https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 30 May 2026 21:42:23 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667758 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:42:42 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2667758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a travel crib and have never missed the pnp.<br /> The grandparents have them for when we visit and they are so bulky and non of the kids will sleep in them. The Baby Bjorn on the other hand puts them all to sleep. Comfy and packs up small. Win win </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667748 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:31:53 +0000 Alba4 2667748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh. We only used it a few times with DS1, but we hardly traveled. We used it with DS2 during the newborn phase when he was sleeping in our room. I imagine we'll use it when we travel again this summer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667739 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:18:46 +0000 Boogs 2667739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us a regular one was a waste, but the bjorn travel crib got so much use. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667712 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 20:36:48 +0000 azjax 2667712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got a travel crib instead of a pack n play or a bassinet. It was super handy for keeping baby next to the bed and for travel, because it was compact and very easy to pack up. We moved him out of it around 8 months or so because he would rock back and forth in it, making the whole thing scoot across the room.<br /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Travel-Lite-Stages-Manor/dp/B00HAZUJLI" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Travel-Lite-Stages-Manor/dp/B00HAZUJLI</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667685 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 19:31:09 +0000 MrsADS 2667685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've used it occasionally for travel - nice to have, I suppose, but just depends on how you use it. My LO sleeps terribly in it. Looking forward to a week of that starting Friday... hooray... (eyeroll) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667683 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 19:23:27 +0000 Mrs. Microscope 2667683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never got a crib! DD sleeps in the pnp. At home we have a mattress furniture, and travel she still sleeps great, because it's her bed. We have a graco. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667666 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:44:00 +0000 littlecasita1122 2667666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister has worked at many different hotels and was manager of the housekeeping dept at one...she recommends bringing your own pack n play. The hotel ones never get cleaned or even wiped down, and it's also not a guarantee they'll have one always available. You can buy a Graco one on Amazon for $60 without all the bulky attachments. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667664 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:33:56 +0000 Mrsbells 2667664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone!<br /> Yes we have been provided with a crib by hotels before but to be honest The crib they gave us once was a bit grimey looking so I didnt let DD sleep in it.<br /> I am looking at options online now, its amazing how many different types there are even within just the graco brand! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667638 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:21:15 +0000 snowjewelz 2667638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never had to buy one, but it was worth having for us. It was mostly used to corral DD when I was getting ready in the morning when she was willing to be contained in it! Then it went to daycare since we had to BYOB. With #2, I feel like I'd use it even more b/c I probably can't focus my 100% attention on her at all times. So for me, less for sleeping and more for general day time use. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667637 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:20:27 +0000 Shantuck 2667637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We found that we didn't really need a travel crib for travel since most nice hotels can provide you with a crib. We were fortunate, though, since both sets of grandparents have mini cribs we can use while visiting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667636 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:17:11 +0000 Mrsbells 2667636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all so much. I'll look at all the options you suggested. I'm already leaning towards something more lightweight and travel friendly </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667623 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:01:58 +0000 Freckles 2667623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't use one in our house, but we bought one to use at my parents'/ILs' houses when we go back home to visit. We just bought a basic Graco one that is just a pain to lug around on the plane. Hotels typically have a crib/pnp and we will just rent one if we are renting a house on vacation. I find that there is so much crap you have to bring already with two kids that an extra item to bring to the airport isn't worth it.</p> <p>There are lighter ones (but more pricey) that have gotten good reviews (Phil &amp; Teds for example) and i would only get it if i knew it would get a lot of use. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667572 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:30:35 +0000 looch 2667572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a very basic one, it didn't have all the attachments and when I folded it up, it fit inside my suitcase (checked, of course).</p> <p>I think we spent $50 on it, we got it at Costco, I believe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667570 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:28:34 +0000 SweetiePie 2667570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pack n plays are so huge I would never ever want to travel with one (on a flight).<br /> If you are mostly looking for travel and the occasional baby holder when LO becomes mobile, I highly recommend the Lotus Travel Crib. It's basically a super light weight PNP that folds very small. Easy to set up and take down. Once we got that the PNP was rendered useless. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667558 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:13:03 +0000 Smurfette 2667558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For travel yes. She slept in till 2 when traveling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667555 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:11:22 +0000 edelweiss 2667555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>it's nice for travel except that it's heavy and cumbersome. i wouldn't take it on a plane (i know others do, i guess i am a wimp) and it takes up a good chunk of trunk space. for travel and trips to the grandparents, i've been liking the kidco peapod (we got it after LO2 turned 1). </p> <p>LO2 actually uses a regular pack n play as his crib, but assuming you don't need a crib... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667554 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:11:16 +0000 brownepiano 2667554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is a crib worth it? We honestly only use a packnplay and we are on to kid 2 with it. My kids never have a problem sleeping in a 'new' bed when we travel. We often don't bring it with us when we travel because others have them, but we have ours when people come to see us. When we have visitors we can also easily rearrange rooms. My first took a really long time to learn how to climb out of one (and he's a climber). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667542 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:04:18 +0000 ValentineMommy 2667542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have two - one upstairs and one downstairs. We never used them for sleep, other than infrequent travel, but they've been invaluable for a safe place to put down our adventurous toddler. We've used it even more with our second son than we did with our first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667530 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:46:18 +0000 kiddosc 2667530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely necessary for travel. Neither of our kids coslept, they think it's playtime when they're in our bed. When we're not travelling, we keep it set up in the playroom as a baby container. A is almost 10 months old and sometimes she just needs a place to sit and play for a bit where we don't have to worry about her getting into big brother's choking hazard toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667528 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:45:57 +0000 Foodnerd81 2667528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's been worth it to us! We have a basic graco one and while it's a little annoying to set up (compared to the fancier ones like baby bjorn or lotus or whatever) but we use it whenever we travel by car. You can get a basic one on Amazon for $40, so it was actually cheaper to have a new one shipped to our vacation rental house than to fly with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667523 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:37:27 +0000 littlebug 2667523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, we could not have survived without it. Ok, we could have SURVIVED but it wouldn't have been easy. But we do a lot of overnights and we needed it for that. I think getting one so that you're not trapped in your own home would be worth it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667521 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:35:38 +0000 Ms. RV 2667521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have two. A Graco travel lite crib and a standard run of the mill Graco. We have the standard one set up all the time in our family room, and it is where DD naps on the weekends. She naps in one at daycare, so she naps really well in it. She actually sleeps really well at night in it too, when we travel or if for some reason we need to sleep on the first floor. I can't imagine not having one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667520 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:35:25 +0000 ShootingStar 2667520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got a lot of use out of ours, but there are probably other baby containers that could serve the same purpose. DS hated the RNP so we ended up using the top of the PnP as a bassinet. Then when he got bigger I put him in there as a playpen while I got ready. </p> <p>We never brought ours on trips though. Everywhere we ended up going had them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667517 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:34:46 +0000 hellobeeboston 2667517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we use it for travel after outgrowing the Rock n Play </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667515 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:30:00 +0000 DesertDreams88 2667515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had two and used both often!<br /> One in our room for naps and night sleep, 3-6m.<br /> One in the living room to put him down in a safe place 0-8m, then it became toy storage for months 8-10.</p> <p>Now one is packed away and one is at the grandparents house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667512 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:24:21 +0000 YogiRunner 2667512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely for travel. We also use ours when visiting friends past LO's bedtime or naptimes or if he gets babysat at their house. Friends who come here do the same. I didn't register for one but was gifted ours by my aunt who knew better :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667510 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:22:29 +0000 skipra 2667510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think ours is one of our most used baby items but I don't think it's necessary for everyone. We travel to family (not hotels) often and it has been invaluable for that alone. Ours has one with a napper that flips over to a changing pad. My oldest slept in the napper as a tiny baby and my second and third use the napper in the daytime quite a bit. And for #2 and 3 we exclusively changed diapers on our first floor on it. With our oldest we were in a one level condo otherwise we probably would have used it for that too. The other time it has been super useful was when LO2 went through a phase where he would wake MOTN and refuse to go back to sleep. We were able to put it in our lower level and put him in it so he wouldn't wake LO1. I think it is great to have once your LO outgrows the RnP but if you didn't need it with your first you might not need it now. And fwiw, ours is super easy to pack up and travel with but not the napper/changing pad attachment or bassinet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667509 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:22:19 +0000 Littlebit7 2667509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i wouldn't get a pack n play if you want to travel with it (airline travel).. they are heavy and cumbersome. I'd look at a guava lotus, baby bjorn crib, etc. I LOVE our bjorn travel lite crib. But if I were doing it again I'd buy second hand, they are so lightly used and expensive new. I've also used several pack n plays. Love our bjorn so much more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667505 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:20:12 +0000 Adira 2667505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was definitely worth it for us for travel purposes. My oldest didn't sleep great in it, but he would've slept worse without it. And my youngest sleeps in it just fine. It's easy to pack up and assemble, so it's gotten a lot of use in our family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-a-pack-n-play-worth-it#post-2667501 Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:16:49 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2667501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So worth it for travel and use in our house. We also use it for visits to friend's houses and most of them have babies now and their own we can borrow, but it's useful for if they don't or if it's being used by another baby. We got a standard fairly cheap graco one and when folded up they really don't take up that much space. </p>