Product Spotlight - Cribs, travel cribs, sleeping surfaces

galactickates · June 2018

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... Cribs, travel cribs, sleeping surfaces.

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.

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What you don't like about it, if anything: Is there a [Cribs, travel cribs, sleeping surfaces] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
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To view past Product Spotlights or view the upcoming schedule, see here:

Https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VpirQLqoWOgVefTUVQLuh0wcdlL3kKfjcp2_aaZd6Bk/edit#gid=0

(Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!)

saltedcaramel518 · June 2018

We borrowed a crib that my SIL used for her son, so I can’t comment on what brand it is, etc. I’ll also go ahead and admit that it’s a crib with a now-outlawed drop side, but we put the drop side against the wall and haven’t had any problems.

Travel: We use a pack n play. Totally worth the purchase for us because our families live 2.5 hours away, and we visit them often. DS is 2 and is just now trying to climb out of it. The one we have has the bassinet attachment for the top, but we never used it.

Rock n play: Everyone’s holy grail

So, we used the RnP for DS to sleep in for the first few months. It was so easy to move from room to room; we put it in our bedroom at night. I thought it was the best thing ever, but I will not use it for this baby (at least not for nighttime sleep). DS had the worst time transitioning from it. He screamed and screamed when we would try to get him to sleep on a flat surface. I’m not repeating that.

So, does anyone have a suggestion on a flat bassinet? I’ve heard good things about the Halo Bassinest and Arm’s Reach co sleeper.

OR has anyone put their babies in the crib from day 1? I’m a bit intimidated to try that, but baby’s room is steps from ours, and I honestly didn’t like having DS in our room because I would wake up at every little grunt.

pttomato · June 2018

We had an IKEA SNIGLAR crib and used a pack and play at my parents house and for traveling.

Crib-Pros: Inexpensive, no varnish or paint
Cons: DD climbed out at 16 months. I haven’t compare the depth with other cribs but it’s possible it’s shallower than other cribs.

Pack and Play-Pros: portable, good price (easy to find used as well)
Con: The mattress is fairly hard, bulky and heavy for traveling with, DD climbed out at 15 months

My sister has a Lotus travel crib and loves it. I am considering getting one to have at our house and for travel.

We started DD in the crib from day1 and she never slept well in it. I spent a lot of time awake holding her upright so she would sleep. I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of letting her sleep in the rock and play.

kiwieloping · June 2018

Thoughts on dock-a-tot? I've read all the warnings but a couple friends swear by it.

skilouise · June 2018

Has anyone used the Snoo? It's expensive even when it's on sale, but has good reviews and sounds awesome in theory. I don't do well at all with sleep deprivation, so if the Snoo works as well as advertised it would be pretty tempting.

sushilove15 · June 2018

AshVA said:

Has anyone used the Snoo? It's expensive even when it's on sale, but has good reviews and sounds awesome in theory. I don't do well at all with sleep deprivation, so if the Snoo works as well as advertised it would be pretty tempting.

I’m curious about this too!

Blonde1817 · June 2018

I'm also curious about the snoo! DS was a terrible sleeper for a long time, especially early on. If I could avoid that it would be a worthy investment!

Also, on the dockatot... it wasn't a miracle worker but it definitely helped. DS had a strong startle reflex for a long time so it really helped with being able to put him down without waking, especially when we could no longer swaddle. We will definitely be using again from day 1, especially since we have a king size bed now! We didn't get it for DS until maybe 8 weeks and I wish I had it earlier.

julesf817 · June 2018

I used the arms reach cosleeper for the first 6 months and it was great. Only down side i found is the price of the sheets for it, kinda hard to find too. Otherwise I loved the size in our small room, and the portability.

rooonilwaazlib · June 2018

Can I ask about bassinets on this thread? Has anyone had experience with the Halo bassinet swivel sleepers? I've heard they're heavy but really great, especially for newborn stages... There are different models but they're all essentially the same (maybe).

Link to an example here for reference.

skilouise · June 2018

@rooonilwaazlib A good friend of mine used one for both of her kids and absolutely loved it. It's actually sitting in our basement storage closet now lol. The one downside I would note (not having used it yet myself) is that it's definitely on the large side. Because it sits fairly high, the base legs spread fairly wide in order to keep it stable.

rooonilwaazlib · June 2018

@ashva yeah that's what I've read/heard. People saying they bang their foot on the base legs in the middle of the night. Trying to logistically figure out if it'd work next to my bed! I love the idea of it though, and how you can "co-sleep" without truly co-sleeping. We have two cats who I don't trust to not shmush the kid in the middle of the night, or really I don't trust myself either. I'm a thrasher in my sleep!

KLS123 · June 2018

AshVA sushilove15 Blonde1817 I am also curious if anyone has first hand experience with the Snoo. I had a neighbor selling theirs for about half the price as they are retail and she gave me all the extra covers, sleep sacks, etc. so I bought it and yes it was still expensive but after doing some research seemed worth a try. Also I figure if we hate it I can always sell it used for what I paid for it second hand to begin with.

katethemom · June 2018

@saltedcaramel518 We used the arm's reach cosleeper with DS for the first 4 months, and it was great. Unfortunately, we gave it away to a family member a couple years ago, and I don't think they have it anymore. Guess we're going to have to get another one.

Mandamay1414 · June 2018

DD slept in the Rock n Play for the first 3 months, then slept in a Pack n Play until she was almost 1. We lived in a 1 Br apt in Boston for the first 10 months of her life, so we didn't have any room for a crib. We live in a 2 br house now, but will use a pack n play in our room until #2 sleeps through the night and can move in with DD. I will prob get the pnp with the changing station attachment, this time.. mostly so I don't have to rearrange all the furniture in my upstairs.

mamadaisy13141619 · June 2018

I loved having a rock n play. Not for sleeping at night, but to have a place in our main living areas for the baby to sleep or just not be on the floor. I finally got one with my third and I loved it. She napped it all the time or one of her big sisters could rock her in it if she was fussy and I couldn't get her right them. Definitely looking forward to using it again this time!

As far as night time, I have used the Arms Reach mini cosleeper and it nice. I also have a wooden sided bassinet type thing. Basically a mini crib. That worked well too.

Just used a basic crib after that.

I would like to know what people liked for travel with smaller babies? I always just used a pack n play with the bassinet feature but it always seemed like a big hassle when they were tiny. Any other suggestions?

sfgiantsgamerbabe · June 2018

I didn’t have a RnP but we did have a Graco swing that you can detach and becomes something similar. DS lived in it for 5 months. At 5 months, he was finally ready for his crib. The mattress we used for his crib was a Sealy Baby Firm Rest and it worked well for us. We used a Pack N Play (my parents bought it for their house but we borrowed it for travel)for when we traveled. We just bought a cushy cover so the mattress wasn’t so hard.

rooonilwaazlib · September 2018

Resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has done more research on and/or decided on a bassinet for baby?

Right now I am between a Halo and Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper (the 3-in-1 that's also a mini playard)....with the Graco Dream Suite (flips over to a changing table) or the Chicco Lullago as other options. I've read all the studies about breastfeeding and co-sleeping but it still scares the daylights out of me to have the baby in our bed all night long. We have 2 cats and we both move in our sleep. Co-sleeping mamas can spare the attestations about how you're so in tune with the baby that you always know what they're up to. My baby brother died of SIDS in the late 80s so it really just isn't an option for me.

I like the Halo and Arm's Reach Co-Sleepers for the co-sleeping-like features but they're on the pricey side. I hate the idea of having something that expensive that only gets used a few months but they both seem so great. I've considered the Chicco Lullago or Graco Dream suite too, but the Graco isn't cheap either. I would consider a full pack n play with the bassinet topper but we don't have the space on either side of the bed for it, and I want kiddo at the bedside and not foot of the bed for at least the first few months. I might have a regular pack and play and keep it at the foot of the bed when it's too big for bassinet if I don't want him in the crib (another room) yet.

To sum up, the ones I'm looking at are:

$$$ - Halo co-sleeper (maybe one of the models with vibration/music option)
$$$ - Arms Reach Co-Sleeper (3-in-1)
$$ - Graco Dream Suite (flips over to be changing table)
$.5 - Chico Lullago (cheaper but no frills)

Opinions plz, as well as others you have experience with/are considering!

tosh24 · September 2018

@rooonilwaazlib Graco also makes a Travel Lite Crib which is smaller than a playpen so it may fit beside your bed? There's also the option of a good ol' fashioned cradle. My uncle made a small wooden one for my mom when she was expecting me and it got used for me, my sisters, and all my cousins lol! I used it for DD and DS when they were newborns. Just kept it beside my bed. Anyway, you can find lots on local buy and sells and just buy a new mattress for it. I was tempted by all the fancy features of the Halo and Arm's Reach too, but honestly, I don't know if they're worth the price. The wheels, maybe, but everything else....I dunno. Like, why do I need the basket to swing and sit on my mattress when having the cradle right beside my bed close enough to hear baby's breath works just fine (and I don't need anything else taking up room IN my bed). And all those vibration and music features? No thanks....I'm not using those at night with my face beside the bassinet because then *I* won't sleep. I've found sometimes that simple is better. I mean, my poor, immigrant grandparents kept my aunt in a dresser drawer on the floor when she was a newborn lol!

kerryann124 · September 2018

Hey all, a friend recommended the Chico Lullago to me, so I will probably be getting that one. For us, I think it makes the most sense as I don't think they are in the bassinet for very long, and its nice a portable so we can bring it on short trips. I do know one person with the Snoo and they love it though!

kns1988 · September 2018

I only splurged on one baby item for DS, and it was the Lotus travel crib. I am obsessed with it. It was totally worth the money, and it's really light weight, easy to set up, and fits in overhead compartments of airplanes. https://www.guavafamily.com/products/lotus-everywhere-travel-crib?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1NKhle6h3QIVz1qGCh1upw62EAQYASABEgKPDPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Another favorite purchase for babies up until about 4-5 months old is the Brica fold 'n go travel crib. It makes life so easy: https://www.amazon.com/BRICA-Fold-Travel-Bassinet-Brica/dp/B00MH7VAIU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1536081801&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=brica+fold+n+go+travel+crib

kns1988 · September 2018

@roonilwazlib-2 we just built the crib directly in our room until DS was 6 months old, and then we moved it to his room. The bonus of that was that he was always used to his crib, so the transition was easy. If you're going with a cosleeper product, I have a lot of trust in the Halo brand. They seem to take safe sleep very seriously.

parentingishard · September 2018

Another plug for the Lotus travel crib. We still use it for DD1 who is 2.5. Very easy for travel and it's larger than most travel cribs so my tall DD is comfortable in it.

We are going to try the doc-a-tot this go-around but not the Snoo. DD1 slept in a RNP for the first 11 weeks or so and then went straight to her crib.

saltedcaramel518 · September 2018

I really wanted to try the Halo Bassinest this time, but couldn’t justify the cost. I was looking on FB marketplace for a used one. Last week, my cousin told me that I could borrow hers. Win!

rooonilwaazlib · September 2018

@kns1988 @parentingishard how feasable do you think the lotus would be for a newborn as a replacement bassinet in our room in first few weeks? I don't relish the idea of bending all the way down to grab the baby multiple times per day/night. Does it have a bassinet feature which is higher up?

kmvisioli · September 2018

We used a pack n play with the bassinet attachment in our bedroom the first six months or so, then moved baby upstairs to their own crib once they were only waking up once a night for feedings. We did some naps in the crib first to help the transition. (Edit to add: we did not use the bassinet attachment the whole first 6 months, just until they outgrew it.)

We we tried the rock n play, but really wasn’t a fan.

I had a different mattress for DS1 and DS2&3, and much prefer the ones we had the second time around: the Simmons Kids Naturally foam crib mattress. It is super lightweight which makes changes crib sheets so much easier, and honestly still looks brand new 2 years and a million sheet changes later.

kns1988 · September 2018

@rooonilwaazlib it looks like you can buy a bassinet conversion kit bundle with the travel crib, but then it's getting pretty pricey. Bending over would be difficult if you have a C-section, but otherwise, it might not be so bad.

https://www.guavafamily.com/products/lotus-bassinet

parentingishard · September 2018

@rooonilwaazlib the Lotus has a zipper so you can put the baby back in without bending over the side. I do not think it's ideal in the newborn phase unless you have a platform bed yourself because you'd have to get on the ground to put the baby in the crib. It has come in handy when traveling to avoid the inevitable wake-up when placing a baby down in a crib, but I wouldn't want to do it every night for months.

VallieS86 · September 2018

For our first one we had her in a bassinet for about 6 weeks then transitioned her to her crib. I think we'll probably do the same thing for this little one. Got the bassinet from a coworker of my husbands, we used it , let my sil use it then got it back from them. I think we only paid around 50 bucks so that's nice. And no clue what kind it is. Lol.

greenhillgirl · September 2018

rooonilwaazlib I'm sorry to hear about your brother.

I was considering the same options and talked to a good friend with a 1 year old. She found that the co-sleepers didn't actually make a big difference in getting so close to the bed, even though she had a c-section. She said she found a pack n play with a bassinet at a yard sale and wished she had just used that from the beginning.

We just got this at Baby Depot/Burlington https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Pack-Play-Playard-Pasadena/dp/B004Y9AKZI in a different color.

We will get a basic Ikea crib that converts to a toddler bed for when baby is older.

I'm watching the baby budget and I really like that for $65 or less you can have something you can use in your bedroom, maybe in living room when baby is older, and for travel. I will be keeping it right up next to our bed for the first few months at least.

mtengl · September 2018

Sorry to revive this thread. But I was wondering what matteress everyone was using in their cribs. We still haven’t bought ours but plan on it this upcoming week.

I was looking at the following:
Milliard Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed Mattress | Hypoallergenic + Waterproof Encasement | 27.5"x52"x5" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EV79VRQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SW4PBbJ3TT8QY

Also did anyone buy a cover for their matteress for additional protection?

kmos816 · September 2018

If anyone is still looking at Bassinets we used the Delta bassinet- it's not fancy but was inexpensive, small, and seemed to do the trick:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GJIXMQG/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bjsin5_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=63YEQFBEBD6GX9RB2FAP&pf_rd_r=63YEQFBEBD6GX9RB2FAP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=b46bb821-2d80-59eb-8743-0ba9f06f73d3&pf_rd_p=b46bb821-2d80-59eb-8743-0ba9f06f73d3&pf_rd_i=677977011

She slept like a newborn in it- not a miracle worker- but transitioned well to a crib. We transitioned her to her own room/crib at 6 weeks and the transition was smooth.

@mtengl we used a basic mattress- the Safety 1st: https://www.target.com/p/safety-1st-174-little-dreamer-baby-crib-mattress-white/-/A-51423677

It lasted until she was maybe 2?

As long as the mattress is firm I don't think it should really matter what mattress is used- I find it quite shocking how many different kinds there are; especially made by the same company!

We did buy a mattress protector but I couldn't tell you if we used it when she was an infant; I don't think we put it on until she was a toddler.

This mattress is waterproof so was easy clean up when necessary.

A tip I learned too late was to put two sheets on the bed so in case of an accident it was easy cleanup in the middle of the night!

sweetyjenj · September 2018

This is a good thread to keep reviving! Now that we're all more seriously researching and purchasing this stuff.

I shared my recs in "The Great Sleeping Thread' , but I'll share again.
We have an espresso colored crib that matches her bookshelf and dresser. It has a solid back and i love it! I had a hard time deciding solid back vs slats all around, but I loved the look and did some digging and decided on it. It still works with the mesh bumpers (I only used these when she was at the moving/rolling stage, and kept getting her feet stuck and every night had to run in and get her foot loose. After about a week I got the mesh bumpers. This fixed the problem), and there was no evidence or opinions that the solid back could increase SIDS. DD started sleeping in her crib for NAPS at 2 months so she could get used to sleeping in a flat surface for daycare naps, then slept in there through the night at about 8 months.

Previous to 8 months we used the Rock N Play (we had the manual rocker and loved it) for night sleeping from 0-4 months, then used the Pack N Play in our room 4-8 months. Since she napped on a flat surface at daycare starting at 3 months the transition was simple going from the slight incline to a flat surface. We chose to stick with the incline for nighttime sleeping because DD spit up after every feeding, and I didn't want her to choke while I was sleeping in case I didn't wake up. Turns out I woke up every time anyway, but you NEVER know when you're THAT tired!

We plan to do things basically the same this time around, but DD was always super easy when it came to sleeping, so if we get a more fussy or picky sleeper then I'll make adjustments as needed. We'll be using DD's crib for this baby, too, since she'll be 2 when he's born and by the time he'll be sleeping in the crib she should be in a toddler bed.

mtengl · September 2018

Thanks for reviving with me!

My in laws bought us a crib from pottery barn which we love but we decided to put it in the nursery and @sweetyjenj like you said you did use it for naps to help transition (that was actually DH idea I don’t know where he got it from).
We are going to use the pack n play for our bedroom and I do have the rock n play on our list and I would love to use it for sleeping at night but I have four dogs and it makes me nervous to not have her more enclosed.

@kmos816 I am going to look at that matteress. I always feel better with personal recommendations of how things hold up instead of just random reviews

mrsmang · September 2018

@mtengl We got this mattress linked below - I liked the idea or organic. FTM so no actual experience with it but I read good things. We have a crib in the nursery, and registered for a Chicco Lullago for in our room. I picked up an UPPAbaby bassinet at a garage sale but I think I’ll only use that for naps if she falls asleep in it on a walk or something. For $50 it was too good to pass up since we are getting the Uppababy Cruz for our stroller.

Naturepedic Organic Cotton Lightweight Classic 2-Stage Crib Mattress https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MR3P0U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_de7PBbBPJHS0P

VallieS86 · September 2018

We bought a moonlight slumber mattress for dd1. I don't specially remember which one but I know we got it because it was eco-friendly and didn't use a bunch of toxic chemicals to make it. She's almost 3 and since her crib converts she's still using the mattress. We love it. It cost between 200-250 dollars but it's dual sided so flipped it to the toddler side. It's super comfy and I'm sure we're going to get another one for dd2.

kmvisioli · September 2018

This is the one I got the second time around, and I much preferred it over the first one we had. It is more lightweight so much more manageable for sheet changes. I did buy 2-3 mattress protectors per kid, and change those when needed (not every time I change the fitted sheet).

BeautySleep SlumberTime Naturally Crib and Toddler Mattress https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COSLEGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FE-PBbJ7JEV86

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