Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel

Mums love this crib’s size – it’s bigger than the Moses basket, but smaller than a cot bed. It can also fold down to one-quarter of its original size and fit into a handy bag for travel.

It is important to remember that the crib should only be used for sleeping. Toys such as pillows, blankets and pillows are dangers to suffocate.

Safety

As you shop for a crib for travel it is important to make sure the manufacturer meets all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) site is the best place to start. It will inform you whether a crib that is portable has ever been recalled. Choose baby bedside crib that fits the crib of your child so that it doesn’t slide through the gaps or pose a suffocation risk.

When choosing a bassinet or crib make sure it is in compliance with the latest safety standards that were updated in 2022. Avoid cribs with older designs and designed for travel or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs haven’t been tested and could pose a risk to your baby’s safety.

A travel crib needs to be well-built and sturdy. Check for missing, loose 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 be no more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart, to keep baby’s head and limbs from becoming trapped. Never put toys, blankets, or toys that are stuffed with animals in the crib. These items can strangle or suffocate your baby. They should be removed when they are able to stand up independently or before the age of 5 months.

Make sure you check frequently for broken or loose screws and hardware. This is particularly crucial when traveling with an infant. Make sure you remove all crib furniture before use, as well.

If you are using a portable crib for your baby, make sure it’s not placed under the large windows. Windows pose an injury risk for falls and if your child rolls into it, they may get injured. It’s recommended to keep your baby’s room away from windows, even when they are old enough to roll over. It’s important to wake up your baby if they start to roll over during sleep.

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 simply wanting a safe crib for use for a sleepover with friends. These portable cribs are simple to build and are compact when closed, and come with a comfortable padded mattress that can hold newborns up to 15kg.

The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a favorite among MFM home testers who appreciate the fact it can be folded and stored in several minutes and its simple one-handed drop-down panels are simple enough for even sleepy parents to use. It’s not the lightest pack-and-play on our list, but it’s a good weight, weighing just under 15 pounds, and it has regular carry handles rather than the backpack-style strap that some find more comfortable to carry around.

Another option that is worth considering is the Joie Kubbie Sleep, which combines a bedside crib and bassinet into one compact unit that is ideal for both holidays and overnight visits to friends and family. It’s not the most affordable option, but it comes with a variety of options, including a storage basket, soothing night lights that change colour and lullabies, as well as white noise, to help your child fall asleep.

The fabrics can be washed in the machine and washable, which makes it easy to clean. 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 and a tummy tilt to help with reflux or colic infants, and it can be adapted to beds of all sizes. It is also very easy to install. Our MFM tester could do it in only 10 minutes. You’ll need to buy a separate mattress for it however.

Feeding

When you travel to work or for pleasure it’s essential to keep your baby happy and safe while traveling. While some families may be attracted to use a crib or bassinet that they have however, it’s recommended to purchase one specifically made for travel. They are smaller, have mesh sides to allow parents to check on their babies without disturbing them and are light enough to allow for easy transportation between locations. They also meet all the safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven’t been subject to recalls.

If you must utilize a crib for your bed it is recommended that your baby be positioned on their backs and that the bed be free of pillows, blankets and animals stuffed. Co-sleeping can increase the risk of SIDS. If you have to occasionally co-sleep, make sure that your baby is asleep and that you and your partner are fully dressed and awake.

There are many types of cribs for babies and infants.

Some are shaped like miniature cribs or Moses basket, while others have sides that can be lowered down into the bed of the parent. This allows access to the baby for feeding and comforting while avoiding the risks of true co-sleeping, which the AAP advises against due to the risk of suffocation. The Arm’s Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper that attaches to a mattress that is used by a parent. It is a good choice for older children, since the sides can be raised so that you can reach the infant without lifting them from the bed. Another option is the travel cot, which has a built-in bassinet that can be removed from the top of the crib making it easier to lift up the sleeping infant to feed or care.

Sleeping

Bedside cribs are an excellent way to safely co-sleep with your baby. They are placed near your bed, allowing you to easily reach them for night feedings and check on their sleep without disrupting them. Some cribs have drop sides that can be lowered to make this easier and some have an adjustable height adjustment so that they will fit your bed at home or when you are away.

It was previously recommended that infants be in their own room. However parents are increasingly opting to sleep in a co-sleep. Also known as rooming-in, this arrangement allows babies to be close to their parents but remain safe and separate from their own bassinet or crib. There are several types of co-sleepers that are available like the iCrib, which is designed to be a portable crib that fits on top of your bed or a standard crib. This model has a lightweight frame, a mattress that is removable and is foldable into a compact size for storage. The Joie Roomie Go crib is another alternative. It is attached to the bed’s edge and has seven 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’s also available in a variety of colors.

There are also freestanding bedside cribs, like our Lilly and Alain cribs, which can be positioned on top of the traditional bed frame. The cribs have the side barrier that can be lowered to allow you to pick up your child for feedings at night. However the cribs are completely fully enclosed so that your baby can continue sleeping peacefully. These models also meet the new BS EN 1130:2019 safety requirements which require that the 120mm high barrier should be placed between your mattress and the cot of your child.

Additionally, there are cribs for travel that are specially designed to be used on the road. They are typically smaller and less bulky than standard cribs, making it easier to carry them into and out of hotels and vehicles. Munchkin Brica, for example can be assembled in less than one minute and folded down in less than three pounds. It is therefore easy to move and lift.