Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
Moms love this crib's dimensions It's larger than the Moses basket but smaller than a cot bed. It folds down to a third of its original size and fits into a convenient travel bag, making it ideal for travel.
Keep in mind that the crib is intended for sleeping. Toys or blankets, pillows and pillows can make a child suffocate.
Safety
As you shop for a crib for travel you'll want to be sure the manufacturer meets all safety standards. The best place to start is the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website, which can inform you whether or not a certain portable crib has been recalled. You'll also want to choose a mattress that is the right size for the crib of your baby, so it doesn't slip into the gaps between the crib's sides or create a suffocation hazard.
When choosing the right bassinet or crib choose one that is in compliance with the latest safety standards, which were updated in 2022. Avoid older cribs and cribs designed 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 must be well-constructed and sturdy. Make sure there aren't any loose, missing or broken screws as well as other hardware. If you're using a playard, it should have sturdy walls and mesh windows to allow for adequate air flow. The crib's slats should not be more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart, to prevent baby's head or limbs from becoming trapped. Never put toys, blankets, or stuffed animals in the crib. These objects can strangle or suffocate your baby. They must be removed at the time they can stand up on their own or before the age of 5 months.
Check regularly for loose or broken screws and hardware. This is especially crucial when traveling with a baby. Remove all plastic from the crib too.
If you're using a portable crib, make sure that it's not right under the window. A window can be an injury from falling and your baby may be injured in the event that they crash into it. Even if your child is old enough to roll over, it's best to keep their sleeping area away from windows. It's important to wake up your baby when they begin to roll over while sleeping.
Portability
Portable cribs (or playards, as they're sometimes called) are a great choice for anyone going on vacation, having guests over, or just needing a safe crib for use during a sleepover or with friends. These portable cribs come with an extremely comfortable mattress that can support babies up to 15kg. They are simple to assemble and compact once closed.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a fav among MFM home testers, who appreciate the fact it can be folded and stored in just one or two minutes, and its simple one-handed drop-down panels are simple for even sleepy parents to use. It's not the tiniest of packs-and-play on our list, but it's a good weight at just over 15 pounds, and it features standard carry handles rather than an e-bag strap, which some find more comfortable to carry around.
The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another fantastic option. It incorporates a bedside bassinet as well as a crib into one compact unit. It is ideal for holidays and overnight stays with family and friends. It's not the cheapest one, but it does come with many features that are all-dancing and all-singing like a storage basket, soothing colour-changing night lights and white noise. It also has lullabies to aid your baby to fall asleep, and its bassinet setting is higher than other models to make it easier to access in the early hours when mom is still recovering.
It's also easy to keep clean, with machine-washable and wipeable fabrics. It's also relatively lightweight at less than 12kg and easily fits into the small, compact travel case that comes with it. It comes with six different height settings as well as a tummy-tilt for reflux/colic baby. It's able to fit all bed sizes. It's also very easy to install, with our MFM tester being able to have it up and running in a mere 10 minutes. It'll require a mattress that is separate.
Feeding
When you travel for pleasure or business it's essential to ensure your baby is comfortable and safe when traveling. While some families might be inclined to use a crib or bassinet that they own but it's better to purchase one that is specifically designed for travel. They are smaller, have mesh sides to allow parents to monitor their children without disturbing them, and are lightweight enough for easy transportation between locations. They also conform to the safety standards of American Academy of Pediatrics and have not been recalled.
If you have to use a crib alongside your bed it is recommended you put your baby on their back. The mattress should be free of blankets, pillows, and stuffed toys. Sharing a bed with parents isn't recommended for any baby regardless of age, and this form of sleeping with a partner is associated with an increased risk of SIDS. If bedside travel crib must occasionally co-sleep ensure that your baby is asleep and that both you and your partner are dressed and awake.
There are many kinds of cribs for babies and infants.
Some are designed to look like a mini-crib or Moses baskets, while others have sides that can be lowered into the parents' bed. This allows for middle-of-the-night access to the baby for feeding and comforting while avoiding the dangers of co-sleeping that the AAP advises against due to suffocation risks. Examples include the Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet, which is a bedside sleeper that connects to the side of a parent's mattress. It is also an ideal option for older babies because the sides can be easily raised to let you reach the baby from the adult bed without lifting the mattress out. The travel cot that has an integrated crib that can be removed enables you to lift a sleeping baby up for feeding or other care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs are a great option to sleep comfortably with your newborn. They are placed near your bed at night, so that you can reach over easily for night feeds and monitor them without disrupting their sleep. Some cribs have drop-sides that you can lower to make it easier for you to do this, while others have a height adjustment to ensure they can be placed in your bed at home or away.
While it used to be advised that babies sleep in their own separate bedroom, there is a growing trend for parents to sleep with their infants. Also known as rooming-in this arrangement allows babies to be close to their parents, but remain safely separated on their own bassinet or crib. There are many types of co-sleepers that are available such as the iCrib that is designed to be portable and can be placed on the top of your bed or a standard crib. This model comes with 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's edge and has seven height positions, as well as a tummy-tilt to help with colic and reflux. Our MFM home testers loved the crib for its compact folding design and its ease of use. It is also available in different colours.
You can also buy bedside cribs that are freestanding, such as our Lilly or Alain that you can place next to the standard bed frame. They come with a moveable side barrier that slides down so you can pick your baby up for night feeding, but the crib is fully enclosed and your baby will continue sleeping soundly during this period. These cribs also meet the new BS EN 1130:2019 safety requirements which require that 120mm high barriers must be installed between your mattress and your child's cot.
Travel cribs are also available. They are designed specifically to be carried on the road. They are usually smaller and lighter than standard cribs and are therefore easier to carry in and out of cars and hotels. Munchkin Brica, for example can be assembled in under a minute and folded down in three pounds. It is therefore easy to lift and move.