If You've Just Purchased Bedside Crib ... Now What?

Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel

The dimensions of this crib are ideal for mothers. It's larger than the Moses Basket, but smaller than the Cot Bed. It can also be folded down to a quarter of its original size and can be put into a convenient bag for transport.

Make sure that the crib is intended for sleeping. Toys or blankets, pillows and pillows can suffocate a child.

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 an excellent place to start. It will tell you whether a crib for portable use has ever been removed from the market. Pick a mattress that's suitable for the crib of your baby so it doesn't slide through the gaps or create a suffocation risk.

Look for cribs or bassinets that are in line with the latest safety standards for 2022. You should also avoid cribs with a long history or cribs that have been modified, or drop side cribs that were repurposed for travel because these aren't evaluated and could pose dangers to your baby's safety.

A travel crib must be sturdy and well-constructed. Examine for loose, missing or broken screws and other hardware. If you are using a playard, it should be fitted with mesh windows and strong walls to allow air circulation. The slats of the crib should be spaced no more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart to prevent baby's head or limbs from being trapped. Don't put any blankets, pillows toys, stuffed animals or other items in the crib. These objects can strangle or suffocate your baby. They must be removed at the time they can stand up on their own or before the age of five months.

It's also important to look frequently for loose or broken hardware and screws, particularly when you travel with your infant. Make sure you take out all crib furniture prior to use, too.

If you are using a portable crib for your baby, make sure it's not placed directly in front of an enormous window. A window could be a fall hazard and your baby may be injured when they fall into it. It's best to keep your baby's room away from windows, even if they are old enough to roll over. It's crucial to wake your baby when they begin 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 friends, an portable crib (or playard or playard, as they're often called) is a great choice. These playards fold up easily to put together and compact when closed, and come with the most comfortable padded mattress that can accommodate infants up to 15kg.

The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a favourite with MFM home testers, who appreciate the fact that it can be folded and stored in just one or two minutes, and its easy-to-use drop-down panels are simple for even sleepy parents to use. It's not the lightest backpack on our list however it's a decent weight at just a little over 15 pounds. It comes with standard handles instead of an e-bag strap, which some find more comfortable to carry around.

Another excellent option is the Joie Kubbie Sleep, which includes a crib for bed and a bassinet in one compact unit that's perfect for holidays as well as overnight visits to family and friends. It's not the cheapest one, but it does come with an abundance of all-singing and all-dancing features like a storage basket, soothing colour-changing night lights and white noise. It also has lullabies to help your baby fall asleep, and its bassinet setting sits up higher than most to make it easier to access in the early hours when mum is still recovering.

The fabrics can be washed in the machine and washable, making it easy to clean. It's also light at less than 12kg and easily fits into the small, handy travel case that comes with it. It comes with six different height settings, including the tilt of the tummy for reflux/colic babies, and can fit beds of all sizes. It's also extremely easy to set up and has our MFM tester having it set up in only 10 minutes. You'll need to purchase an additional mattress, however.

Feeding

It's important that your baby is safe and comfortable when you travel, whether on pleasure or business. While some families might be attracted to use a bassinet or crib that they own however, it's recommended to purchase one specifically made for travel. These are smaller and have mesh sides to allow parents to monitor their babies without disturbing them. They are light enough for simple transportation between locations. They also meet the safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and haven't been recalled.

If you must use a crib that is placed at your bedside, it's recommended that your infant be placed on their back and that the bed be free of pillows, blankets and stuffed animals. Sharing a bed with parents isn't advisable for any baby regardless of age, and this type of sleeping together is associated with an increased risk of SIDS. If you must occasionally co-sleep, make sure that your baby is sleeping and that you and your partner are dressed and awake.

The kinds of cribs available for infants and young children include:

Some are shaped like an oversized crib or Moses basket, whereas others have sides that can be put to the bed of the parent. This allows parents to access their child in the middle of the night to soothe and feed them, while avoiding the dangers of co-sleeping. The AAP warns against this 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. This is a good option for older children since the sides can be elevated to allow you to reach the baby without having to lift them out of bed. The travel cot that has a built-in crib that is removable allows you to lift a sleeping baby for feeding or other care.

Sleeping

bedside cot 6 months plus  let you sleep with your baby in a safe and secure way. They are set next to your bed to allow you to easily reach them during night feedings and check on their sleeping without disrupting them. Some cribs have drop sides that you can lower to make it easier, and others have an adjustable height setting to make sure they fit your bed at home or away.

Previously, it was recommended that infants be in their own room. However parents are increasingly choosing to sleep with their children. This arrangement, referred to as rooming in, allows babies to be close to their parents, while being separated from their own crib or a bassinet. There are several types of co-sleeper available like the iCrib, which is designed to be an easy-to-move crib that can be placed on the top of your bed or a regular crib. It comes with a lightweight frame, a mattress that is removable and is foldable up for easy storage. There's also  cheap bedside cot , which fastens 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 highly well-received by our MFM home testers for its user-friendly design and compact folding. it is also available in a variety of colors.

There are also cribs for bedside use, such as our Lilly and Alain cribs, that can be put next to an existing bed frame. These have a movable side barrier that slides down to allow you to take your baby to a night feeding, but the crib is otherwise fully enclosed and your baby will sleep soundly throughout this time. These cribs are in compliance with the new BS EN1130:2019 safety standards that require a 120mm separation between your mattress and child's crib.

Lastly, there are travel cribs that are specifically designed to be taken on the road. These are typically much smaller and lighter than a standard crib, making them easy to transport into and out of hotels and cars. The Munchkin Brica travel crib, for example, can be set up and packed down in under a minute and it weighs just three pounds, so it is easy to lift and carry.