them both in wedges, side by side, and right next to my bed. I moved one baby to her bed when she could roll over. I currently still have one baby in the pnp, but on the bottom of it because of her weight.

 

I found a used portable mini-crib like this one on Craigslist while I was expecting, and I still love this mini-crib! The boys slept in our bedroom in it until they were about 3 or 4 months old. And we still have that crib at the foot of our bed because our boys nap in separate rooms (but sleep at night in the nursery). The good thing about this crib is that you can have it raised so you don't have to bend over so far like w/ a PnP. And it even has wheels if you ever wanted to roll them out into the living room or where ever.

ETA: Our PnPs did have a raised bassinet thingy like most, but it slouched in the middle just a little bit, and almost every one I saw in the stores were the same. So I didn't trust letting both boys sleep on the bassinet part because I didn't want them to slide into each other. However, we did set them in PnP bassinet part when we just had to run to the bathroom or wash a few bottles, etc.

We also received two Graco PnPs as gifts because that is what I put on my registry. But if I had it to do over again I wouldn't get a regular sized PnP as it doesn't take too long before the both of them outgrow it. I really wish I would have gotten this larger Joovy playard instead! One of the first reviews at walmart.com is of a twin mom who took a picture of her two 23 lb (!) babies sleeping comfortably in it. I'm not going to buy one of those now that my boys are so old, but I sure wish I had one! We don't even use the other 2 PnPs now. One stays at the in-laws for occasional visits there but that is it.

 

We had an Arms Reach Co Sleeper that worked great, but we also had just a regular pack n play downstairs too. We used the bassinet feature of the pack n play till they were both 10lbs each, so we went over the 15 lbs limit, but it was just fine. However, they DO NOT like sleeping at the bottom of the pack n play now, so they just nap in their infant to toddler rockers if they fall asleep downstairs. They do share a crib in their room.

 

Yes, we were hoping to put them in the top bassinet component, since the twin PnP has the 30 pound limit for the basset to the normal one's 15. Or we can get two with bassinets... Or should I just get th ebabies used to the bottom part...

 

If you have a c-section, I am not certain that it will be comfortable for you to lift the babies up from the bottom part of the pack n play. The ones I had were fairly deep. (I had a c-section, and I think I remember that bending was a little tough at first.) Two bassinets would definitely work. You could purchae the twin pack n play, but I would still be worried that you might need a second one in the future. Or you could use something else later for them to nap in downstairs as some of the other posters have suggested (like a bouncy seat, portable mini-crib, or the Joovy playard). Good luck! I think you will make the right decision but remember to save the receipt just in case so that you can return whatever you choose if you decide it isn't working for you once the babies arrive!

 

I bought a used twin pnp and I don't recommend it at all. The "baskets" aren't attached to the bottom of the bassinet part (the floor), which means there is a gap underneath the center part of the "baskets" and the babies tended to roll towards that middle gap. I was much more comfortable using the bassinet feature without their added "baskets". But even so, the twin pnp wasn't that much bigger than a regular pnp, but a LOT heavier and bulkier and harder to move. I started just using my regular pnp for naps and for outside use for them, and once they outgrew the bassinet part I put them both in the bottom. I have two regular pnp's now for trips to the grandparents place and whatnot. It's the cheapest one Graco makes, I don't need the changing station or any other extra's, just a basic pnp. $70 apiece instead of $200 for the twin one.

 

We used an Arms Reach Co Sleeper in our room with our 3rd child & then with our twins. I loved it.

In my dining room I kept a cradle for the twins as it is open to our kitchen/living room/fireplace room. I found it very handy to have a safe place off the floor to put them as we had 3 other kids & 2 large dogs.


I HIGHLY recommend an Arms Reach Co Sleeper. They are an excellent product and we used them 6+ months with the twins.

 

mine are the same way- I found that they are much happier if I put their crib quilt on the pad then put a pnp sheet over it all. I don't worry b/c it's a VERY tight fit, and is cushy enough for them to sleep better.

 

We just used the regular PNP w the bassinet. I found the boys were so little for so long that it got me through the first few months during the day. I didn't attach our changing station to give us more room. I put them side by side until the got too long and then toe to toe. We used it a ton in the beginning!!