Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The crib's size is a hit with moms it's larger than the Moses basket but smaller than a crib bed. It can fold down to a third of its original size, and can fit into a compact travel bag, making it ideal for travel.
Just remember that the crib should only be used for sleeping. Toys, pillows and blankets are a suffocation hazard.
Safety
When you are looking for a crib for travel, you'll want to make sure that the manufacturer is compliant with all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) website is an excellent place to start. It will tell you whether a crib that is portable has ever been recalled. Select a mattress that is suitable for the crib of your baby so it doesn't slide through the gaps or create the risk of suffocation.
When you are choosing a crib or bassinet choose one that conforms to the latest safety standards that were revised in 2022. Avoid cribs that are older or that have been modified for travel, or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs haven't been tested, and may cause danger to your baby's safety.
A travel crib needs to be well-constructed and sturdy. Examine for loose, missing or broken screws and other hardware. If you're using a playard, it should have secure walls and mesh windows to ensure proper air circulation. The slats of the crib should not be more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart, to keep baby's head and limbs from becoming trapped. Never put toys, blankets or stuffed animals in the crib. These objects can choke or strangle your baby and should be removed from the crib as soon as your child is able to push up on their hands and knees or prior to five months of age, whichever comes first.
It's also important to look often for loose or broken hardware and screws, particularly when traveling with your child. Make sure you take out all crib furniture prior to use, too.
If you're using a portable crib, be sure it is not located close to the window. best bedside cots can be an injury from falling and your baby could get hurt when they fall into it. Even if your baby is old enough to be able to roll over, it's best to keep their sleeping area away from windows. If your baby starts to roll over while sleeping it's best to awake them to prevent injury.
Portability
Portable cribs (or playards which is what they're sometimes referred to as) are a great choice for anyone going on vacation, having family members over, or just needing a safe crib for use during a sleepover or with friends. These playards fold up easily to assemble and compact when closed, and come with an incredibly comfortable mattress that can support newborns up to 15kg.
MFM home testers appreciate the BabyBjorn travel crib because it's simple to fold and put away. Its simple drop-down panels that are one-handed are also easy to use for parents who are tired. It's not our tiniest pack-and-play play, but at just 15 pounds, it's a good weight. It also comes with normal handles instead of a backpack style strap, which some parents prefer to use.
The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another excellent alternative. It includes a bassinet for the bed and a crib into one compact unit. It is ideal for long-term stays and holidays with friends and family. It's not the least expensive however it comes with a wealth of features that are all-dancing and all-singing like a storage basket as well as calming colour-changing lights for the night, lullabies and white noise to aid your baby to fall asleep and its bassinet sits up higher than most to make it easier to access in the early hours when mum is still recovering.
The fabric is machine washable and wipeable, making it easy to clean. It's also quite light at less than 12kg and fits nicely into the small, handy travel case that comes with it. It comes with six different height settings, as well as the ability to tilt the tummy for reflux/colic babies. It's able to fit any size bed. It's also incredibly quick to set up and our MFM tester having it ready in just 10 minutes. It'll require a separate mattress.
Feeding
It is essential that your child is safe and comfortable when you travel, whether on pleasure or business. It is better to buy a crib or bassinet designed for travel instead of using one you already own. They are smaller and have mesh sides, which allows parents to check on their baby without disturbing them. They're also light for easy transportation between destinations. They also meet all safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven't been recalled.
If you must use a bedside crib it is recommended that your infant be placed on their back and that the sleeping surface be free of any blankets, pillows and stuffed animals. Co-sleeping can increase the chance of SIDS. If you must co-sleep on occasion, ensure that you only do this when your baby is asleep, and that you are at all times dressed and awake.
The kinds of cribs that are available for infants and young children include:
Some are designed as a mini-crib or Moses basket while others have sides that can be put into parents' bed. This allows parents to reach their infant during the middle of the night to comfort and feed their child, and avoid the dangers of co-sleeping. The AAP warns against this because of the danger of suffocation. Examples include the Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet, which is a bedside sleeper that connects to the mattress for a parent. amazon bedside cot is a good option for older children, since the sides can be elevated so that you can reach the infant without having to lift them out of bed. The travel cot that has a built-in crib that can be removed enables you to lift a sleeping baby up for feeding or other care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs let you sleep peacefully with your baby. They are placed near your bed during the night so that you can reach over easily for feedings at night and observe them without disrupting their sleep. Some cribs have a drop-side that you can lower for this purpose, whereas others have a height adjustment to ensure they can be placed in your bed at home and when you go away.
Previously, it was recommended that infants have their own bedrooms. However parents are increasingly opting to sleep with their children. Also known as rooming-in, this arrangement allows babies to be close to their parents yet remain safe and separate from their own bassinet or crib. There are several types of co-sleepers available such as the iCrib that is designed to be an easy-to-move crib that can be placed on the top of your bed, or a regular crib. It has a light frame and a mattress that can be removed and it folds up for easy storage. The Joie Roomie Go crib is another alternative. It attaches to the bed edge and comes with 7 height positions, as well as a tummy tilt to ease colic and reflux. The crib was highly praised by our MFM home testers for its convenience and compact folding, and it's also available in a variety of colours.
There are also freestanding cribs for bedside use, such as our Lilly and Alain cribs, that can be placed alongside an existing bed frame. The cribs feature a side barrier that can slide down to allow you to grab your child for feedings at night. However, the cribs are self-contained so your baby can continue sleeping peacefully. These models also meet the new BS EN 1130:2019 safety requirements which stipulate that a 120mm high barrier must be installed between your mattress and your child's cot.
There are also cribs designed for travel and are designed to be used on the road. These are usually smaller and more compact than standard cribs, which makes it easier to transport them into and out of hotels and vehicles. Munchkin Brica, for example can be put together in less than one minute and folded down in three pounds. bedside cots is therefore easy to move and lift.
