Works for Me Wednesday

Another edition of Works for Me Wednesday. I think I would put this in the highly coveted position of "The One Baby Thing I Can't Live Without". yes. I know, it's that good. It's hard to put anything over a bouncy chair or a pacifier but this is just that close....and that good.

The KidCo PeaPod. This device is a portable bed for your child. What, you say? You have a travel bed? You have a pack n' play? oh no, this is a thousand times better than a pack n' play (IMHO)! A pack n'play is great while your child is young and un-observant, but I'm sure we've all hauled that pack n' play to someone's house for an afternoon or a dinner or something and put it in an unfamiliar room only to have your child scream or worse yet, stare at all the new, fun, things to look at for the entire nap/bedtime.

The peapod is wonderful because it is it's own portable environment, it is SUPER-small and light (and therefore easy to carry), and if you train your child to sleep in it they can nap and sleep there for years! We have a pack n' play that I love and wouldn't trade for the world, as a matter of fact it might be our next crib for a while, but the peapod is just on another level.



We don't hesitate to accept dinner invitations or stay out late, at all, because we can just grab the pod (which is lighter than the diaper bag) throw it in the car and go. In the bag with the pod I keep the same blanket and stuffed animal for Joey and he sleeps in it so frequently (at least 3 times a week between my work and time with our friends) that he knows exactly what to do. Now he'll even crawl in himself and lay down. We throw his noise machine in with the bag (which is also really small) and he can sleep anywhere!

Joey will nap in this until he is old enough to obey and stay in a bed for an evening or a naptime and then his little brother will move into it. To help him learn to sleep in it, we used it in his bedroom (when he was about 7 months and we got one) for every nap and for all his nighttime sleep for about a week. Then it was a cinch! We purchased the largest one intending to use it until he wasn't napping anymore, but I imagine by 2 1/2 or so we'll just tell him to stay in whatever bed it is and that will be fine. We'll use this for all of our kids. I can't think of an better tool, especially if sleep or napping is an important part of your routine.

It wouldn't be fair to praise praise praise without some disadvantages, so I'll give those to be fair. Ours, (at least being the largest) takes up about 4 feet of floor space in length and a little more than 2 in width. It's not small. (But Joey can move around in it while he's sleeping just like his crib, or the bottom of a pnp. It's nice for him not to be trapped in a small space). Even though it takes up a good bit of floor space on our last trip we still managed to put it in a closet with his noise machine and shut the door. Everyone slept alot better that way!
Another disadvantage, (again with ours I think because it is tall) is that Joey can stand up in it. He's a fast learner and doesn't anymore but he did flip it once before he learned that. He spent an uncomfortable few minutes sitting on the (uncushioned) top half with the bottom over his head. Not dangerous, just inconvenient), although I wouldn't place it at the top of the stairs for your older child. So aside from the fact that it takes up alot of floor space and they can possibly stand and flip it, this is my favorite baby/child tool.

I hope that's helpful to you all. If you want to read another post about it check out Elisa's post from almost 2 years ago!! This is where I heard about the pod... I also found this review, while I was looking for a good picture.

I can't say enough how much I love it, and for flying, it fits in our checked bags! (an important issue what with the luggage regulations now).

If you have one of these (and love it) give me an "Amen" here! (If you don't love it, keep your crazy thoughts to yourself! ;-)