Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The crib's size is a hit with moms it's larger than the size of a Moses basket, but smaller than a cot bed. It also folds down to a third of its original size, and can fit into a compact travel bag, making it perfect for travel.
It is important to remember that the crib should only be used for sleeping. Toys like blankets, pillows and pillows pose a suffocation hazard.
Safety
When you are looking for a crib for travel, you'll want 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 tell you whether a crib that is portable has ever been removed from the market. Choose a mattress that fits the crib of your child so that it won't fall through the gaps or cause an suffocation hazard.
Search for bassinets and cribs that are in line with the latest safety standards of 2022. Avoid older cribs and cribs that have been modified for travel, or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs have not been tested and could pose a risk to your baby's safety.
A travel crib must be strong and well-constructed. Make sure you check for broken, missing or loose screws and other hardware. If you're using a playard it should have a secure wall and mesh windows to allow for proper air flow. The crib's slats should be no more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart to prevent baby's head or limbs from being trapped. Do not put any toys, blankets or toys in the crib. These items could cause strangulation or death to your baby. They must be removed as soon as they are able to stand on their own or before the age of five months.
It is also essential to check frequently for loose or broken screws and hardware, especially when traveling with your child. Take all plastic out of the crib too.
If you are using a portable crib for your baby, make sure it's not placed beneath the large windows. A window can be 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. If your baby starts to roll over in bed it's a good idea get them up in order to avoid injuries.
Portability
If you're on vacation, have family staying over, or just want a safe crib for sleepovers or with friends, a portable crib (or playard, as they are sometimes called) is a great choice. These foldable contraptions include an extremely comfortable mattress that can support children up to 15 kg. They are easy to put together and compact when closed.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a fav among MFM home testers, who appreciate the fact it can be folded down and stored in one or two minutes, and its simple one-handed drop-down panels are simple enough for even sleepy parents to use. It's not the lightest backpack and play, but at just under 15 pounds it's still an adequate weight. It also comes with regular handles instead of a backpack style strap that some people find more comfortable.
Another great option is the Joie Kubbie Sleep, which incorporates a bedside crib and bassinet into a compact unit that's perfect for holidays as well as overnight visits to friends and family. It's not the most affordable, but it has an abundance 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 sleep and its bassinet is higher than other models to make it easier to use during the early days when mum is still recovering.
The fabrics can be washed in the machine and wipeable, making it easy to clean. It's also, despite its size and weight (it's more bulky when open) it's light at just under 12kg and slots neatly into a small, handy travel bag that comes with it perfect for trips away from home. It comes with six different height settings as well as the ability to tilt the tummy for reflux/colic babies. It's able to fit all sizes of beds. It is also very easy to install. Our MFM tester was able to set it up in only 10 minutes. wooden bedside cot 'll require a separate mattress.
Feeding
It's important that your baby is comfortable and safe when you travel, whether for business or pleasure. While some families may be inclined 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, with mesh sides that allow parents to check on their children without disturbing them. They are lightweight enough for easy transportation between locations. These also meet 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 that you put your baby on their back. The bed should be free of blankets, pillows and toys. This type of co-sleeping increases the chance of SIDS. If you have to occasionally co-sleep ensure that your baby is asleep and that you and your partner are fully dressed and awake.
There are many kinds of cribs for newborns and babies.
Some are designed to resemble a mini crib or a Moses basket, and others have sides that can be lowered down into the bed of the parent. This lets parents access their child at any time during the night to soothe and feed their child, and avoid the dangers of sleeping with their child. The AAP cautions against this due to the risk of the risk of suffocation. The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper which attaches to a parent's mattress. It is also an option for older babies since the sides can easily be raised to let you reach the baby from the adult bed without lifting them out. Another option is the travel cot, which has a built-in bassinet that can be removed from the top of the crib which makes it easier to lift a sleeping infant for feeding or care.
Sleeping
Bedside cribs let you sleep with your baby in a safe and secure way. They are placed next to your bed at night, allowing you to reach over easily for feedings at night and check on them without disturbing their sleep. Some cribs have drop sides that can be lower to make this easier, and others have an adjustable height setting to make sure they be able to fit in your bed at home or away.
While it was once recommended that infants sleep in their own separate bedroom, there is now a growing trend for parents to co-sleep with their infants. This arrangement, referred to as rooming in, allows babies to be close to their parents while remaining in their own crib or bassinet. There are a variety of co-sleepers that are available like the iCrib, which is designed to be a portable crib that fits on the top of your bed or a regular crib. It has a light frame and a mattress that can be removed and it can be folded to make it easy for storage. The Joie Roomie Go crib is another alternative. It is attached to the bed edge and has 7 height positions, and a tummy-tilt to ease colic and reflux. This crib was well-received by our MFM home testers for its ease of use and compact folding. it comes in a range of colours.
There are also bedside cribs that are freestanding, such as our Lilly or Alain that you can put on top of an existing bed frame. The cribs feature a side barrier that can be lowered to allow you to pick up your baby for feedings at night. However they are also self-contained, allowing your baby to continue sleeping peacefully. They also meet the new BS EN 1130:2019 safety requirements which stipulate that 120mm high barriers must be installed between your mattress and your child's cot.
There are also cribs for travel available. They are specifically designed to be taken along when traveling. These are typically much smaller and more compact than standard cribs, making them easy to transport into and out of hotels and cars. The Munchkin Brica travel crib, for instance, can be set up and packed down in under a minute and it weighs only three pounds, making it easy to lift and carry.