Frequent Travel and Sleeping Arrangement with Babies

Pack and Plays can be bulky and hard to carry around. I started traveling with my son when he was 2 months old. We went coast to coast frequently as well as to Mexico, etc. ~ The BEST invention I ever came across was from Leaps & Bounds or One Step Ahead both are catalogs: it is called the "Pea Pod", a cushy travel bed for babies and kids. It has an inflatable mattress that keeps the baby off the floor. It comes with a hand pump that is packable, and according to their description "comfier than a play yard and easier to carry (it folds into a compact tote, about the size of a large dinner plate) Unlike other baby beds, kids can use it for years - it lies on as a play tent! Great for outdoors; the mesh enclosure blocks wind, bugs and 50% of UV rays. Sleeping bag, tote and air pump included. 5 min assembly. 52'L x 34'w x 25" h. For birth to 6 years., or up to 49" long." My son used this Pea Pod until he was 3.5 years old. The cost is $89.95 and trust me, I am 5' 2" and I crawled in there to see how comfortable it was and I was impressed! LOL This Pea Pod was one of the best things I ever bought for my child! I ended up passing it on to a neighbor with a 2 year old who goes camping alot and they have had a blast with it. You can see this product at www.onestepahead.com and the product # is13763
Good luck and feel free to ask any other questions you have ~ I will be happy to answer them.

1 mom found this helpful

We have three and we have done a lot of traveling. Go for the pack & play. You would be surprised how long they can sleep in there. Good luck!

We use a baby bjorn travel bed. Our 13 month old is still using it. My nieces who are 2 1/2 still use theirs. They have figured out how to get in it but not out of it. It's big enough that I've actually crawled in there to play with my daughter. It folds up neatly (although it takes a little practice) but is a bit pricey.

Look at onestepahead.com for their PeaPod. It is a mini tent with a blow up mattress (there is a pump with it). It folds and stores very small. We LOVE ours and my son has been using it since 3 months old. He is almost 2, and I think could use it for at least another year or so. Plus, with the zipper, he can't get out of it and wonder yet, and get in any trouble.

My son is 19 months and pretty tall for his age (34") and he still sleeps Evenflo playard when we visit friends. I think he might grow out of it by the time he's 2, but that's still a ways off. I would agree w/ everyone who said to look for one with relatively large dimensions, and it should be fine for quite awhile.

My daughters used the pack-n-play until they were 2 years old. I didn't not have "climbers" so they didn't figure out how to get out until they were well past 24 months old. I think it would be a good investment. I would check the consignments shops like "kid to kid" to find a good used one at a cheap price.

if the bed is going to stay there, how about a port a crib? it's bigger. My parents have one at their house-and it worked until she was about 3. (or they climb out-what ever is 1st)

There are two sizes of pack'n plays. The mini ones are very small! But my huge babies (97th percentile for height) could sleep in one until they were almost two.

Look on Craigslist, there are tons for sale usually! I got a super fancy shmancy one for $50. My SIL recommended one that has a full bassinet. It just raises the mattress up off the bottom so it's much easier to get the baby out. Ours only has a half bassinet, and my 4 month old (90th percentile) has to sleep diagonally now. But a full bassinett is twice that size. I saw lots of those for $20-$30 when I was looking (the seller thought the one she sold me had a full bassinet, but she was wrong andn I had already driven way out there to buy it!)

We just got back from a 2 1/2 week trip with ours, and another nice feature of the bassinet thing is that you can store a few things underneath it. We stuck our packs of diapers and other light things there. I also loved having a changing table (another available pack 'n play feature)

Good luck!

The pack and plays HAVE gotten smaller! Sheesh! I saw one in babiesrus the other day and couldnt believe how different it looks than mine that is 6 years old. My son sleeps in one when we travel and he is almost 3 and a big 3 year old at that. Yes, he is probably ready to out grow it...but your 5 month old should have years left of sleep in a pack and play.Keep looking, there has got to be bigger ones still being made. Maybe look for an older one on craigslist.

My daughter slept in a pack n play until she was almost 3!! She LOVED that thing! Some people have problems with their kids climbing out of the crib... She would climb INTO the pack n play to hang out. It sounds like just the ticket for you guys.

I used the pack and play with my son until he was 2 1/2. My 17 month old is sleeping in one tonight. (BTW I bought mine on craigslist for $20)

I would go with the pack and play. My daughter had one and it was great for traveling, that's all we really ended up using it for. She was able to sleep in it until she was just over 2 and was in a "big kid bed". You would be surprised how much room there is in there and how little room they need to sleep. If you can find a good deal on one then it's worth the investment. Plus you can easily sell it once you don't need it any more since most people use them.

would get th pack and play. My son slept in one till he was 2-2.5..... He is a very tall child. My 17 month old daughter is now sleeping in it when we travel. Good luck

I used a pack & play at our weekend lake house for over a year with my daughter. They can sleep in it for a while without outgrowing it. I would recommend buying the actual matress for it (at BRU) since I thought the bottom of the P&P was way too hard.

After that time, you can buy an inflatable toddler bed. My sister took one with her to Italy last year. My niece loves it. There are various models/prices on the internet for that sort of thing.

The pack n Play worked fine for us until about 16 - 20 months when the boys tried to climb out of it. Still, it was for travel that was about 1-5 times a year. I can't imagine it's very comfortable for frequent use. What about a cheap crib?

Good morning T., I use a pack and play for one of my 14 month old's in my daycare for when she spends the night, and she has plenty of room. J.

At Grandma and Grandpa's, my son sleeps in a large pack and play at age 3.

My son three still sleeps in the pack n play occasionally, now my kids are a little shorter (15% for height) but he still has room. My daughter now five sleeps in a little fun kids tent when we travel with a sleeping bag and pillow. Makes it a little more fun. But you should get a few years out of a pack n play especially if you plan on having another one.

Graco makes a larger square shaped pack n play. It costs about $80-$100. I think you might be able to find it online at Walmart, Target, USA Baby, etc. My Mom bought ours at one of those speciality baby stores in Orange County. But I know I have seen it online. You might also want to see if you can get a used one through craigslist. I have seen the same one we have listed there a few times.

We used it with our son until he turned 2 and with our daughter until just recently (she will turn 3 in a few weeks). Once they moved into their big kid beds, we no longer used it for them when we travelled. Ours is now being passed on down to my cousin who is expecting her 5th baby girl in a few months :).

Updated

Here is what ours looks like.

http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Pack-TotBloc-Playard-Quilt/dp...

Pack n Play.

My 22mo old daughter still sleeps in a pack n play on vacations and at friends houses. She is VERY tall for her age and I even put a pillow in it and she is fine. As she gets older, invest in some sort of blow up mattress b/c the pack n play can be hard on even a 22mo olds back.