Why We Enjoy Bedside Crib (And You Should Also!)

Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel

Mums love this crib's size It's larger than the size of a Moses basket, but smaller than a crib bed. It folds down to a third of its original size and fits into a compact travel bag, making it ideal for travel.

It is important to remember that the crib should only be used to sleep and that toys, pillows and blankets are dangers to suffocate.

Safety

If you're looking to purchase a crib for travel you'll want to be sure the manufacturer meets all safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) website is an excellent place to start. It will tell you if a portable crib has ever been recalled.  Discover More  should also select a mattress that is appropriate for your baby's crib to ensure it doesn't slide into the gaps between the crib sides or create a suffocation hazard.

Look for cribs or bassinets that meet the updated safety standards for 2022. Avoid cribs with older designs and 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 should be well-constructed and sturdy. Examine for loose, missing or broken screws and other hardware. If you're using a playard, it must have mesh windows and secure walls to allow air flow. The crib's slats must not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent the baby's head and legs from getting trapped. Don't put any toys, blankets, or stuffed animals in the crib. These items can suffocate or strangle your baby and should be removed from the crib when your child is able to pull up on their knees and hands or before five months of age, whichever comes first.

Check regularly for loose or broken screws and other hardware. This is particularly crucial when traveling with a child. Remove all plastic from the crib too.

If you're using a portable crib, make sure it's not directly under windows. A window can be an accident hazard for your baby could get hurt if they roll into it. Even if your child is old enough to be able to roll over it is best to keep their sleeping area away from windows. It's important to wake up your baby if they start to roll over while sleeping.

Portability

Portable cribs (or playards which is what they're sometimes referred to as) are a great choice for those who are traveling on vacation, having a guests over, or simply wanting a safe crib to use during a sleepover or with friends. These playards fold up easily to build and are compact when closed, and come with the most comfortable padded mattress that can accommodate infants up to 15 kg.

The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a fav 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 backpack on our list, but it's a good weight at just a little over 15 pounds. It features standard carry handles rather than an e-bag strap, which some find more comfortable to carry around.

The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another great alternative.  bedside cot mattress  incorporates a bedside bassinet as well as a crib into a compact unit. This is perfect for long-term stays and holidays with family and friends. It's not the least expensive however it comes with an abundance of all-singing and all-dancing features like a basket for storage as well as calming colour-changing lights for the night and white noise. It also has lullabies to help your baby sleep and sleep. Its bassinet sits up higher than most for easier access in the beginning of the day when mum is still recovering.

It's also easy to keep clean with wipeable and machine-washable fabrics. And, despite its size and weight (it's more bulky when it's open), it's relatively lightweight at just 12kg and can easily fit into a small, handy bag included ideal for trips away from home. It comes with six different height settings, including a tummy tilt to help with reflux or colic infants, and it can be adapted to beds of all sizes. It's also very easy to set up and our MFM tester being able to have it set up in only 10 minutes. It'll require a separate mattress.

Feeding

Whether traveling for pleasure or business, it's important to keep your baby comfortable and safe while traveling. It's better to purchase a crib or bassinet designed for travel than to use one that you already own. These are smaller, with mesh sides that allow parents to monitor their babies without disturbing them and are light enough to allow for easy transport between places. They also meet all the safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven't been recalled.

If you have to use a crib that is placed at your bedside it is recommended that your infant be placed on their back and that the sleeping surface be free of any blankets, pillows and toys. Sharing sleeping in a bed with parents isn't advised for any baby, regardless of age, and this type of sleeping together is associated with an increased risk of SIDS. If you do have to sleep with your partner at times, make sure that your baby is sleeping and that both you and your partner are dressed and awake.

The bedside cribs that are available for babies and infants include:

Some are designed to look like a mini-crib or Moses baskets, while others have sides that can be placed on parent's bed. This allows access to the baby for feeding and comforting without exposing the risk of true co-sleeping, which the AAP cautions against due the risk of suffocation. The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper that is attached to a parent's mattress. This is a good option for older children, since the sides can be raised to allow you to reach the infant without having to lift them out of the bed. The travel cot with an integrated crib that can be removed enables you to lift a sleeping baby up for feeding or other care.

Sleeping

Bedside cribs let you sleep with your baby in a safe and secure way. They are placed next to your bed so you can easily reach them during night feedings and check on their sleeping without disrupting them. Some cribs have a drop-side that can be lowered for this purpose, whereas others come with a height adjustment, so they will fit in your bed at home or away.

Although it was previously advised that infants sleep in their own separate bedroom, there's a increasing preference for parents to co-sleep with their infants. Also known as rooming in, this arrangement allows babies to be close to their parents, but remain safely separated on their own crib or bassinet. There are many types of co-sleepers that are 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 standard 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 comes with 7 height positions, as well as a tummy-tilt for reflux and colic. This crib was praised by our MFM home testers for its user-friendly design and compact folding. it's also available in a variety of colours.

There are also freestanding bedside cribs such as our Lilly or Alain which you can put next to an existing bed frame. These have a movable side barrier that can slide down to allow you to pick your baby up for night feeding, but the crib is otherwise self-contained, and your child will sleep soundly throughout this time. These cribs meet the latest BS EN1130 safety standards, which require a 120mm barrier between your mattress and the child's cot.

There are also cribs designed for travel and are designed to be used on the road. These are usually smaller and lighter than standard cribs, making it easier to transport them into and out of hotels and vehicles. Munchkin Brica, for example can be assembled in just a few minutes and folded down in three pounds. It is therefore simple to lift and transport.