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 101: We knew we wanted a Pack N Play to have a mobile place for Baby to sleep. We also wanted to be able to have him sleep in our room, but didn’t necessarily want a separate bassinet. So, we decided to use the PnP as the bassinet – a great, cost-saving solution. We opted for the Graco Pack N Play with Newborn Napper Station. The idea of having a changing table in the room seemed so convenient, as did a vibrating newborn nest built right in.

Cost: $50-$200 ($159 for this one) | Availability: BRU | Link: Click Here

Pros: Using the top bassinet portion has been fantastic for us. Baby goes to sleep in his crib and then after his first feeding, spends the rest of the night in his PnP. It folds up nicely, was pretty easy to assemble, and has held up well. I’m glad it’s something we will use for at least a year or two. We’ll be taking it with us on a few upcoming trips – it will be handy as a crib for him, as well as a familiar place from home to add extra comfort.

Cons: We have not used the changing table once! It slopes to the side (a common complaint) and frankly, the nursery was so close it was never necessary. We also never used the napper. There are no straps to keep Baby in it, which even though they are pretty calm at that age still made me nervous, especially for long stretches at night. Also, while pediatricians recommend a flat, firm(ish) surface for babies to sleep on for proper spine development, this was cloth and hammock-like. Once we thought it through, we didn’t like the idea of Baby sleeping on a non-supportive surface. Also, the bassinet portion only goes up to 15lbs, which means Baby has just about outgrown it (yet is still waking up a couple times a night). Finally, now that he’s so “heavy,” his movements cause the hanging bassinet to sway a little bit when he moves around. I’ve put two rolled-up blankets on the side to muffle it.

Final Word: I would highly recommend a Pack N Play but only the most basic one. Costco was selling one for about $50 and it came with a crib sheet. My parents bought that one and it works just great (it’s this one). The extra dodads just aren’t worth it. I would purchase a ‘mattress’ pad and a couple of sheets to go along with the PnP.

101: We’d heard about all the benefits of swaddling new babies but had a bit of a tough time finding the right blankets to do so. Most of the receiving blankets at BRU were too small. But, friends of ours recommended aden & anais blankets, which seemed to only be sold via Amazon and were $50 or so. We made due with what we had, which worked fine for a newborn but were starting to get a wee bit small as he got bigger. Then one day, I was at Target and noticed that they carried aden & anais for Target and I had to have them.

Cost: $34.95 | Availability: Target | Link: Click here

Pros: The blankets are made of muslin – soft, breathable, easy to wash and large. Each blanket is 44″ a side, with a bit of stretch. They were the right weight for a summer baby, and we could layer a warmer blanket underneath if needed. They can also be used as a stroller/carrier cover, a nursing cover (since they are so breathable), burp cloth, etc.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Final Word: Definitely make a 4 pack of these part of your baby registry (and buy them yourself if no one get’s them for you!)

A note on swaddling: So there are a couple of different ways to swaddle. There is this way, which we didn’t find that great for a newborn because he would kick his feet free. Then there is the way they did it at the hospital… and I can’t find a how-to online. I’ll post it when I do.