Can babies sleep in a baby playpen instead of a crib? Yes, but it depends on the type of baby playpen. If the baby playpen has a mattress, your baby can usually sleep in it, if it doesn't, it usually means it's not for sleeping. Some manufacturers will tell you if the baby playpen can be used for sleeping.
Things to check if the baby playpen is suitable for sleeping：
If you want your baby to sleep in a baby playpen, here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a baby playpen.
1. Mattresses Matter.
The mattress must cover all sides securely and leave no gaps, any gaps can cause your baby to fall into it, which can be very dangerous. Even if the gap isn't big enough for your baby to fall in, it's dangerous if the gap is big enough for your baby's face to fall in.
Babies can't turn themselves much, so if their faces get trapped in the crevices, they could choke. Try to press on both sides, if it expands and creates a gap when you press, then this is a big problem because if your baby falls to one side, his weight may create a gap.
2. The baby playpen must be strong.
Sturdiness is important because when your baby becomes a toddler he starts bouncing around the baby playpen and you don't want the baby playpen when your child hits, leans on or sometimes hits the baby playpen tip over. If it falls over, it could seriously injure your child.
3.Baby playpen with mesh
If your baby playpen has mesh sides, make sure the holes are not too large, at most 1/4". We don't want them to stick their fingers in and get trapped. We never want our babies to be trapped because when they are trapped they can't turn around if they need to breathe. The CPSC also warned that mesh sides have caught buttons on children's clothing and caused strangulation.
4. Cradle in baby playpen
Some baby playpens come with cradles, and ours has them too. Be warned though; these bassinets cannot hold as much weight compared to the baby playpen itself. Check the manual, but generally, the bassinet can only hold about 15 pounds (about 7 kilograms). Another sign to stop using the bassinet is that your baby can sit up.
It might be a good idea to stop using it when he shows signs of sitting up, as babies often surprise us with their growth and development. Your baby could one day climb over the fence without your knowledge.
Depending on the height of the bassinet, it can become dangerous if your baby tips over and falls out of the bassinet, so stop using it if there are any signs that this may happen. Make sure the bassinet is securely attached to the playpen using all available straps. Some playpens use zippers, make sure to zip them all up.
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