Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The dimensions of this crib are ideal for moms. It's larger than the Moses Basket, but smaller than a Cot Bed. It can also be folded down to one-quarter of its size and then put in a handy bag for transport.
Remember that the crib is designed for sleeping. Toys, pillows and blankets can make a child suffocate.
Safety
When you're looking for a travel cot, ensure that the manufacturer is adhering to all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) website is the best place to start. It will let you know whether a crib that is portable has ever been recalled. Pick a mattress that's suitable for your baby's crib so it doesn't slide through the gaps or create a suffocation risk.
When choosing a crib or bassinet make sure it conforms to the latest safety standards that were updated in 2022. Avoid cribs that are older or that have been modified for travel, or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs have not been tested, and may pose a risk to your baby's safety.
A travel crib must be well-built and sturdy. Check for missing, broken or loose screws as well as other hardware. If you're using a playard it should have secure walls and mesh windows to allow for proper air flow. The crib slats shouldn't be more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent the baby's head and legs from getting trapped. Never put 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 as soon as your child is able to pull up on their hands and knees or prior to five months of age or 5 months, whichever is first.
Check regularly for loose or broken screws and other hardware. This is particularly crucial when traveling with a child. Make sure you take out all plastic from the crib prior to use, too.
If you're using a portable baby crib, make sure it's not placed in front of an enormous window. A window can be an injury risk for falls and if your child rolls into it, they may be injured. It's best to keep your baby's bedroom away from windows, even if they are old enough to roll over. If your child begins to roll over in bed, it's a good idea to get them up in order to avoid injuries.
Portability
If you're to a holiday, have relatives staying over, or just want a safe bedside crib for sleepovers with your friends, the portable crib (or playard or playard, as they're often called) is an excellent option. These portable cribs are simple to put together, compact when they're closed, and come with a comfortable padded mattress that can accommodate infants up to 15kg.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a fav among MFM home testers who appreciate the fact that it can be folded down and stored in just several minutes and its easy-to-use drop-down panels are easy for even bleary-eyed parents to use. It's not the lightest backpack on our list, but it's a good weight at just over 15 pounds, and it comes with standard handles instead of a backpack-style strap which some find more comfortable to haul around.
Another option that is worth considering is the Joie Kubbie Sleep, which combines a bedside crib and bassinet into a compact unit that's perfect for both overnight and holiday visits to relatives and friends. It's not the most affordable, but it has an abundance of features that are all-dancing and all-singing like a storage basket as well as calming colour-changing lights for the night as well as white noise and lullabies to help your baby fall asleep, and its bassinet setting is higher than the majority to make it easier to access in the beginning of the day when mum is still recovering.
The fabrics are machine washable and washable, which makes it easy to clean. It's also relatively lightweight, at just under 12kg and fits nicely inside the compact, convenient travel case that comes with it. It has six different height settings as well as an adjustable tummy tilt for reflux or colic babies. It's suitable for all bed sizes. It's also incredibly quick to set up, with our MFM tester being able to have it set up in only 10 minutes. It'll require a separate mattress.
Feeding
It is essential that your child is comfortable and safe when you travel, whether on pleasure or business. It's better to purchase a bassinet or crib designed for travel than to use one that you already own. These are smaller and with mesh sides that allow parents to monitor their children without disturbing them and are light enough to allow for easy transportation between locations. They also meet the safety standards of American Academy of Pediatrics and have not been recalled.
If you have to use a crib beside your bed it is recommended you place your baby on their back. The mattress should be free of blankets, pillows and toys. Co-sleeping can increase the risk of SIDS. If you are forced to co-sleep on occasion, ensure that you only do this while your baby is asleep, and that you are both awake and fully dressed.
The bedside cribs available for newborns and young babies include:
Some are shaped as a mini-crib or Moses baskets, while others have sides that can be placed on parents' beds. This lets parents access their baby during the middle of the night to soothe and feed their child, and avoid the dangers of sleeping with their child. The AAP cautions against this because of the risk of being suffocated. The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper which attaches to a parent's mattress. It can also be a safer option for older children because the sides can easily be raised to allow you to reach the infant from the adult bed without lifting the mattress out. The travel cot with built-in cribs that can be removed allows you to easily lift a sleeping baby up for feeding or care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs allow you to sleep peacefully with your baby. They are set next to your bed, allowing you to easily reach them for night feedings and check on their sleep without disrupting them. Some cribs have a drop side that you can lower to make this easier, and some have an adjustable height setting to ensure they are able to fit your bed at home or on the go.
Previously, it was recommended that infants have their own bedrooms. However parents are increasingly choosing to co-sleep. Also known as rooming-in this arrangement lets babies be close to their parents yet remain safe and separate from their own crib or bassinet. There are several types of co-sleepers available such as the iCrib that is designed to be a portable crib that fits on top of your bed or a regular crib. It includes a light frame, a removable mattress and is foldable into a compact size for storage. There's also the Joie Roomie Go crib, that can be attached to the edge of a bed. It has 7 height settings that can be adjusted as well as an incline for the tummy to aid in reflux and colic. The crib was highly praised by our MFM home testers for its user-friendly design and compact folding, and it comes in a variety of colours.
You can also purchase freestanding bedside cribs like our Lilly or Alain that you can place on top of the standard bed frame. They come with a moveable side barrier that can slide down so you can take your baby to a evening feeding, however the crib is otherwise self-contained and your baby will be sleeping comfortably throughout this period. These cribs meet the latest BS EN1130 safety standards, which require a 120mm gap between your mattress and child's crib.
Travel cribs are also available. bedside cot used are specifically designed for use on the road. These are typically much smaller and lighter than standard cribs and are therefore more convenient to take into and out of hotels and cars. The Munchkin Brica travel crib, for example can be set up and put down in less than one minute, and weighs only three pounds, making it easy to carry and lift.