Q&A: can a pack 'n' play be a crib?

Jennifer writes:

"We moved from Brooklyn to a small university town in the Rockies. While we live in the sticks, the advantage is that we can afford a 3 bedroom house.  We (me, my husband, and my baby girl--and maybe our dog, but she'll probably be staying with the Grandparents in Florida since it's hard enough to find temporary housing for people with 2 legs) will be relocating to Washington, DC in January for a period of 5 months--the baby will be 14 months when we pick up to go. Having lived in NY for a number of years, I know that we're not going to afford the same size housing that we currently have out here.  I'm thinking that on our paltry-western-non-union-salaries, we'll probably only be able to afford a 1 bedroom in Our Nation's Capitol.  Anyway, currently, at 8 months, our baby sleeps through the night in her own room in her own crib.  Here are my questions:

1.) What do you think it will do to her sleep if she can no longer have her own room?  In some ways I wish she had never moved out of our room, but she has so what to do about the impending change?

2.) Because we as adults feel that we can make due with anything for a period of 5 months, we're not planning on buying much more than a futon and a table/chairs (unless we can find a suitable furnished sublet) while in Washington.  Do you think it would be OK for her to have a Pack and Play for a crib for these 5 months?  This is what my husband is proposing, but I'm not sure a Pack and Play has sufficient support for 5 months of sleeping...."

I initially read that part at the end of the first paragraph as "non-Western-Union salaries" and was v. confused. Ah, reading comprehension. Anyway.

In your situation I think I'd "rent" a crib by buying a used one* on Craigslist and then flipping it (again on Craigslist) when you move. I don't know that a pack 'n' play (I believe it's called a "travel cot"--a collapsible playpen/cot--in countries that aren't the U.S.) is supportive enough for long-term nighttime sleep (although I'm sure plenty of kids have used them for just that and sleep fine and have no back problems). But my real concern is that your back is going to be shot from bending over to put her in and take her out all the time--the p'n'p is really low and it's going to be a whole different set of muscles than you use to put her in and out of the regular crib. Also, it'll be nicer for her to have the same sheets and stuff in the crib to make it as similar as possible to her current crib.

I think her sleep is going to be shaken up for a few weeks from the move, so there's no way to tell if the shakeup will have anything to do with her being in your room again or just the adjustment of the move. It doesn't really matter anyway, since the treatment for both problems is the same--as much one-on-one time with the two of you as possible, regular routines, plenty of exercise to tire her out. And her sleep will probably hit a huge speedbump when she's around 18 months anyway, so don't be scared if it happens--she'll go back to sleeping eventually.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much space you afford (relative to Brooklyn prices), especially if you don't need to be actually in the District. DC-area readers, where should Jennifer look for an affordable but commutable and safe sublet for 5 months?


*Don't get worried and start sending me to the JPMA site. I didn't mean "used" as in "from 1974, with lead paint and wide slats." I meant "used" as in "bought in 2004 and conforming to all current safety regulations, but their child just switched to a bed and they need the crib out of their apartment."

Comments

[Kate]

My daughter never slept well in a pack n play--the mattress seems to be about 3/4" thick--and plus rarely survived the transfer into it (as Moxie noted, it's VERY low). I'd wind up half dropping her into it. Not a good scene.

Then again, she never liked her actual crib either, and we moved her to a toddler bed very early (14 months). She could get in and out of it, but strangely didn't at night or after naps--she cried and waited for us to come and get her.

Do you think DC (or environs) has Junior 4s? Or is that strictly a NY concept? (It can't be, right?) That would give your daughter her own space...

[Cat, Galloping]

the Delta Luv Jenny Lind crib is top rated by consumer reports and costs $110, though that does not include the mattress. it's been working out very well for us.

[Erin]

I'm a former DC resident... for affordable housing, I would check out the Washington City Paper classifieds: http://classifieds.washingtoncitypaper.com/

and the American University off-campus housing listings:
http://www.american.edu/ocl/housing/academic_year_housing/univ_apts.html

When I looked today, I saw several 2 bedroom apts in DC and MD (some furnished) for $1100-$1200/month

[Brooklyn Girl]

A friend of mine's renting a furnished 3 bedroom house in Arlington, VA for not much money (I don't know the specifics, but he's in grad school so he can't be paying much). It's off the Ballston stop on the Metro's Orange line. He found it on Craigslist.

[Alemap]

Babies R Us has a pretty decent travel crib for $99 bucks - $19 for the mattress. We love it and use it as a cosleeper - so we can pat him down at naps (he's a purist at night though - very family bed-minded baby!).

It's very sturdy - though we don't use the wheels. And I think it takes up less floor space than the pack and play. (Am with Moxie on the back thing...yeah, you don't want to do that for 5 months, especially if it's while your little one is going through the usual sleep bumps requiring a bit more nighttime attention!)

[joline]

Because I had intended to co-sleep with my twins I never bought traditional cribs. WHen cosleeping with them did not work they ended up sleeping in their pack n plays from about 6 months until maybe 16 months when we got them toddler beds. By that age they were getting too big for the thin mattress to support or be comfortable. Although when sleeping at grandma's house my dd2 who will be 3 in October STILL prefers to sleep in a pack n play rather than her inflatabed.
If your dd is already sleeping in a crib, and you are planning to have a futon for yourselves, you might just bring her crib mattress and lay it on the floor in your room rather than convert her to a whole new sleeping surface.

As for sleeping all night in the same room as you, I think that children are very resilient and after a short transition she will get used to it just fine.
JOline

[Juliette]

I noticed that the free section of Craig's list DC tends to have cribs. You should also check out freecycle for DC. We've gotten a ton of good stuff that way.

[Jen]

I live about 30 minutes outside of DC to the North...

definitely worth looking into Howard COunty, Montgomery County and Prince George's County for housing.

You can always take the Metro into the city wherever you need to go. It's worth it for the money you'll save living outside of DC.

Good luck!

[LondonMom]

My 15 month old son loves to sleep in the Pak'n'Play. He has never slept well in his cot and prefers the P'n'P. It is pretty much the only way he'll sleep through the night, so we've used it for months on end. We added a sheepskin under the quilted sheet you can buy and that seems to be enough padding for him, though in the next few months I foresee needing to move him into a toddler bed.

[LondonMom]

My 15 month old son loves to sleep in the Pak'n'Play. He has never slept well in his cot and prefers the P'n'P. It is pretty much the only way he'll sleep through the night, so we've used it for months on end. We added a sheepskin under the quilted sheet you can buy and that seems to be enough padding for him, though in the next few months I foresee needing to move him into a toddler bed.

[anom today]

Check out Oakton Park apartments in Fairfax, VA-safe and rather affordable (by DC standards), I have had several friends that rented from them.

[exiled to canada]

We used to live in Downtown Silver Spring, MD. There are a few places there that might work, also Takoma Park,MD. Check the Takoma Voice for classifieds (http://www.takoma.com/). City Paper is also good but know that the new ads go out on Tuesdays online ( I think 3pm), so for a shot at the best places check online on tuesday afternoons.

[Jennifer]

Wow!!! Thanks for all this great advice, both about sleeping and rental arrangements. Now even my husband is an Ask Moxie convert :-) I like the idea of putting the crib mattress on the floor next to our futon--esp. if we're unable to find a suitable used crib.

[Asha]

The movers broke my son's crib when we moved, so he slept in a Pack 'n Play from 16 months-2 years (we bought him a bed for his second birthday). He's none the worse for wear.

[Num Num]

Commenting on the pack 'n play which a friend had used for four granchildren and gave to us. It worked only as a playpen, never as a night time sleeper. You need a 'real' crib for night time, though the old-fashioned portacrib works as well. As a grammy, I would also advise consulting with the parents before you set something up, but if they're too overwhelmed in the early months, buy something and set it up. Say it's "just in case," don't push it.

[liz]

There are lots of affordable apartments near GMU (End of the orange line in Virginia, pretty easy commute).

[Rayne of Terror]

We cut a piece of memory foam from bed bath beyond to pack n play size and put that on the bottom of the p'n'p for overnight visits. it seems much better than just the regular p'n'p floor.

[heather]

I just got a pack n play today (though we don't have a baby or a pregnancy yet it's in the near future) anyways, this pack n play has a mysterious (to me) black electronic box with a cord that goes from the box to the outside of the pack n play. There are no buttons on it, just a place to put batteries, the box is rather bulky and I can't imagine laying an infant on top of it. One thought I had was that the cord goes to a baby monitor??? If anyone knows (which you all most likely do :-) could you please unveil the mystery of the pack n play apparatus?
heather

[rebecca]

Many Pack N Plays have a vibrating feature. The batteries power the vibrations. There must be a switch somewhere to turn it on. Didn't yours come with instructions? Which model do you have?

[gransma jan]

I have a problem. My grandchild is coming
for Easter and all I have is an old playpen.
I have some soft sheets but how do I secure
them for a bed and still be safe,so that she
won't get tangled -up in them? Please help me.

[buy viagra]

Wow!!! Thanks for all this great advice, both about sleeping and rental arrangements. Now even my husband is an Ask Moxie convert :-) I like the idea of putting the crib mattress on the floor next to our futon--esp. if we're unable to find a suitable used crib.

[KC at Best Cribs]

Yes, it is not adviseable for a long time sleep. Your kids will not be going to say what he felt. There are many options other that to have pack 'n play.

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