While traveling with a baby might be a bit difficult for new parents, it’s definitely not impossible. Travelling with a baby is only enjoyable if your baby sleeps peacefully. If your baby can’t get a cozy and comfortable space they need and are familiar with, then your trip will most probably be a stressful one. If you’re accustomed to traveling light, bringing along a Travel Bassinet might feel like a burden. This is where you need to choose the best travel bassinet, especially designed for your needs and budget.
In this article, we go through the basics that parents need to consider if they are to get the best travel bassinet for a family vacation. We will analyze the features of each bassinet and take a look at the pros and cons of each to help purchase the best travel bassinet for your child — so buckle up!
Top 10 Best Travel Bassinets
| Model | Rating |
|---|---|
| Dream on Me Traveler Portable Bassinet | 4.8 |
| Lulyboo Bassinet To-Go Infant Travel Bed - Baby Lounge | 4.7 |
| Munchkin Brica Fold N' Go Travel Bassinet | 4.6 |
| SwaddleMe By Your Side Sleeper | 4.7 |
| Fisher-Price Rock with Me Bassinet | 4.6 |
| Chicco Lullago Travel Crib | 4.5 |
| Graco Pack 'n Play Travel Lite Crib Playard | 4.8 |
| BABYBJORN Travel Crib Light - Silver | 4.7 |
| Guava Lotus Travel Crib | 4.9 |
| Scuddles 3-1 Portable Bassinet for Baby | 4.6 |
1. Dream on Me Traveler Portable Bassinet
The Dream on Me portable bassinet is one of the best and lightest travel bassinets out there. It weighs just 7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) and folds to 23x20x3 inches (58.5x51x7.6cm), making it a comfortable fit inside the trunk of even the smallest of cars.
This bassinet is extremely easy to set up bassinet and has plenty of room, which means you can continue to use it as your baby continues to grow. The Dream on Me portable bassinet comes with both a mattress and a travel bag.
As with anything, however, this travel bassinet has a few shortcomings. The leg height is not adjustable, which can become an inconvenience when you are trying to interact with your baby on the same level. The sides are not meshed, and the mattress sometimes becomes bunched when your baby starts to move around.
2. Lulyboo Bassinet To-Go Infant Travel Bed – Baby Lounge
The Lulyboo Baby Lounge is another excellent choice for a travel bassinet. It is a lightweight, easy-setup, travel-friendly, and multi-functional bassinet. You can use this baby bed as a changing station, a rest & play area, and it can also be placed on the bed as a co-sleeper bassinet.
Another great feature of the Lulyboo Baby Lounge is that you can convert it into a backpack and carry it on your back. This frees up your hands to hold other luggage you might need to carry.
If you and your baby like the great outdoors, this is the bassinet for you. The Lulyboo Baby Lounge also comes with a detachable canopy, which will protect your baby from harsh sunlight and flying insects and also hang toys, so that your baby is kept entertained. The bottom of this bassinet is waterproof, and the liner can completely be removed and washed. Like the Dream on Me Traveler, the Lulyboo is exceptionally portable and is great for car travel.
The bottom of this bassinet is, however, somewhat soft, so moving the whole bassinet once the baby is asleep in it can be a bit difficult. The Lulyboo Baby bassinet is also a bit more pricey than most of the other bassinets. This should not discourage you, though, as this is one bassinet that is worth every penny.
3. Munchkin Brica Fold N’ Go Travel Bassinet
The Brica Fold and Go Bassinet is ideal for kids below 3 months. At just 3 lbs. (1.36kg), it’s incredibly lightweight and easy to set up and pack away. It has mesh sides making it easy to interact with your baby. This travel bassinet has a double locking tubular steel frame and solid bottom, which means sturdy and secure enough for you to move your little one between spots without waking them up.
It folds to just 22x17x3 inches (55.9×43.18×7.62cm) and can easily fit in a plane overhead locker or in a small suitcase. In addition to this, the bassinet is made using baby-friendly materials. It is BPA free, lead-free and latex-free.
The downside to this bassinet is that it’s just designed for immobile infants. Once your baby reaches the 3-month mark, you will have to get a replacement portable bed.
4. SwaddleMe By Your Side Sleeper
If you want your baby safely sleeping with you in your own bed, the Swaddle Me by Your Side baby sleeper is an ideal choice. It is definitely one of the best co-sleeper bassinets for travel.
As the baby lies on top of the bed with you, this is an excellent choice for breastfeeding moms. A typical characteristic of co-sleeper bassinets is that they are small and compact in order to fit comfortably and safely on the bed. This makes them perfect for travel. Also, the Swaddle Me by Your Side baby sleeper has high walls, making it a great, safe co-sleeping option.
This bassinet is very easy to move the baby in and out of and can fold down easy enough to fit inside a small suitcase. It includes musical vibrations to keep your baby entertained, and is one of the easiest bassinets to clean.
If parents want the baby to sleep in-between them, they need to have a big bed though, as fitting two adults and the bassinet on a queen-sized bed can be a bit difficult. The bottom of this bassinet is not waterproof, so if you don’t want to wake up to a huge wet spot in your bed, you need to have a waterproof layer underneath the fitted sheet.
5. Fisher-Price Rock with Me Bassinet
Basing on buyer opinions, the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Portable Bassinet comes highly rated. Most parents are happy with the rocking motion that effortlessly sends their babies to a peaceful sleep.
The Fisher-Price Portable Bassinet is perfect when you need a safe and comfy place for your baby to sleep on a short day trip. It’s a bit on the bulky side, so you have to be traveling by car and don’t have space or weight limits.
The bassinet takes a few seconds to set up and take-down. You can either get a version with an automatic rocker or one that rocks with a gentle push from you. If you buy the electronic version you, however, may need a plug converter when traveling.
6. Chicco Lullago Travel Crib
This portable bassinet can be placed right next to your bed if you need to be close to the baby without sharing the bed. The Chicco LullaGo Travel Bassinet is extremely easy to move around, and you can set it up in another area of the bedroom — all you need is a little free floor space.
This travel bassinet is extremely easy to set up and comes with a travel bag. You can also strip down all the fabrics for easy washing and cleaning. It also has a slight incline, which is excellent for babies with reflux.
Like the Dream on Me Traveler Portable Bassinet, not adjustable and may not reach the height of your bed.
7. Graco Pack ‘n Play Travel Lite Crib Playard
The Graco Pack n Play Bassinet is a playpen that doubles as a travel bassinet or a Pack n Play bassinet. Many parents love this bassinet, and for good reason too.
You can use this crib from when your baby is born up until he or she is a toddler as a crib and playpen. The bassinet has a push-button fold system makes it easy to set up and pack away and a space-saving construction that can fit in most hotel bedrooms. The Graco Pack n Play Bassinet Crib has mesh sides, making it possible for parents to see in and baby to see out.
At 20 lbs. (9.07kg) and measuring 39.5x29x29 inches (100×73.6×73.6cm), this is the heaviest and bulkiest option on this list. This is, of course, partly due to its quality material and sturdy construction. It has wheels make it easy to move around and is still portable enough for car travel.
8. BABYBJORN Travel Crib Light – Silver
The Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light is widely regarded by many parents as the best travel bassinet. This is because it’s straightforward to set up – you just lift it up, put in the mattress, and you are good to go. The mattress is soft and comfortable enough for your baby to sleep comfortably. As the bed rests on the floor, the bassinet does not have an upper weight limit. You can even use it up until your baby is three!
The mesh sides allow you to see what your baby is up to without having to look over the side and also will make sure the baby does not get anxious as they can see out. The fabric is removable and machine washable, making it easier to clean. At 44x32x24 inches (111.76x81x61cm), the cot is compact, yet spacious and folds down to 23.5x19x5.5 inches (60x48x14cm). Folding the cot away takes a bit of skill, but once you get the hang of it, it is quick and easy.
9. Guava Lotus Travel Crib
The Guava Lotus crib has long been a favorite portable bassinet for many travelling families. It’s setup up is almost similar to that of the Baby Bjorn – just lift it up, put in the mattress, and you are good to go. At 13lbs (5.9kg), it is also the same weight as the Baby Bjorn and has almost the same dimensions as well. It also has mesh sides allow you to see what your baby is up to without having to look over the side and also will make sure the baby does not get anxious as they can see out.
In addition, it has zip-down sides that make it easy to move your baby in and out the cot. When folded, the Guava Lotus bassinet is suitable for plane carry-on luggage as it can fit in the overhead locker. It also comes with a handy backpack carry bag.
The Guava Lotus crib can be used from birth to around 3 years old. It does not come with sheets, but these can be purchased independently.
10. Scuddles 3-1 Portable Bassinet for Baby
The Scuddles- 3-1 portable bassinet is, hands down, the best travel bassinet for airplane travel. It also functions as a mobile changing station and has five zipped pockets (one which is insulated) for keeping your baby’s diapers, favorite toys, and hot or cold bottles. The bassinet has an easy-to-carry on the shoulder carrying structure.
This portable bassinet can also be used in an adult bed as a co-sleeper! It features and snap-in bars that keep the sides stable and reduce the risk of entrapping the baby. The mattress is waterproof and washable, which means hustle-free cleaning.
How to Choose the Best Travel Bassinet
What on earth is a Travel Bassinet? A travel bassinet is a portable baby travel bed that you can easily bring with you when traveling or on vacation. A travel bassinet is usually foldable and is lighter than regular baby bassinets.
When all is said and done, when you are traveling with your little one, you want a bed that is lightweight, portable, easy to set up, and that you can take literally anywhere with you with minimal stress.
Key features to consider when choosing a travel bassinet
When you are browsing through online markets, you are obviously trying to choose the best travel bassinet for you, your baby, and how you usually travel. In this quest, there are a few things to consider if you are to get the best value for your hard-earned money.
How portable is the travel bassinet?
Some bassinets look so cute that you may be tempted to buy at first glance, but they would hardly suitable for travel. Portability should be your number 1 priority when looking for a travel bassinet. Your baby’s travel bed needs to be easy to transport from one place to the next. Adding your baby supplies is already going to make you feel like you’ve tripled your usual travel gear. You definitely don’t need something that is going to add on some more weight and make your travel that much harder.
The bassinet’s weight limit
There are two weight limits that you need to consider when trying to choose the best travel bassinet.
How much your bassinet weighs is undoubtedly something you need to keep in mind. If you are travelling by air, or if you’re backpacking, you are will need the lightest available bassinet. The Lulyboo To Go Bassinet weighs only 1 pound and is definitely an option worth considering.
If you always travel by car, then weight might not be a significant concern but is still an essential factor to consider.
The other weight you need to consider is your baby’s weight. If your chosen bassinet is designed to be supported by a bed or other safe surfaces, then your baby’s weight might not be an important consideration. However, if your bassinet is self-supporting, it might have a limit to how much baby weight it can safely carry. If your baby is a bit bigger or heavier than most, you need to ensure your bassinet can safely and securely hold their weight.
The bassinet’s dimensions
How you intend to travel will limit the size of bassinet you can comfortably carry. If you are driving to your intended destination, bassinet size might not be a major consideration. If you are flying, however, you might need a bassinet that can be folded into the smallest possible dimensions.
The best travel bassinet for flying is one that will fold enough to fit in your suitcase but still provide roughly the same sleeping area size as much larger bassinets.
Our team voted the SwaddleMe By Your Side or the Lulyboo Baby Lounge as the best choice in terms of bassinet size.
How quickly and easily you can assemble and fold the bassinet
After a long day of travel, and both you and your baby just want to crash down into deep sleep, the last thing you want to do is start cracking your head and try to figure out how to set up your bassinet! Please take our word on this. A bassinet that has clear instructions and does not occasionally surprise you with new difficulties will make your travel experience all that much more enjoyable.
Materials of construction
When it comes to our little ones, the importance of safety can never be overemphasized. It’s quite unfortunate, however, that there are many baby products on the market that have ever so often resulted in accidents. It’s, therefore, vital that the materials used are safe and robust enough to guarantee the safety of your child. It’s always a bonus and will help you rest easy if the bassinet you are going to buy has a recognized safety endorsement.
It is essential for the fabrics that are used to be natural, or at least not be treated with chemicals that may harm your baby. It’s also a plus if the fabrics are breathable, so your baby does not become hot and sweaty. Mesh sides, though not a necessity, provide better air circulation and make it much easier for you to see what your baby is up to inside the crib. Another major point is the quality and durability of zippers or Velcro if any is used.
Sometimes babies can make the biggest mess in the shortest time. If your baby’s bassinet can be wiped down with minimal effort, using soap and water, that is definitely a plus!
The best travel bassinet is one that has accessories
Once you buy your travel bassinet, you will realize that several accessories are going to make your life and that of your baby much easier.
A canopy not only makes you baby bassinet look cuter but help block out sunlight and flying insects from bothering your baby. You can also hang toys to the canopy so that your baby is kept entertained and you can get extra freedom to enjoy the trip. A bassinet that has its own bag to pack it in is a lot easier to travel with.
Cost
Although you probably don’t want to skimp when it comes to the needs of your baby, the best travel bassinet doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are plenty of very affordable bassinets that can fully cater for your needs if you know how to choose one. Lucky for you, this article will help you do just that. We’ll go through the top 10 travel bassinets, the questions that you ought to ask before buying one, and the answers to these questions. Please read on!
FAQs
What is a travel bassinet?
A travel bassinet is a portable travel bed for babies under 3 months old. A travel bassinet is usually foldable and is lighter than regular baby bassinets and is generally used when traveling or on vacation.
Why should I buy a travel bassinet?
If you need to travel with a baby, your journey is only going to be enjoyable if your baby sleeps peacefully. A travel bassinet is an easy and portable solution to ensure that your baby can sleep safely and comfortably while you are out and about with him or her.
Can I use a travel bassinet at home?
The great thing about travel bassinets is that you can take them just about anywhere. You can even choose to get your baby to sleep in a travel bassinet at home. That way, no matter which room you are spending time in, your little one can tag along and still have a safe and familiar place to sleep.
When must I not use a bassinet?
You should stop using a bassinet, and start using a crib, once your baby is older than 3 months. When your baby can sit up, they may venture over the sides and may easily tip over and fall out.
What is the difference between a bassinet and a crib?
A bassinet and a crib are for all intents and purposes quite similar. They mainly differ in terms of size and the age of babies that they can carry. Travel bassinets are much more compact compared to travel cribs and are mostly used for sleeping and are only for babies under 3 months.
Conclusion
One way to make sure you can still enjoy your trips is to make sure you have the best travel bassinet as part of your luggage. But with so many options available, it’s a bit tricky to decide which one is best for you. In the end, the choice will be determined by your specific needs, budget, and your preferences in terms of quality and comfort.
Our team recommends the Lulyboo Baby Bassinet and the Scuddles 3 in 1 bassinet as these bassinets have all the necessary features at a very reasonable cost.
After going through this guide, however, we hope you are now in a better position to identify your specific needs and narrow down the particular type of bassinet that will make traveling with your baby the most enjoyable experience.
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