Pack n play crib - do you provide sheets, extra mattress?

[Susan1188]

Hello all, 

Do you provide an additional mattress for your pack-n-play bed?  Or do you use just the mat that is provided to wrap the travel bed in?

Do you provide sheets?

I do not want to provide either, for hygiene reasons and for safety/liability reasons. 

I want guest to bring own sheets for the baby.  And I never even thought about providing an extra cushion.  Until today a guest was surprised that our pack and play bed was provided without an additional softer crib mattress.

Is a guest justified for getting furious,  because I did not have an extra cushion on hand?  He demanded I deliver one immediately. 

I'm a Mom of 2 grown kids and I remember it was not recommended as safe to add soft mattresses for babies to sleep on?

And when travelling, my kids always slept on the travel bed mat which is indeed quite hard but this never bothered them or any of my other guests.

What do you think?

[Alexandra199]

I stopped providing a travel cot (pack and play) when covid started. Its made of fabric and get dribbled on by every child, its impossible to clean it without sending it for specialist cleaning. 

In the past though I only provided the crib as it came, ie with  the base/mattress being the part that wraps around the pack. I then make is very clear that parents need to bring their own mattress and bedding. I would not want to provide bedding that has been washed in different powder or is a different make up to their normal products in case it harmed the baby in some way. I personally just wouldn't want that responsibility.

[Susan1188]

Absolutely agree, it's just too difficult and my experience with new parents has been conclusive:  nothing is good enough or you have to provide a brand new equipment to each guest.

[Tanya865]

You should not encourage parents to bring their own mattress. The only mattress that's safe to use w/ any playard is the one that comes new w/ it, which is the one you have on yoir property.

[Joan2709]

@Tanya865 

Agree. Recently had a Host I'm working with decide NOT to add any sheets or addl mattress for the travel crib due to liability related to reports of suffocation of infants:

https://www.cnet.com/health/sleep/more-pack-and-play-mattresses-recalled-over-suffocation-risk-heres...

“A "pack n play" can pose a suffocation risk to a baby if the mattress used inside it does not meet safety standards, is too thick or soft, or if there are loose items within the playpen that could obstruct a baby's airway, potentially causing suffocation; this is why it's crucial to always use a firm, flat mattress designed specifically for a pack n play and to never leave a baby unattended with loose items inside the playpen. 

Key points about pack n play suffocation risks:”

[Inna22]

I do not provide any kits beds/pack and plays for liability reasons. Too many recalls to keep track off

[Brenda328]

I provided pack-n-plays in most of my properties several years ago but have pretty much given up as guests appear to be incapable of folding them back up and break the frames when they force them to fold without disengaging the locking joint mechanisms.  I would find the pack-n-play in a twisted heap in the corner of a closet.  Actually scary that these same people are responsible for the safety and well-being of infants.

[Tanya865]

Please do not offer an additional mattress. The only safe mattress to use w/ a playard is the one that comes w/ it new. It's not safe to use any other mattress w/ a playard, even if it's firm.