Author Topic: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times  (Read 1935 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

tstasko

  • Guest
playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« on: May 19, 2006, 18:58:39 pm »
hi, i was wondering what other mom's do -
do you let your los play in their crib?  like just hang out and watch the mobile when it's not sleep time?  i used to do that when dd was a younger, but haven't for a long time.  today when i got her from her afternoon nap i changed her diaper and went to get some new socks for her - put on her mobile and ran downstairs - well i'm sitting here listening to her babble and coo and blow rasberries and have a great time!  i just wonder if crib should be for bed - not fun so that she when it's time for bed/naps she wants to sleep there...not play - KWIM? 
thoughts??
-tari

tstasko

  • Guest
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2006, 19:01:09 pm »
...oh, and i'm talking about for 15 min. or so, not hours.... ;D

Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2006, 19:07:34 pm »
Tari,
I would let her play!  When dd1 was little we started 'crib time'.  I used it when I needed to get something done and having her at my feet didn't help.  We had special toys and music that only came out for that time.  I can't wait to start with dd2.  I would do it every day, for small chunks of time.  If anything, it lets you throw a load of laundry in (or sneak a peek here  :P)
~Rachel


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months


tstasko

  • Guest
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2006, 20:05:44 pm »
Thanks Rachel - just what I was hoping to hear ;)  She had such fun (at least what from the giggles i heard  on the monitor ;D- and I took her out after the mobile went off (about 15 min)...she loved it, and yes, that does free up some time...(of course the first thing i did was jump on here to see what the BWs thought  ;) )
thanks for the feedback!  also - good idea about toys just for crib playtime - i had her lovey in there w/her, but i will take it out next time so that it is just for sleep, but other toys for play..thanks!!

Offline Erin M

  • The Sentinel
  • Global Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 521
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 16463
  • Location: USA - the midwest...
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2006, 00:54:46 am »
Tari-
I totally agree with Rachel - now that DD is completely mobile, it's nice that I have a "safe" place to put her if I need to for 10-15 minutes.  She can sit there and play with her toys and know that I'm not far off.  I tend to put her there now to sneak a quick shower every now and then.  I also leave her lovey in there with her, but my DD is at the age where wants her bunny to be everywhere.

tstasko

  • Guest
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2006, 00:12:57 am »
Thanks Erin!
yes - i can see how it will be very nice when dd is mobile - she's just rolling around and scooting everywhere now and it felt very "safe" having her hang out there for a little bit while i ran around the house....LOVE it  ;D  it;s hysterical because i just hear her rolling around and having a party up there lol......
i just wanted to make sure she didn't start to think...hmmmm....this is where the party is - forget about sleep...(because we all know how precious that is!!)
thanks again!
tari

Offline Marisa's Mom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 19
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 536
  • Location: Northern California
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2006, 02:20:54 am »
I've put DD in her crib, after diaper changes, and let her entertain herself while I went to wash my hands, use the bathroom, and tend to stuff (laundry, wash dishes, whatever) before I go back to pick her up. This is usually 5 to 15 minutes, and also depends on her mood, whether she cries about being left in the crib. Right now she has a Fisher Price Flutterbye soother / crib toy she likes to play with, and we have some other soft toys in there so she can amuse herself for a few minutes. She loves pulling off the crib railing guards. I don't think playing in the crib for 10 minutes at a time causes any confusion about the crib being a sleeping place. She is sleeping fine.

Marie


Offline Kimberly®

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 126
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 4288
  • Location: North Bay, Ontario Canada
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2006, 02:21:48 am »
I let my LO play for up to half an hour in the AM if she happens to wake early, although in truth it may be longer, as she doesn't really make a lot of noise untill about 6:30 or so. As long as she is happy and contented I just take my time going to her, I get myself up and ready and I can usually get her brakefast ready before getting her up, saving some time in the AM. At night if she plays when I put her down for the night I usually leave her be unless she starts to cry. She usually falls asleep when she's ready. She likes to use this time as crawling practice  :P
During the day however I don't usually let her play there, I use her playpen if I need to do something or just play on the floor with her. Daytime crib use is only for naps :)

Edited to add; if you use your crib for 15-20 minutes of play it doesn't seem as scarry a place to LO's  ;) therefore it will hopefully make sleep time easier since they aren't scared.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2006, 02:23:52 am by Karita »
Kimberly

Offline Marisa's Mom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 19
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 536
  • Location: Northern California
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2006, 05:41:34 am »
We do the same thing in the AM & at bedtime. Most of the time DD will wake up and self-entertain and/or do cute babble for a while. She'll turn on her Flutterbye soother. So when we hear her babble or when we hear the music from the soother, we know she's awake and happy for the moment. It's like a "snooze" button on the alarm, lets us slowly wake up and get to her. DH usually does the morning shift, so it gives him time to brush, get dressed, & get breakfast ready before picking up DD. It's such a nice way to ease into waking up in the morning, not like the immediate cries to be picked up in the early days.

I don't think DD is actually playing in the crib after we put her down at bedtime, but she sometimes turns on the soother and/or babbles to try to work out falling asleep on her own. Like you, we just let her be unless she's having issues and crying.

After all the difficulties getting her to sleep in the early months, it still feels weird today when we put her down in her crib at bedtime, and she just stares at us calmly while we walk away.

Marie


Offline *Nicola*

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 429
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 14117
  • Location: UK
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2006, 08:08:12 am »
In the earlier days we used to let Ciara 'play' in her cot when she woke up for as long as she wanted.  Allowed us to lie in/finish lunch/hoover/watch dvd etc etc!!  I also used to put her into her cot to 'play' during the day.  This never interferred with her day or night time sleep.  We did have a routine for napping and sleeping so this maybe helped make the distinction.

Enjoy the rest while you can  ;)
Mummy to 2 beautiful kiddies. 

A baby is born from the dreams of your heart, and becomes the love of your life.



Offline EmMUK74

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 21
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 985
  • Reading, UK
  • Location: Reading, England, UK
    • Photos of Rachel Zoe
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2006, 18:21:10 pm »
I totally agree, she plays if she wakes early, she goes in the cot when I am trying to get things done and it's safe for her and more than that I use it to help encourage her to crawl because it's the only place she is happy enough to do it the conventional way  :P
Lilypie 3rd Birthday Pic" width="60" height="80" border="0<img src="http://b3.lilypie.com/rW8Pp1.png" alt="Lilypie 3rd Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

tstasko

  • Guest
Re: playing in crib? or just keep for sleep times
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2006, 22:07:27 pm »
thanks for everyone's input!  glad i got this info - sounds like it's going to be a nice break once dd gets very mobile! ;D