A Great Travel Crib for Baby to Sleep Safely on the Move

As a solo traveler, I prided myself on never checking a bag when flying. But then came baby, and — oof! — he magically made bags and bags of STUFF appear, which his loving parents must now schlepp to all travel destinations. Thankfully, I’ve finally found a way to cut down on baby luggage bulk: we now own the lightest travel crib on the market!

The “phil&teds traveller crib” (yes, that is the correct spelling and punctuation, much as it jars this English teacher to type) weighs a mere seven pounds: far lighter than our baby’s 17-pound bulk. The crib sets up in less than ten minutes, providing a safe, comfy sleep space.

I emphasize “safe” because during travel, we previously slept the baby in a nest made of rolled up towels, which is a suffocation hazard. I emphasize “comfy” because a certain friend has been known to insist, “You don’t need a travel crib — just sleep the baby in a dresser drawer!” Ahem. The “traveller” is the superior option indeed.

Deconstructing the “traveller” crib takes a jiffy, and the whole apparatus packs into a jaunty shoulder bag that slips smoothly into a suitcase or overhead bin on a plane. Why, our baby’s chipmunk cheeks take up more space than this crib! (Those cheeks may even have their own celestial orbit.)

What’s great is that the “traveller” can be used for children up to three years old, so we plan to get ample use out of it. The side panel even zips down so that we can insert a child who is too large to lower easily from above.

My husband and I used the “traveller” crib on our recent Martha’s Vineyard vacation, and cracked up at how fast Devi fell asleep on the cushy inflatable mattress, arms and legs splayed out like a cross between a frog and a snow angel, at peace with the world. (This, despite the fact that his pants were loud enough to wake the neighbors. Sorry, baby — Mommy is a writer, not a fashionista!)

Rest assured (pun!) we shall be taking this phil&teds travel crib with us on our upcoming adventure to Puerto Rico. Until then, the crib will stay set up in my parents’ house so our lad can have a place to snooze when I visit each Sunday to eat three helpings of dinner and devour all the ice cream. Once Devi is crawling (yipes!) we will use the “traveller” to contain his exploits, and during the summer, we’ll pop on the sun shade feature. What a handy new acquisition this crib is!

So what about you? Which baby travel products have proven essential for YOU to cut down on luggage bulk as a parent, and to keep your baby safe and comfortable? Do share.

We were provided with the “traveller” from phil&teds, but all opinions and garish baby fashions are my own.