14 Misconceptions Commonly Held About Bedside Crib
Buying a bedside sleeper cot Crib For Travel
The dimensions of this crib are ideal for moms. It's bigger than the Moses Basket, but smaller than a Cot Bed. It's also foldable down to just a quarter of its original size and then put in a handy bag for travel.
Make sure that the crib is intended for sleeping. Toys such as pillows, blankets and pillows can make a child suffocate.
Safety
When you are shopping for a travel cot ensure that the manufacturer complies with all safety standards. A good place to start is the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website, which can inform you whether or not a certain portable crib has been removed from the market. Pick a mattress that's suitable for your baby's crib so it won't slip through the gaps or pose a suffocation risk.
When choosing a crib or bassinet choose one that conforms to the latest safety standards, which were updated in 2022. Avoid cribs that are older or designed for travel or cribs with drop-sides. These cribs haven't been tested, and may pose a risk to your baby's safety.
A travel crib must be well-constructed and sturdy. Examine 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 ensure proper air circulation. The crib's slats should not be more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart, to prevent baby's head or limbs from being trapped. Also, do not put pillows, blankets, stuffed animals or toys in the crib. These items can suffocate or strangle your baby and should be removed from the crib as soon as your child is able to pull up on their knees and hands or before 5 months of age or 5 months, whichever is first.
It is also essential to check regularly for broken or loose screws and hardware, especially when traveling with your infant. Take all plastic out of the crib as well.
If you're using a portable crib, be sure it's not right under windows. A window could be an injury from falling and your baby may be injured if they roll into it. It is recommended to keep your baby's room away from windows, even if they are old enough to roll over. It's important to wake up your baby when they begin to roll over during sleep.
Portability
Portable cribs (or playards which is what they're sometimes referred to as) are a great choice for those who are going on vacation, having guests over, or just needing a safe crib to use for a sleepover with friends. These playards fold up and have an extremely comfortable mattress that can hold babies up to 15kg. They are easy to assemble and compact once closed.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a favorite among MFM home testers, who love the fact it can be folded down and stored in several minutes and its easy-to-use 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 decent weight, weighing just under 15 pounds, and it comes with standard handles instead of a backpack-style strap which some prefer to carry around.
The Joie Kubbie Sleep is another excellent alternative. It combines a bedside bassinet and crib into one compact unit. It is ideal for overnight stays during holidays and with family and friends. It's not the most affordable, but it has an abundance of features that are all-dancing and all-singing like a storage basket and soothing night lights that change colour as well as white noise and lullabies to aid your baby to fall asleep and its bassinet is higher than the majority to make it easier to use during the early days when mum is still recovering.
It's also easy to keep clean, with machine washable and wipeable fabric. And, despite its size and weight (it's on the bulkier side when it's open) it's light at less than 12kg. It slots neatly into a compact, convenient travel bag that comes with it - perfect for trips away from home. It comes with six height settings that include the tilt of the tummy for reflux/colic babies, and is able to fit beds of all sizes. It is also very easy to set up. Our MFM tester was able to set it up in only 10 minutes. You'll need to purchase a separate mattress for it however.
Feeding
When you travel for business or pleasure it's crucial to keep your baby comfortable and safe when traveling. It's better to purchase a travel-specific crib or bassinet than to use one that you already have. These are smaller and have mesh sides that permit parents to monitor their children without disturbing them and are light enough for simple transport between places. These also meet the safety standards of American Academy of Pediatrics and have not been recalled.
If you are required to use a crib beside your bed it is recommended that you place your baby on their back. The bed should be free of pillows, blankets and stuffed toys. Co-sleeping can increase the risk of SIDS. If you must co-sleep on occasion, ensure that you do it only while your baby is asleep and you are completely dressed and awake.
The kinds of cribs for newborns and young babies include:
Some are designed to look like a mini-crib or Moses baskets, while others have sides which can be put into parents' bed. This lets parents access their child in the middle of the night to comfort and feed their child, and avoid the dangers of sleeping with their child. The AAP cautions against this due to the danger of suffocation. The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet is a bedside sleeper which attaches to a parent's mattress. This is a great option for older children since the sides can be elevated so that you can reach the infant without having to lift them out of bed. The travel cot with an integrated crib that can be removed enables you to lift a sleeping baby up for feeding or for care.
Sleeping
rocking bedside Crib cribs let you co sleeper bedside cot-sleep safely with your baby. They are placed next to your bed to allow you to easily reach them for feedings and check on their sleep without disturbing them. Some cribs have an adjustable drop-side that you can lower to make it easier for you to do this, while others have a height adjustment to ensure they can be placed in your bed at home or away.
Although it was previously advised that infants sleep in their own separate bedroom, there's a growing trend for parents to co-sleep with their infants. This arrangement, referred to as rooming in, allows infants to remain close to their parents while remaining safely separated in their own crib or bassinet. There are a variety 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 mattress that can be removed and it can be folded to make it easy for storage. It also comes with the Joie Roomie Go crib, that is attached to the edge of a bed. It includes 7 adjustable height positions and an incline for the tummy to aid in reflux and colic. The crib was loved by our MFM home testers for its convenience and compact folding. it comes in a variety of colours.
There are also freestanding bedside cot used cribs like our Lilly or Alain that you can put next to the standard bed frame. They come with a moveable side barrier that can slide down to allow you to pick your baby up for night feeding, but the crib is self-contained and your baby will be sleeping comfortably throughout this time. These models meet the new BS EN1130:2019 safety standards that require a 120mm barrier between your mattress and child's crib.
Travel cribs are also available. They are specifically designed to be taken along on the road. These are typically much smaller and more compact than a standard crib and are therefore easy to transport into and out of cars and hotels. Munchkin Brica, for example can be assembled in just a few minutes and folded down in just three pounds. It is therefore easy to lift and move.