The one portable crib you need when you start traveling again
If you’re a parent of a child who is mobile, you know that portable cribs and playards (like the Pack ‘n Play) are super useful. They can be an easy way to contain your mobile baby while you cook dinner, take a shower, or even, in some cases, attempt to get some work done. They can also be a convenient place for a newborn to sleep near your bed before they’re big enough for their own crib in their room, since the AAP recommends room sharing for a minimum of 6 months. They are also great for travel (once this resumes), whether it’s a trip to Grandma’s house, the beach, or camping.
However, in our experience, there are two challenges that we typically see with portable cribs…
They can be a pain to set up - especially as you try to lock all the poles in the right order, since without this step they usually won’t set up properly.
They are also heavy and big to travel with. They definitely don’t fit in a suitcase, and would most likely count as a checked bag on an airplane.
This is why we were so excited that Phil & Teds, a New-Zealand-based company, gave us the opportunity to try out their “traveller” and bassinet accessory.
The Phil & Teds traveller is so easy to set up. Instead of trying to “snap” poles together in a specific order, the traveller is set up with simple poles that slide through loops, similar to how you set up a tent (except on a much smaller scale), and it is easy to figure out which poles go where. After you set it up once and learn how to do it, future set-ups and take-downs can easily be done in just a couple minutes!
Our absolute favorite benefit of the traveller is it’s amazing portability. It packs up easily into the travel bag (about the size of a yoga mat), which can fit into a suitcase with plenty of room for more things! And the best part? It’s less than 7 pounds, which is probably less than your baby! This makes it a no-brainer to take on any trip, whether you’re going by car or plane.
The bassinet accessory is a separate purchase, but so worth it for little babies who can’t roll over yet. It uses the same poles as the traveller, but is a smaller bed that is higher up off the ground. This makes it easier for you to both pick up and put down your baby, rather than bending up and down during all of those middle-of-the-night wake-ups. This bassinet is a great place for your baby to sleep near you in your room during her first few months of life. As for travel, even if you are going to a hotel that provides a crib, this bassinet is such an easy and lightweight item to pack that you won’t need to use the hotel’s crib (which is usually too low to the ground for preference and sometimes even unsafe).
A few additional benefits we found are that both come with their own mattresses and sheets. The traveller’s mattress self-inflates with air, and the bassinet’s mattress is padded. Both are more comfortable than the typical portable crib. The traveller also has zippers, which allow you to bring down one side of the crib. This is nice for little ones who can crawl or walk in themselves. It could even be used as a comfy little reading corner in your nursery!
Basic playards range in price from about $50 to $100, while models with extra features are $100 to $300. Phil & Teds sells their travellers for $150, and the bassinet accessory is an additional $50, which is a great price for the benefits it offers.
You can purchase them through their website or on Amazon.
Right now, healthcare and emergency service professionals working in the frontline get a 33% discount on all Phil & Teds’ products! Email a picture of your work ID to frontline@philandteds.com to get the discount.
Once we all have the opportunity to travel again, the portability of this traveller makes it a no-brainer for us to call this a must-have travel product for parents!
Sidenote:
Another travel-size sleep product you may be interested in is the SlumberPod! This is a cover that goes over your portable crib/toddler bed to block out light and make your little feel like they’re in their own room, even if you have to share a room during travels. Use discount code sweetsleeper10 for $20 off!
