We are currently looking for a short term solution for living in a small apartment. The baby will be sleeping in either a bassinet or a rock 'n play for hopefully no longer than about 3 months. Which do you think is a better investment? We are only planning on getting one, again, small apartment. Could you explain your reasoning please?
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From what I understand, the RNP is not actually meant for sleeping even though a lot of people use it that way, so I would personally feel better getting a bassinet in your situation.
ETA: I agree with the posters below who have suggested the PNP with a bassinet attachment. We actually use this on our first floor as a place to nap and do diaper changes with our DD2, and took it on the road all the time for DD1.
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This is what we are currently using, and it's great!
The bassinet part is removable, so I can set it in the living room, next to my bed, or even in the bathroom while I shower and she naps! And it's a true bassinet; it's a flat sleeping space unlike any of the Grace products.
The rest of it is just like a packnplay. We use the changing station all the time; will use the high level of the bottom once she outgrows the bassinet, and then we have a travel crib or playpen for when she's older. We haven't bought a crib yet, abd don't plan on it for several months.I hope this helps!!
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My boys outgrew their RNP before 3 months but could fit the bassinet at 3 months. You can buy and sell both used really cheaply however. If your baby likes to be held or has reflux the RNP works well. If you decide on a bassinet i would go ahead and get a PNP with a newborn attachment since it's a flat surface too with the same weight limits but can be used much longer without the newborn attachment.
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We basically have this model for our boys and it's very inexpensive. My youngest is 9 months and still sleeps in the pack n play (with the Dream on Me playard mattress). You can use the bassinet level as a newborn and also it was handy to change there there too.
Graco Pack N Play Playard with Automatic Folding Feet, Azalea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PTL3TSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.WMKybY2904V5
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I feel better about my LO sleeping in something approved for sleep so we used a bassinet. Agree that the Pack N Play one might be a good solution for you.
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Both my babies slept so much better in the rock and play and it was so easy to move from room to room. I intended to have them sleep on a flat surface but they disagreed.
Does your stroller have a bassinet attachment? I tried having my second baby sleep in the UB vista bassinet but didn't work. It's so hard to know which your baby will prefer.
Fwiw our pediatrician's were fine with them sleeping in the rock and play (we saw a different primary one for each).
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Yes my ped was fine with the RNP when they were itty bitty because they both had reflux and they wake so much that the stretches aren't like they're going 12 hours in it.
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Neither of mine slept in the bassinet though we tried many times! Rock n play was all either would sleep in.
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I also have a small apt and have never had an rnp. W lo1 she was in a bassinet (the uppababy stroller attachment) for a month and then her crib. This time we live in an apt w a bigger bedroom so got a "real" bassinet to try to have her in w us longer.
I don't know what an rnp would be like since we've never had one, but w a bassinet we never had to deal w her not transitioning from a slanted position to the flat crib. She just always wanted to sleep on me/nursing pillow lol...
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Bassinet because it was a free hand me down from the family I was nannying for at the time.
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I know they are not supposed to sleep in the RnP, but both of mine did and did really well in it until about 5 months old! They totally grew out of it then went to the crib. No flat head but I know that can be an issue with the RnP, but it also can be with the crib too.
It's so small and lightweight and easy to travel with. If they have reflux it's great to keep them slightly elevated!
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I'm Canadian and we don't have the rock and play but from what I've read/heard about it I would suggest the bassinet, because they're not supposed to be used for sleeping (although I know a lot of people do, and no judgement because I slept with my baby in a recliner for the first six weeks, you do what you have to do) and it sounds like it can be really difficult to transition them out of it to a flat surface bed.
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Okay, for those of you who used a RnP, was it a very difficult transition from the RnP to the crib?
We currently have a 1.5 year old and she is still in a crib and the two will be sharing a room (that's why there is no room for another crib at the moment, hoping to be in a house by the time the new baby is 3 months).
I'm hoping that it isn't too hard of a transition. My plan is to try and use DD1's crib for naps when DD1 is not using the crib to hopefully get DD2 used to the flat surface. -
@schubr03: I was super worried about transitioning from the rock n play to the crib, but it was really easy - we did it at around 2.5/3 mo (right before I went back to work - if it didn't work out, I didn't want to be up with a crying baby when I had to get to work the next day.) We just kept bedtime routine the same, and there was maaaybe a little extra fussing, but he was fully acclimated to sleeping on a flat surface within a day or two.
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@schubr03: I voted RnP because it was literally the only thing my LO would sleep in--- but with the caveat that I wish anything else had worked instead! Transitioning her out of it was a beast. Others have had better luck than me.
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I voted neither; I'd do a co-sleeper for four months and transition straight from that to the regular crib.
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We were very limited in space when little came home and used a Pack and Play with a changing table option. and it had storage for diapers. It was great she used it till she was 18 months of course we lowered the bottom when we needed .
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Mine never liked the rnp so I vote bassinet or anything with a flat surface. I also think pnp is more useful.
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Personally, I wouldn't use a RnP for sleep - as it's not meant for this purpose (yes, I understand many use it for this).
We had good luck with a pack n play.
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DS loved the rnp and he slept in it full time until he was 8 weeks old. We transferred him to the crib then and it was relatively easy. We did continue to use it intermittently until he was 5-6 months old. He had reflux and also seemed to have a constant cold from daycare and the incline made sleeping so much easier for him. He didn't have any trouble transitioning back and forth.
ETA: I kept the rnp by my side of the bed and switched Its direction every night so that he was alternating which way he had to turn his head to see me. So one night his head was by my head and the next night, his feet were by my head. We also didn't use any other baby holders. We didn't have any issues with head shape by doing it that way
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I wouldn't use a RnP for sleep unless your baby ends up with reflux. We didn't have one for our first two children; this time around we do and while she loves it, it became a way too frequent "baby container" for her, and while I can't say for sure if it's what is impacting her head shape and preference to look left (possible torticollis).....I'm now having to try to avoid using it, and wish we just hadn't started with it.
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Our LO slept in the rnp for ~3 mos, partly because of reflux/sinuses & our ped reassured us it was ok. We had no trouble transitioning her to the crib.
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My daughter slept in the rock n play for her first 3 months of life and was fine. My son, on the other hand, had torticollis from being a GIANT baby who got stuck in my pelvis starting at like 34 weeks and the rock n play seemed to make it worse. Our pediatrician said they sleep so well in the RNP because they get all nestled in. That can exacerbate torticollis because the baby keeps his or her head in one position for a long time, instead of naturally moving it back and forth in the night.
I think if your kid doesn't have torticollis, the RNP isn't going to cause it. But if he or she has a little bit of it, it can make it worse.
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LO loved the RnP and slept in it at night for 3 months (naps were in the swing usually). But this time we are going to do the Halo Bassinest. I think starting with a flat surface makes for an easier transition to the crib eventually - or I hope! I also love that it can be adjusted to bed height and the side bends down so you don't have to get out of bed at all. I still had to get in and out of bed with the RnP.
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Transition from RNP to crib wasn't a big deal for us. With my first she was such a bad sleeper that it just didn't get worse when we switched. The second was a better sleeper and adjusted fine.
Neither of them had a flat head or torticolis either. I think @My Only Sunshine: makes a good point that if there is already an issue it could make it worse, but if everything else is normal it shouldn't be an issue.
I also like that I could move the rnp so easily- like I could put it in the bathroom so I could put clothes away in the bedroom while she was sleeping. Small space living!
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RNP. My son had reflux and was much more comfortable sleeping on an angle. We had him in it for nights and naps (with some crib naps) until 7 weeks. We transitioned him to the crib without a single issue.
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@schubr03: it wasn't bad for either of mine. We started with naps in the crib first. Then transitioned nighttime sleep. Took maybe 3/4 days for my first. And my second just adjusted quickly after doing naps in the crib! They were older though and we're just starting to roll, which was why they had to get out of RnP, and could roll onto their bellies to sleep, which also helps I think.
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We used a rock n' play, and my son loved it! He slept through the night right off the bat. When we moved him into the crib, we added an incline wedge and took blankets and rolled them up and put them under his sheets to give him the snug feeling he got in the rock n' play.
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My first kid hated the RnP. My second tolerated it, but she didn't sleep well in it. Since it's not designed for sleeping anyway, I'd go with a bassinet or mini crib. You can always put a wedge to elevate one end if reflux is an issue.
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