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Original poster

Buying a travel cot for actual TRAVEL is a nightmare?!

51 replies

DoveGreylove · 18/04/2019 07:45

I am expecting my first child June/July. We have holiday's booked in September and October and we travel A LOT to see family anyway, so I would like to buy a travel cot in preparation for this. You'd think this would be easy...

But I have found is so hard to find a decent travel cot that we can take on a plane! They all say " travel cot " but so many are bulky, heavy and huge!! There is no way people would take these to the airport. They're to have at your house or put in the boot of your car. What do you do??

Can anyone suggest a good travel cot that would be appropriate for a 2.5 month old to sleep in and logistically acceptable to take to airport and go on a plane?

I do understand they can be checked in - so it would need a decent case/bag that won't rip and ideally not be too bulky and heavy for us to carry along with the rest of our things. It would be amazing if one could actually go in a large suitcase.

I'm so lost! Please help! Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
DoveGreylove · 18/04/2019 08:03

ZsaZsaMc Yeah I guess I might have to. It would make life a lot easier!!

I find it confusing though as everyone says you need to buy a new mattress if you're getting a second hand cot... but it appears to be ok when on holiday to use use hotel cots with a mattress that is god knows how old Shock

OP posts:
thisisthetime · 18/04/2019 08:04

We had the little life arc 2 travel cot which packs up into a backpack and can be carried on the plane. It was massive when open but packed up tiny and very lightweight. But they will check in the big bulky ones too.

Tbh after the pfb stage we ended up just using the cots provided at hotels and was much easier.

BeanBag7 · 18/04/2019 08:06

You could just buy a standard sized mattress and put it into a hotel travel cot. You can ones which fold up fairly small.

We had a tent pop up one which was fine until DD was about 11 months when she learnt how to stand up in it. After that we just used an air bed.

fitzbilly · 18/04/2019 08:06

Just co-sleep, much easier.

You might find you have no choice anyway as babies often refuse to sleep in cots/travelcots.

Original poster
DoveGreylove · 18/04/2019 08:06

GenevaJoey this is my main issue!

If I have to get up regularly for the baby, having them on the floor in a deep travel cot or even one of those little pop up tents would be quite inconvenient so a travel cot that allows baby to be higher up would be amazing.

We will get a snuzpod for home :) it's the only cot that will fit in our bedroom!!

OP posts:
BeanBag7 · 18/04/2019 08:07

www.mothercare.com/travel-cot-mattresses/mothercare-essential-travel-cot-mattress/746295.html?cm_mmc=Google--Nursery--MC-UK-G-Shopping-Nursery-High Priority//Nursery - Promotional--+-+&utmsource=Google&utmmedium=CPC&utmcategory=Google+-+Nursery&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwODlBRDuARIsAMy28UoPyrnDXUImohU4eJ1xEVWNhkCjR8gaYqcttbDjz1crzMZOIbBd8aAm6WEALwwcB&utmcontent=

Lamkin · 18/04/2019 08:11

I had this www.amazon.co.uk/iSafe-Mini-Travel-Bassinet-Canopy/dp/B01JD0ECN
Was very compact and had a bassinet for a newborn.

Lamkin · 18/04/2019 08:12

My link didn't work. Have a look at isafe mini travel cot on Google Smile

Chippychipsforme · 18/04/2019 08:12

We've got a cuggl one. Folds up reasonably small but is heavy - needs to be so they don't tip I guess. The mattress isn't like a normal mattresses though- in hotels, we use their cot but take our own travel mattress.

sleepstealer · 18/04/2019 08:13

We've taken a travel cot but bought an extra bag for it and checked it in to the hold.

Newyearnewunicorn · 18/04/2019 08:13

I second pp who said don’t buy anything until your baby arrives, they may not sleep anywhere other than you. I would identify which ones you would like then order when needed if your baby sleeps independently. Mine slept in his Moses basket or pram but totally refused the travel cot or normal cot.

WhatNow40 · 18/04/2019 08:19

We had a Bugaboo Chameleon prom which, at the time, was suitable to use as a travel cot as well when it was in the newborn stage. This was 7 years ago so you would need to check if it's still made the same. It's a complete lie flat position with mattress.

Then we bought a koo-di pop up tent that we used until about 3 yrs, when DS was articulate enough to complain that he wasn't allowed in our bed on holiday!!

WhatNow40 · 18/04/2019 08:19

*pram not prom Hmm

seven201 · 18/04/2019 08:25

Why don't you buy a travel mattress that you can put in the hotel cot? We have a fold out one from amazon - would easily fit in a suitcase.

widget2015 · 18/04/2019 08:26

We found the little arc tent portable and it is big so lasted a while. The pop up Moses basket was great for when they were little. We put it in the cot provided by the hotel to save us leaning down...

Milkn0sugar · 18/04/2019 08:30

We just organise for a travel cot to be provided the other end e.g. at my in-laws' or a hotel etc. Then we put a sleepyhead delux pod within it to make a comfy bed. Sleepyheads can either go in the flight hold as one of your two baby items (packed into their original plastic case), or they can just go into a large suitcase and you can pack your stuff around it.

Original poster
DoveGreylove · 18/04/2019 08:40

Milkn0sugar thanks. If we end up getting a sleepy head we could definitely do that! But I'm not planning on getting one unless she is a really bad sleeper. Only time will tell!

OP posts:
SoyDora · 18/04/2019 08:46

We just bought a regular sized mothercare travel cot. We travelled a lot and never had any issues, we just checked it in with the airline.

SoyDora · 18/04/2019 08:47

Oh and ours had a bassinet attachment so they were higher up in the cot as a newborn.

SoyDora · 18/04/2019 08:48

Oh and we’re still using it for our third baby when we go away, who is currently 14 weeks!

Lou573 · 18/04/2019 08:48

We had the baby Bjorn one - not cheap but only 6kg and packs up easy to travel. Has been on loads of planes with us.

Smoggle · 18/04/2019 08:54

Take your own fold up travel cot mattress and use the hotel cot.

eurochick · 18/04/2019 08:55

We had a red kite one. It was quite heavy but we just checked it in. Most airlines let you take two pieces of baby equipment for free.

MarthasGinYard · 18/04/2019 08:56

We just had a samsonite pop up thingy in a case it was light as a feather.

Damntheman · 18/04/2019 09:00

My two just slept in the detached carry cot part of their pram until at least 6 months. You can pull it off the pram and put it on a bed or a sofa so it's off the floor. Job done with no extra cost!