The Biggest Problem With Bedside Crib, And How You Can Fix It
Buying a Bedside Crib For Travel
The dimensions of this crib are perfect for mums. It's bigger than the Moses Basket but smaller than a Cot Bed. It can fold down to a third of its original size, and can fit into a convenient travel bag, making it ideal for travel.
Just remember that the crib should be used only for sleeping. Toys such as pillows, blankets and pillows are an entrapment risk.
Safety
When you are shopping for a travel cot, ensure that the manufacturer is adhering to all safety standards. One good place to start is the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website, which will let you know whether or not a certain portable crib has been recalled. Select a mattress that is suitable for your baby's crib so it won't slip through the gaps or create an suffocation hazard.
When you are choosing a crib or bassinet choose one that is in compliance with the latest safety standards, which were updated in 2022. Avoid older cribs and cribs designed for travel or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs have not been tested and could cause danger to your baby's safety.
A travel crib must be built well and strong. Check for missing, broken or loose screws, as well as other hardware. If you're using a playard, it should have a secure wall and mesh windows to allow for proper air circulation. The slats of the crib should be no more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart to prevent baby's head or limbs from being trapped. Never put toys, blankets or stuffed animals in the crib. These items can choke or drown your baby. They must be removed when they are able to stand up on their own or before the age of 5 months.
It's also important to check often for loose or broken screws and hardware, especially when traveling with your child. Make sure you take out all crib furniture before use, as well.
If you're using a portable crib, be sure that it's not close to windows. A window can be an accident hazard for your baby may be injured in the event that they crash into it. It's recommended to keep your baby's room away from windows, even when they are old enough to roll over. If your baby starts to roll over in bed it's a good idea wake them up to prevent injury.
Portability
Portable cribs (or playards or playards, as they're often referred to) are a great choice for those who are going on vacation, having guests over, or just needing an appropriate crib for a sleepover with friends. These playards fold up easily to assemble and are compact when closed, and come with a comfortable padded mattress that can accommodate infants up to 15kg.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a favourite with MFM home testers, who love the fact it can be folded and stored in a few minutes and that its simple one-handed drop-down panels are simple for even sleepy parents to use. It's not the lightest backpack on our list but it's a decent weight at just over 15 pounds, and it has regular handles instead of the backpack-style strap that some find more comfortable to haul around.
The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another excellent option. It combines a bedside bassinet and crib into a compact unit. This is perfect for overnight stays during holidays and with 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 and white noise. It also has lullabies to help your baby fall asleep and sleep. Its bassinet sits up higher than most to make it easier to access in the early hours when mom is still recovering.
It's also easy to keep clean with machine washable and wipeable fabric. It's also, despite its size and weight (it's on the bulkier side when open), it's relatively lightweight at less than 12kg. It fits neatly into a compact, practical bag that comes with it ideal for trips away from home. It has six different height settings and the ability to tilt the tummy for reflux/colic babies. It's suitable for all sizes of beds. It's also very easy to install and our MFM tester able to get it ready in just 10 minutes. You'll need to buy an additional mattress for it however.
Feeding
It's important that your baby is safe and comfortable when you travel, whether on business or pleasure. While some families might be tempted to use a bassinet or a crib that they own but it's better to purchase one that is specifically made for travel. They are smaller, have mesh sides that permit parents to monitor their babies without disturbing them. They are lightweight enough for easy transport between places. They also meet all safety standards of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and have not been recalled.
If you have to utilize a crib for your bed it is recommended that your child be laid on their backs and that the sleeping surface be free of pillows, blankets, and toys. This type of co-sleeping increases the risk of SIDS. If you must occasionally co-sleep ensure that your baby is asleep and that both you and your partner are dressed and awake.
The bedside cribs available for infants and young children include:
Some are shaped as a mini-crib or Moses basket while others have sides which can be lowered into the parents' bed. This allows parents to reach their child in the middle of the night to comfort and feed their child, and avoid the dangers of co-sleeping. The AAP warns against this because of the danger of being suffocated. Examples include the Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet, a bedside sleeper that attaches to the sides of a mattress for a parent. It can also be an ideal option for older babies because the sides can easily be raised to allow you to reach the infant from the adult bed without lifting them out. Another option is the travel cot with 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 option to sleep comfortably with your newborn. They are set next to your bed, allowing you to easily reach them for feedings and check on their sleep without disturbing them. Some cribs come with a drop-side that can be lowered for this purpose, while others have a height adjustment to ensure they can fit into your bed at home and away.
While it was once advised that infants sleep in their own separate bedroom, there is now a growing preference for parents to sleep with their infants. This arrangement, also known as rooming in, allows infants to be close to their parents, while remaining in their own crib or bassinet. There are bedside travel cot of co-sleepers available like the iCrib, an inflatable crib that is designed to be able to sit on the top of a bed, or a crib. This model has a lightweight frame and a mattress that is removable and it can be folded to make it easy for storage. There is also the Joie Roomie Go crib, that can be attached to the edge of a bed and has 7 height settings that can be adjusted as well as an incline for the tummy to aid in reflux and colic. Our MFM home testers praised the crib for its compact folding design and its ease of use. It's also available in different colours.
There are also bedside cribs, like our Lilly and Alain cribs, that can be put next to a traditional bed frame. They come with a moveable side barrier that slides down so you can take your baby to a night feeding, but the crib is fully enclosed and your baby will sleep soundly throughout this period. These cribs are in compliance with the new BS EN1130:2019 safety standards which require a 120mm separation between your mattress and child's cot.
There are also cribs for travel available. They are specifically designed to be taken along on the road. These are typically much smaller and more compact than standard cribs and are therefore easier to carry in and out of hotels and cars. The Munchkin Brica travel crib, for instance, can be set up and put down in less than one minute, and weighs just 3 pounds, making it easy to carry and lift.