Traveling with a baby can be overwhelming. Between packing a diaper bag for the length of your stay to packing clothing, toys, bottles, a stroller, and all the other necessities, it can be easy to overlook the sleeping arrangement. Many family members, friends, and hotels will have sleeping options for your baby. However, having a go-to portable baby bed or crib will make traveling much easier.
By owning your own portable baby bed you’ll know how to set it up and have a better time getting your baby to sleep while you’re away from home. These top 10 portable baby beds offer all sorts of at-home comfort while on the road. Plus, they come at affordable prices and store easily in any car or as extra luggage.
Everything to Know About Portable Baby Beds
What is a portable baby bed?
A portable baby bed is anything you use as a sleeping space for your baby. A portable baby bed typically folds or stores nicely, which makes it ideal for travel. With an infant, this may be a bassinet or co-sleeper. With a baby this may be a portable crib, playard, or co-sleeper. Toddlers may graduate to a toddler bed, air mattress, or sleeping in the bed with parents or siblings.
Why a portable baby bed is useful
Many families like to travel with a portable baby bed because it provides a familiar sleeping space for the baby. It can be difficult to get a newborn, infant, or baby to adjust to a new environment and sleep schedule while traveling, and having a sleeping space the baby is familiar with can make it easier to sleep.
Relying on a portable crib or bed at your destination can be questionable, as you won’t know exactly where your baby will sleep until you arrive. By bringing your own bed you’ll know how it assembles, what it needs, and how your baby sleeps in the space before your trip begins.
Must-haves list
- Age-appropriate: is ideal for your child’s age at the time of travel
- Travel-friendly: is easy to carry, easy to assemble, and fits in your luggage or vehicle
- Comfortable: provides all the comforts of home while on the road
- Suits your sleeping arrangement: ideally you want your portable baby bed to copy how your baby sleeps at home, whether that’s in a crib or co-sleeping
Types of portable baby beds
The type of portable baby bed you’ll need depends on your child’s age and the type of sleeping you practice at home. This top 10 list includes the following types of portable baby beds, which accommodate most age ranges and sleeping styles:
- Travel Co-sleepers
- Playards
- Travel cribs
- Bassinets
- Cribs
Top 10 Best Portable Baby Beds
Baby Delight Snuggle Nest Adventure Portable Infant Sleeper
This is a great portable nest bed which is ideal for co-sleeping as well as travel. This nest folds in half and zips into its own backpack. This will keep you from losing the pieces and it stores well. The sturdy walls, breathable materials, and smart design allow you to use this bed almost anywhere. It is perfect for everything from co-sleeping in bed to lounging outside, while you travel, or wherever you’re staying. There’s a bug net and sun canopy which makes this a great option for indoor and outdoor use.
Arm’s Reach Co-sleeper Bedside Bassinet
This co-sleeper could work for a lot of families! It offers co-sleeping along with a bassinet and a playard look. It completely collapses and folds into a carrying case with 3-in-1 functionality. The age range for this product is 0 to 5 months. This gives parents a safe place for their newborn to sleep and a portable baby bed option once they’ve grown old enough to travel. This will also give your baby a comfortable and familiar place to sleep both on the road and at home. It’s designed to be used wherever your family is staying.
ComfyBumpy Bedside Crib Travel Bassinet
This travel bassinet also works as a co-sleeper, as one side folds down and the legs are adjustable to reach the height needed for bedside sleeping. This is a great travel option as a portable baby bed because the side comes down for co-sleeping but also can be folded up for a full portable crib. The neutral color makes this the perfect bed for use at home to match any decor and was designed to be the bassinet and crib you use at home as well as while you’re traveling. It’s a great one-time purchase to ensure your baby gets a great night’s sleep both at home and while away.
Baby Trend Deluxe II Nursery Center
If you’re looking for a portable baby bed that can last through most of your child’s early years, a nursery center is a good option. This takes the practicality of a playard and merges it with a changing table to create a nursery center. This has an insert to raise the floor, creating a safe environment for infants and young babies to sleep, as well as serves as a changing space. The insert can be removed to create a playard for older babies, and the removable canopy offers shade for outdoor use.
Lotus Travel Crib
This is marketed as a travel crib but it’s really a multi-purpose playard. This travel crib will provide a place for your child to play, sleep, and grow! It’s a very simple design that folds to easily collapse and store. The lightweight pieces make it ideal for travel. This is also a great grow-with-me option as older children can still use it. You can use it by laying it on the floor as the main space for the mattress for sleeping. One side zips down for access as well as top access like a traditional playard.
Hibinate Travel Bassinet and Bouncer
Traveling with a 6-month-old can be tricky, as they’re on the move but also need some comforts of home. This travel bassinet converts to a bouncer! This is great for 2-in-1 functionality as well as tending to your child while on the go. The lightweight design and collapsibility makes it easy to travel with this item as well as use it in your house. It’s great for traveling to a friend or family member’s house. However, you can use it in your living room, kitchen, or family room too. The bassinet serves as a sleeping space at night and the bouncer keeps baby happy during the day.
MiClassic 2-in-1 Travel Bassinet
Traveling with a newborn or infant can be tricky, especially when you’re trying to set up a bassinet after a long day of travel. This 2-in-1 travel bassinet is one of the fastest to assemble and travel with, as it has a simple pull up handle in the middle. This bassinet has two modes: stationary and rocker. The rocker helps soothe the baby while you’re away from home. The simple design has mesh sides for airflow and visibility and a neutral color scheme to suit any theme, room, or preference. This is a great travel bassinet for first-time parents or to have as a spare at the grandparents’ or friends’ house.
Graco Pack n’ Play On the Go Playard and Bassinet
One of the go-to options when it comes to portable baby beds is the Graco Pack n’ Play. This portable crib also works as a playard and has an insert to function as a bassinet. It’s available in a range of colors and designs, and each version collapses for easy storage The Pack n’ Play is a very accessible and easy to use item, but it does not have floor access like some other playards on the current market. This is a very reliable option that many families have used for generations.
Flisko 2-in-1 Travel Crib or Bassinet, and Playard
Another great portable baby bed option is something that can convert from a bassinet for younger infants to a crib and playard when the baby is a bit older. This one by Flisko has an insert to elevate the sleeping space for a bassinet style bed and becomes a travel crib and playard for older children. There’s access from the top for a bassinet and crib, and a zippered entry flap on the bottom for floor sleeping and playing. The smaller size and lightweight design makes it easy to transport and store in a truck, car, or as a carry on item with its backpack style carrying case.
There are many portable baby bed options currently available depending on your child’s age and your family’s needs. When choosing a portable baby bed, consider how you are traveling, how you’d like to transport and store the bed, and what use the portable bed can have in your home. Choosing something you’re likely to use at home and while traveling will give you the best product for the price.
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