

You already have enough to think about while travelling with your baby, so the best cots are hassle-free. What to look for when buying a travel cot Instead, limit their use for short trips away and daytime naps. It’s not recommended to use a travel cot regularly for a long period of time, as they’re not designed to support your baby’s development. Can a baby sleep in a travel cot every night? This will depend on the cot you buy – those with a bassinet are designed for newborns up to three months old, while larger options are available for children up to five years old. Travel cots FAQs What age is a travel cot for?

Travel cot mattresses are often thinner and feel harder than those in a permanent cot, but don’t be tempted to place folded blankets or a quilt under the baby to make them more comfortable, as this could cause injury, suffocation or overheating.” Christina Rolles from safe sleep charity The Lullaby Trust recommends: “A travel cot should have a rigid frame and base, and a firm, flat mattress, covered in a waterproof material. Plus, heavier cots tend to be more effort to erect and collapse, and you don’t want to waste precious moments of your holiday in a sweaty mess trying to put up your travel cot.Īll travel cots tested here meet the European Standards for safety, which should always be your first consideration when buying a travel cot. Remember that you’re going to have a lot of other things to carry as well as the cot, and every extra kilo counts. However, size should not come at the expense of portability. Also, if you’re in unfamiliar territory and are travelling with a mini-escape artist, a travel cot with high mesh sides means you can see your child and they can see out, but they’re perfectly safe at all times. And size is another key factor when looking at travel cots, as those with a larger surface area can double up as a playpen in the day. Taking a baby out of their usual safe, strong cot with a supportive mattress and putting them in a shaky cage with a rock-hard or spiky mattress is a fast way to ensure nobody in the family gets much shut-eye.ĭifferent travel cots have different age and weight limits, so consider how many years’ worth of use you want to get from your cot before purchase. While some hotels and Airbnbs promise to provide travel cots for the tiniest members of the family, you’ve no idea how many children have slept on them before your little darlings, or predict what that means for how comfortable and sturdy they are. But if you’re planning a relaxing trip, whether it’s a UK staycation or something more exotic, you can’t skimp on the travel cot.
