Product Review: Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light
This is an unpaid and unsolicited review of the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
We don't usually bring a travel crib with us when we travel. Instead, in an effort to travel light, we co-sleep when we're on the road. Still, with more warnings about the dangers associated with co-sleeping as recently as January, I recognize that not every parent is willing to make that trade off. Similarly, while we've been willing to use hotel cribs at our destination, not every parent feels comfortable doing so (and not every hotel crib lives up to current safety standards).
People often ask me about different travel cribs, and I thought it would be helpful to review the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
Size and Weight
At just 11 pounds, the Baby Bjorn felt incredibly light to me, especially when I compared it to my Graco Pack n Play (weighing in at 21 pounds or more depending on model)
All fabric parts can be zipped off and machine washed.
Setup
As I pulled the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib out of its carry bag, the spring loaded poles started to pop into place. Before I had a chance to dig out the instructions the frame was assembled, and it seemed obvious that I would insert the mattress with the "this end down" side down and be done. It was a refreshing change to set up a new piece of baby equipment for the first time without a struggle. In contrast, I have set up our Pack n Play once or twice on my own, but I usually leave that job to my husband because, frankly, it frustrates me.
Use
The crib felt sturdy once set up, and the mattress was more padded, and seemed more comfortable than the Pack n Play mattress. D, who is almost 2 1/2 fit easily in the crib, while E (almost 4) seemed a little cramped. The company recommends that children over 35 inches tall or big enough to climb out of the crib not use it.
Unlike my Pack n Play model, there was no bassinet, so with a very young baby you would reach all the way down to the ground to pick up or put down the child. That's fine for a travel crib, but as an extra crib to use at home, the bassinet (and the changing table) that came with my Pack n Play were features I really used a lot.
The crib was just as easy to disassemble as it had been to assemble, and while I struggled to fit it back in its case on the first try, once I figured out how to position the leg poles, it slid in easily on subsequent tries.
Cost
The BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
Conclusion
Overall this was a very well designed product and seemed sturdy enough to hold up to lots of use and frequent travel. The fact that it was streamlined to make it light would make it great for road trips, or even as a checked bag on an airplane, but also meant that it did not have all the bells and whistles to be a great extra crib at home.
Amazon: BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
Favorite Baby Travel Gear
18 comments |
Posted on March 8, 2009 |
Save to del.icio.us
Subscribe to our feed
Comments
Sharlene on March 9, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
I co-sleep if I have to but I prefer to use a porta crib just because I don't like being kicked in the neck all night. This model is way out of my price range but it sounds nice for the low, low, price of free. I will have to check out the giveaway tomorrow. Thank you for your honesty.
marcie on March 9, 2009 at 6:06 p.m.
This product might be nice for cartrips but I would never even think about bringing a travelbed on a plane. I wouldn't want to pay the extra bag fee or carry an 11 lb travelbed through an airport, but to each her own.
I have a friend who used the PeaPod travel bed for her infant. It's less than 6 lbs and folds small enough to put in your checked bag. It's also about 1/5 the price of the BabyBjorn. The PeaPod wouldn't fit my 2.5yo but my DD has slept in a twin bed alone at least part time since she was 17mos when we stopped fulltime cosleeping.
One of my DDs LOVED the BabyBjorn carrier until she outgrew it and my 2.5yo still uses the BabyBjorn potty. I've been happy with the company's other products so I imagine that this would be a wellmade travelbed.
Debbie on March 9, 2009 at 9:40 p.m.
@Sharlene LOL, yes ... some kids are just more active at night than others! My daughter slept with us much more than my son mostly because I didn't have to sleep with her foot on my nose all the time.
@marcie I've heard great things about the PeaPod travel bag too... though I admit, I'm a little freaked out by the whole air-mattress thing after this CPSC warning http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/pr...
(though probably it's fine because it is designed for infants specifically). The price is certainly attractive too!
We have had great luck with the BabyBjorn products too - I love the clover shaped feeding bowl. It seems like a silly thing, but it's just much more nicely designed than the other baby bowls we had & ended up being the only one we really used.
Enjoying Travel With Kids on March 14, 2009 at 10:42 p.m.
I haven't seen this brand before. We have used a Phil and Ted's T2 portacot (and lent it to MANY friends) and found it to be wonderful. At 2.5kg and very compact - much more so than the product you reviewed - it easily fit in our luggage. On the occasions where we have had to co-sleep with our kids, one of us always has to draw the short straw and sleep with "the washing machine" (she moves around that much!), knowing that they will get very little sleep and be tired and crabby the next day. I vote for a portacot over that any day!
Kaisa Mackie on March 17, 2009 at 2:36 p.m.
I co-slept with my daughter until 3-4mths old, now, at 9mth she has to be in a crib by herself or she wants to be up. This seems like the perfect solution because it is lightweight and would keep her contained. PacknPlay's weigh too much and we will be taking a trip to CA to stay with my brother who does not have kids.. Althoguht this does take up space, for this longer trip where I want to check a bag, i can put it in the large suitcase where I can put my liquids and a few other personal items and away we go. I like that you showed a picture of your kids in there with their ages - another review stated this was 'small", but it is actually longer than my pack n play. I hope I win! Sunny CA here I come!
Zenet on March 25, 2009 at 7:33 a.m.
I feel comfortable sleeping with baby..and prefer Bjorn carriers as comfortable option!
Christine on May 20, 2009 at 9:17 a.m.
I do bedshare with my 5 month old daughter but there are times when I will be in a foreign country where it would be nice to know I have a safe place for her to take naps. Perhaps I can just lay her on the floor on a blanket but with all the media attention on SIDS risks it will be hard to feel she is safe unless I am in the same room with her. I may buy one of these instead of a 2nd pack and play for my nanny share situation. When I travel to NY, Provence, London and Aruba in the next few months she will hopefully have a "stable" place to sleep. Wish the price tag was more reasonable.
Alysha on June 7, 2009 at 8:30 p.m.
I agree that it is a pricey option but sometimes when travelling, sleeping with a baby/toddler and a husband in a double bed isn't the most comfortable option - and neither is carting around a tree trunk play pen. A friend asked me to look into finding a used baby bjorn crib light but not having much luck which is too bad, I really like the streamlined design of these but not willing to drop $300CAD. Wish me luck on the search!
Sarah on July 16, 2009 at 12:29 p.m.
Thank you for your review. I'm seriously considering getting this model of travel cot. I always thought we'd just co-sleep with the baby while traveling (she's 7 months old and sleeps in her own crib now at home, but we decided we'd rather get kicked all night in a hotel bed than travel with ONE MORE BABY THING) but have since changed our mind. We live in Europe and haven't yet encountered a queen- or king-sized bed in a hotel here that isn't actually two twin beds stuck together, so there's always that gap in the middle. I've been filling it with rolled towels so far but it's still inconvenient and uncomfortable. There's no room for three in these European beds. The two times I've requested the hotel-provided travel bed I've been disappointed. The first had a mattress that was anything but tight-fitting, and our baby was still small enough that we worried about SIDS. The second was just kind of grungy with baby food stuck to it, etc from a previous guest. So it looks like there's going to be yet another accessory in the family!
kat on July 20, 2009 at 10:44 a.m.
I just ordered one of these, though at a cheaper price, I guess because we`re in Europe. From the research I`ve done this travel crib beats any competition. Thanks for the images with children inside, now I know we can use it until at least the 2 yr. mark.
Nina on October 2, 2009 at 10:49 p.m.
We have this crib and we LOVE it. We were debating between this and the Phil and Ted's crib. We have taken it on a 2 week roadtrip, flown with it to Washington/Vancouver, and will probably drag it along to NY. I also drag it over to my mom's when she is going to babysit. It is so easy and fast to set up. The Graco playpen thing we had was so cumbersome, heavy, and noisy when the baby moved in his sleep (waking himself up).
While I understand some people like to cosleep, our very mobile active son can be restrained in this little crib and we can put him to sleep and he can turn over and get into his comfortable position. For peace of mind it is just great.
I remember going to a motel and this lady was incensed that they didn't have a baby crib that she could use. They had all of 2 and they were already out in use. She was like "Where is my baby going to sleep?" We were glad we had the travel crib with us.
For ease of set up, comfort, weight etc, it's been great so far and for those who worry about the price, I bet you could get back more than half selling it on craigslist. But for us, I'm sure to use it (hopefully for our next!) for a while yet. Great to see that it works to toddlerhood.
Melanie on June 3, 2010 at 7 a.m.
We co-sleep, but my son goes to bed at 7pm and we do not. He sleeps in his own bed until we come to bed. I just don't feel safe leaving him in a 3 foot tall bed alone when he has no fear of walking right off the edge. I'm also not willing to screw up his scheadule during the trip so he can go to bed when we do.
I was considering this http://tinyurl.com/24eulkt
Since it's much cheaper and has storage, good wheels and telescoping handle. If it's going to take up a luggage spot it may as well function as luggage. I'm pretty sure I can get all of my son's stuff in there and everything will be put away already when we get there.
Debbie on June 3, 2010 at 7:06 a.m.
Melanie,
Great suggestion - I'll see if I can get one to review. One quick note - the Jeep play yard is 33 pounds! That's significantly heavier than the other options.
Renee on June 28, 2010 at 10:55 a.m.
Well I just bought the Baby Bjorn travel crib and I freaking LOVE IT. For the frustration and time spent trying to fold up my old pack n' play, this is well worth the money. I have no patience for things that make me pull my hair out, no matter how little they cost.
We are moving out of town and will be travelling back to visit many times throughout the year (at people's homes) and we needed a reliable travel crib. (Hotel cribs are much too small.) It is so lightweight and much more compact than a regular playpen. It takes less than a minute to set up and fold up again. I loooove it!
katie on May 25, 2012 at 4:10 a.m.
I own one of these and my nearly 2 year old sleeps so well in it.i am only 5 foot tall and as it is lower then the big ones I was easily able to put her in it from very little. In Australia the cot isn't inc in weight for luggage. I have flown with this many a time and find it quite easy to carry even with other luggage and bub on my own. Also finds that it sits beautifully on the toddler seat (under) my Phil and Ted pram. LOVE THIS PRODUCT and use it VERY often.
Chana on February 20, 2014 at 9:27 a.m.
can someone please tell me how this compares to the phil & teds travel crib. trying to find info comparing the 2. thanks!
LW on August 13, 2014 at 8:01 p.m.
Please tell me your "trick" to getting the legs just right so the Baby Bjorn Travel Light fits back in the case. I did better the first three times I tried it than now and really need some guidance. Thank you.
Michelle on November 27, 2015 at 9:31 a.m.
I want to thank you for showing the pictures of your toddlers in the Baby Bjorn. I have an 18 month old who we are taking on vaca and I was so worried about whether he would fit properly in this crib and couldn't find any photos or videos of toddlers in it. This was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you