Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The size of this crib is perfect for mums. 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 perfect for travel.
Make sure that the crib is designed for sleeping. Toys or blankets, pillows and pillows can make a child suffocate.
Safety
When you are looking for a travel crib you'll want to be sure that the manufacturer is compliant with all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) site is an excellent place to start. It will inform you whether a crib for portable use has ever been recalled. It is also important to select appropriate for your baby's bed to ensure it doesn't slide into the gaps between the crib's sides or create a suffocation risk.
Look for cribs or bassinets that are in line with the latest safety standards of 2022. Also, avoid older cribs and cribs that have been modified or drop side cribs that are repurposed for travel because these have not been evaluated and could pose dangers to your baby's well-being.
A travel crib must be strong and well-constructed. Make sure you check for broken, missing or loose screws and other hardware. If you are using a playard, it must be fitted with mesh windows and strong walls to allow air circulation. The slats on the crib should not be more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart to keep baby's head and limbs from becoming trapped. Don't put any toys, blankets or toys in the crib. These items can choke or drown your baby. They should be removed as soon as they are able to stand up independently or before the age of 5 months.
Make sure you check regularly for loose or broken screws and hardware. This is particularly important when traveling with an infant. Take all plastic out of the crib, too.
If you're using a portable baby crib ensure that it's not placed directly in front of a large window. Windows pose an injury risk for falls and if your baby rolls into it, they could be injured. Even if your child is old enough to be able to roll over, it's best to keep their sleeping space away from windows. It's crucial to wake your baby if they start to roll over during sleep.
Portability
If you're planning a trip to a holiday, have relatives staying over, or simply need a secure bedside crib for sleepovers with your friends, the portable crib (or playard or playard, as they're sometimes called) is an excellent option. These foldable contraptions come with an extremely comfortable mattress that can support babies up to 15kg. bedside cot newborn are simple to assemble and compact once closed.
MFM home testers love the BabyBjorn travel crib because it is easy to fold and to store. Its simple drop down panels that can be operated by one hand are also a breeze for parents with a bleary eye. It's not our lightest pack-and play, but at just under 15 pounds, it's a good weight. It also comes with normal handles instead of a backpack strap that some people prefer to use.
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 family and friends. It's not the cheapest, but it has a wealth of features that are all-dancing and all-singing such as a storage basket as well as calming colour-changing lights for the night and white noise. It also has lullabies to aid your baby to fall asleep and its bassinet sits up higher than most to make it easier to access during the early days when mom is still recovering.
It's also easy to clean, with machine-washable and wipeable fabrics. It's also light at just 12 kilos and fits nicely into the small, handy 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 suitable for all bed sizes. It's also very simple to install. Our MFM tester was able to do it in just 10 minutes. You'll need to buy an additional mattress however.
Feeding
It's crucial that your baby is safe and secure when you travel, whether on pleasure or business. While some families might be tempted to use a bassinet or a crib that they already own however, it's recommended to purchase one specially made for travel. These are smaller and have mesh sides that allow parents to monitor their child without causing any disturbance to them. They're also light to make it easy to transport between locations. They also meet all safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven't been subject to recalls.
If you have to use a bedside crib, it's recommended that your infant be positioned on their backs and that the sleeping surface be free of blankets, pillows and stuffed animals. Co-sleeping can increase the risk of SIDS. If you have to sleep with your child on occasion, ensure that you only do so while your baby is asleep and that you are at all times dressed and awake.
The kinds of cribs available for babies and infants include:
Some are designed like an oversized crib or Moses basket, while others have sides that can be put to the bed of the parent. This allows parents to access their baby during the middle of the night to comfort and feed them, while avoiding the dangers of co-sleeping. The AAP cautions against this because of the risk of suffocation. The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper that is attached to the mattress of a parent. This is a great option for older children, since the sides can be raised so that you can reach the baby without lifting them out of the bed. The travel cot with built-in cribs that can be removed allows you to easily raise a sleeping baby to allow feeding or care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs let you sleep peacefully with your baby. They are placed near your bed, allowing you to easily reach them for feedings and check on their sleep without disturbing them. Some cribs have an opening on the side that can be lower to make this easier and others come with an adjustable height setting to ensure they are able to be able to fit in your bed at home or away.
Although it was previously advised that babies sleep in their own separate bedroom, there is now a growing preference for parents to sleep with their infants. Also known as rooming in, this arrangement lets babies be close to their parents but remain safe and separate from their own bassinet or crib. There are several types of co-sleepers available like the iCrib, which is designed to be a portable crib that fits on top of your bed or a regular crib. This model has a lightweight frame and a mattress that can be removed and it folds up for easy storage. There is also the Joie Roomie Go crib, that can be attached to the edge of the bed and has 7 height settings that can be adjusted and a tummy tilt to help with reflux and colic. The crib was well-received by our MFM home testers for its convenience and compact folding, and it comes in a variety of colours.
You can also buy bedside cribs that are freestanding, such as our Lilly or Alain which you can put next to a standard bed frame. The cribs have an elongated side that slides down to allow you to grab your baby for night feedings. However the cribs are completely self-contained, allowing your baby to rest comfortably. These models meet the new BS EN1130 safety standards, which require a 120mm gap between your mattress and child's crib.
There are also cribs designed for travel and are designed to be taken on the road. These are typically much smaller and more compact than standard cribs and are therefore easier to carry in and out of cars and hotels. bedside crib to cot , for example, can be set up and taken down in under an hour and weighs only three pounds, so it is easy to lift and carry.