Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The dimensions of this crib are ideal for moms. It's bigger than the Moses Basket, but smaller than the Cot Bed. It also can fold down to a third of its original size and fits into a convenient travel bag, making it ideal for travel.
Make sure that the crib is designed for sleeping. Toys, pillows and blankets can cause a child to be suffocated.
Safety
When you're looking for a travel cot ensure that the manufacturer complies with all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) site is a good place to begin. It will tell you whether a crib for portable use has ever been removed from the market. You'll also want to choose appropriate for your baby's bed so that it doesn't fall into gaps in the crib's sides or cause suffocation hazards.
Look for cribs or bassinets that are in line with the latest safety standards of 2022. Avoid older cribs and cribs designed for travel or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs have not been tested and could cause danger to your baby's safety.
A travel crib should be built well and strong. Make sure there aren't any loose, missing or broken screws and other hardware. If you are using a playard, it must have mesh windows and secure walls for air flow. The crib slats should not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent the baby bedside co sleeper's head and legs from getting trapped. Don't put any toys, blankets, or toys that are stuffed with animals in the crib. These items can suffocate or strangle your baby. They should be removed from the crib at the time your child is able to pull up on their knees and hands or prior to five months of age or when they reach 5 months of age, whichever comes first.
Make sure you check often for broken or loose screws and other hardware. This is especially important when traveling with an infant. Make sure you take out all crib furniture before use, as well.
If you are using a portable crib ensure that it's not placed directly beneath the large windows. Windows pose an accident hazard and if your baby rolls into it, they could be injured. Even if your baby is old enough to roll over it is best to keep their sleeping space away from windows. If your child starts to roll over in bed it's best to wake them up to prevent injury.
Portability
If you're planning a trip on vacation, have family staying with you, or need a secure bedside crib for sleepovers or with friends, a portable crib (or playard or playard, as they're often called) is a good option. These foldable contraptions include an extremely comfortable mattress that can hold infants up to 15kg. They are simple to assemble and compact once closed.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a favorite among MFM home testers, who love the fact that it can be folded down and stored in just one or two minutes, and its simple one-handed drop-down panels are simple enough for even sleepy parents to use. It's not our tiniest pack-and-play play, but at just 15 pounds, it's an adequate weight. It also comes with regular handles instead of a backpack style strap, which some prefer to use.
The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another fantastic option. It includes a bassinet for the bed and a crib into a compact unit. This is perfect for holidays and overnight stays with family and friends. It's not the least expensive, but it has a wealth of all-singing and all-dancing features like a basket for storage and soothing night lights that change colour as well as white noise and lullabies to help your baby fall asleep, and its bassinet setting sits up higher than most to make it easier to access in the beginning of the day when mum is still recovering.
It's also easy to clean, with wipeable and machine-washable fabrics. It's also, despite its size and weight (it's on the bulkier side when opened), it's relatively lightweight at just 12kg and fits neatly into a compact, practical travel bag included ideal for trips away from home. It has six different height settings as well as a tummy-tilt for reflux/colic baby. It's suitable for any size bed. It's also extremely easy to set up and has our MFM tester being able to have it set up in only 10 minutes. You'll need an additional mattress however.
Feeding
When you travel for business or pleasure it's essential to ensure your baby is comfortable and safe when traveling. While some families might be attracted to use a bassinet or a crib that they already own, it's best to buy one that is specifically made for travel. They are smaller and have mesh sides so parents can monitor their child without disturbing them. They're also light and can be easily transported between places. They also meet all the safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven't been recalled.
If you are required to use a crib that is placed at your bedside crib travel cot, it's recommended that your baby be placed on their back and the mattress be free of any blankets, pillows, and animals stuffed. This type of co-sleeping increases the risk of SIDS. If you are forced to co-sleep occasionally, ensure that you only do so when your baby is asleep and that you are both awake and fully dressed.
There are many types of cribs for newborns and babies.
Some are designed as a mini-crib or Moses baskets, while others have sides which can be put into parents' beds. This allows access to the baby to feed and comfort while avoiding the dangers of true co-sleeping, which the AAP cautions against due the risk of suffocation. Examples include the Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet, a bedside baby sleeper sleeper that attaches to the mattress for a parent. It can also be a safer option for older children because the sides can be easily raised to let you reach the baby from the adult bed without lifting the mattress out. Another option is a travel cot that has an integrated bassinet that can be removed from the top of the crib, which makes it easier to lift up an infant who is sleeping for feeding or care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs are a fantastic option to sleep comfortably with your newborn. They sit next to your bed during the night, so that you can reach them easily for night feeds and observe them without disrupting their sleep. Some cribs come with an adjustable drop-side that can be lowered for this purpose, while others have a height adjustment so they can fit into your bed at home and away.
While it was once advised that infants sleep in their own separate bedroom, there is a increasing preference for parents to co-sleep with their infants. This arrangement, also known as rooming in, allows infants to be close to their parents, while remaining safely separated in their own crib or a bassinet. There are many types of Co sleeper Bedside cot-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 removable mattress and it can be folded to make it easy for storage. The Joie Roomie Go crib is another alternative. It attaches to the bed edge and has 7 height positions, and a tummy-tilt to help with colic and reflux. Our MFM home testers loved this crib for its compact folding and ease of use. It is also available in different colours.
There are also freestanding bedside cot bed cribs like our Lilly or Alain that you can put next to a standard bed frame. These have a movable side barrier that slides down to allow you to take your baby to a night feeding, but the crib is self-contained and your baby will continue sleeping soundly during this time. These models also meet the latest BS EN 1130:2019 safety requirements which require that a 120mm high barrier must be placed between your mattress and the cot of your child.
Additionally, there are cribs designed for travel and are made to be carried on the road. They are usually smaller and more compact than standard cribs which makes them easier to carry in and out of hotels and cars. Munchkin Brica, for example can be assembled in under a minute and folded down in just three pounds. It is therefore easy to lift and move.