Baby Cribs and Travel Gear
Summary: If you will be taking your baby on vacation, you might be concerned about where you baby will sleep.  Some but not all hotels offer baby cribs you can use.  However you may be more interested in a baby travel bed of your own.  That way you can be sure it is clean and safe.

There is a neat little travel bed/playpen called the “Peapod Baby Travel Bed ” which is not only a portable crib for your child to sleep in, it can serve as a safe place to play during the daytime.  It has an inflatable mattress and comes with a hand pump.  However we bought an electric pump which is easier to use.  The hand pump is great for when we go camping.

This bed basically has a tent on top which keeps mosquitoes away in our yard or when we are at a campground.

You can also get a baby seat that can be clamped to a table so he can eat with you.  All of these items pack up into a small package to fit in the trunk of your car.  They can go with you to an upscale resort, a campground, cruise or when you head off to Grandma’s for the holidays.

When our kids were babies a portable crib was a wooden crib with adjustable legs.  You would raise the legs on one side and that part of the crib rested on the back seat, the other set of legs rested on the floor of the car.

There are other portable baby beds including the Babybjorn travel crib and one made by Graco and others.  However the Peapod is the one my daughter an niece use.  It is relatively light in weight and easy to pack and unpack.  You can find other baby playpens on line and in many stores.  My advice is to buy the best you can afford.

You will need bedding - sheets and blankets for the travel beds.  Don’t be afraid to put a Peapod on your wish list for your shower.  What a great gift it would make for any soon to be parents.  

You may also want a stroller for when you travel.  In most cases an umbrella stroller would do.  However they don’t do well in rough terrain so you wouldn’t want to take it to a camp site.  You will need something stronger like a jogging stroller if you will be taking a young child to a camp out vacation.  You may also want a baby leash for this activity to keep the toddler safe.

A large roomy diaper bag with all of the usual baby need, including extra clothing for the infant.  With you travel bed, feeding chair and stroller you can take your baby almost anywhere.

Before you jump at the first travel bed you see compare pricing at two or more retailers or stores.  If you locate a used Peapod, check it thoroughly before you hand over any money.

Having a travel bed for your baby will make your life much easier whether dropping the baby off at the sitter’s or taking the family to the mountains for an extended camping vacation, you know your child is protected from the sun and insects.  He can sleep in comfort and safety.