I feel Playpen is useful only at an earlier stage. It can be doubled up as their cot as well as to put them in while we cook etc. my children outgrew it when they were 16 months. They started to climb out which was v dangerous. As for crib or cot, do consider those which can transform into a toddler bed even after baby outgrew. I bought my playpen fr Puku n cot fr IKEA. There are many baby fairs around and u shld get a good bargain at the fairs.
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