baby stuff: graco pack and play in laguna bay

as a first time mommy, i didn't realize the abundance of things that a baby could possibly need (or not need). we live in a one bedroom co-op on the outer boroughs so space is a big issue for us. i decided very early on that we would not be getting a crib and that baby would actually be sleeping in a pack and play, also known as playards.

what's a pack and play? it's really just a portable crib. i remember when my brother was young he had one of these and it worked as his full-time crib as well as his daytime play area for when my mom wasn't able to watch him at all times. they are portable, foldable and smaller than a crib. with that said, it's not a perfect product; most have weight limits and depending on the one you pick, may not fully support the baby even under that weight limit.

the one on the right is the pack and play i ended up selecting - graco pack and play in laguna bay with infant napper and changing station. when picking pack and plays, there are many "additions" to choose from and it's not just the color of the pack and play. some come with nappers, others with mobiles and yet others come with full service organizing stations. i did a lot of research and felt that the newborn napper would be the most useful for us and thought that the laguna bay collection was a design that was neutral and pleasing to the eye.

we (or rather, k) spent about an hour or so setting up the pack and play the other day. and although it came with instructions, it's not super user friendly. it felt like ikea instructions, as in, there were a bunch of pictures that didn't always make sense.

in reading some of the reviews on the pack and plays, most parents noted that the mattresses were flimsy and not suitable for long-term sleeping arrangements, so i did some google searches and we also registered for the mamadoo mattress topper, which adds a few inches of firm support to the pack and play. it looks and feels great and i'm sure baby l will enjoy it, or at the very least, i'll feel better that he's sleeping on something with a lot more support.

up next, graco snugride 35 in laguna bay.