Travel Cots

We are going to be a doing a lot of traveling this summer and we don't have any Pack and Plays and they're a bit big for hotel cribs. So, I was thinking about getting a travel cot and saw this one and was wondering if anyone had any experiences with it or another brand?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions about how to get the kids used to sleeping in the cots? I figured I would try and get them to sleep in there at naptime but I am not sure how to do it.

Thanks in advance!

Regards, Esther

 

We used the Peapod when the kids were younger and they were easy to transport, easy to use, and the kid's love having their own "tent". When we bought the peapods they only had the smaller version available which is great for smaller kids but at 18 months old my ds seemed a bit cramped.

This February I was looking for another travel bed option, we tried the aero beds but mine won't stay put, and noticed that they now sold a larger version of the peapods. We got those for a trip up to Lake Tahoe and though the kids fussed the first night, they slept the next 3 days in them fine and had fun taking toys in their tents to play. We are leaving next week for a two week trip to England and Norway and are planning on taking those with us. The larger version is a bit more bulkier to carry but still pretty compact and lightweight and their is plenty of room for them to use for a couple of years (mine are 3 today and ds is 40 inches). Hope that helps.

 

I saw this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Regalo-My-Cot-Portab...9885&sr=1-1

and was thinking about getting 2....I travel a lot to see family. But I dont have hundreds to spend either.

 

When our girls were younger we used our cosleeper with the insert taken out which looks a lot like the one you posted. We bought a second travel bed from One Step Ahead that was poorly designed but I don't see it anymore online. As they reached the max weight I asked in the forums here for suggestions and someone mentioned exercise mats from Sports Authority or similar stores. We bought two thick ones similar to the link below and they have worked very well. The ones we have are about 2" thick and provide support. With sheets and blankets they sleep very well and I didn't have to worry about them falling off or playing on them.

Here is a similar mat...if interested in actual one we purchased feel free to pm me and I'll take a quick look.

http://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-340400-Par...0775&sr=8-7

Sorry I haven't figured out the short cut yet! I tried earlier and it didn't work.

Sharon

 

Crap, as a kid my folks threw me on the floor with a sleeping bag!!

 

The tent thingy looks just like a glorified PNP Does it hold more weight or something?

Ok, I have some ? too. My boys are about to outgrow or climb out of the PNPs too. How do you keep them corralled in one of those cots or matts on the floor? Dd was so petite she fit into her PNP until almost 3.5!! And she was too easy to put down on a mattress on the floor prolly cuz it was JUST HER. The room we sleep in when we visit inlaws is full of CRAP. Fun crap to a 2 yr old. So how am I supposed to sleep knowing they could wake anytime and get into it all?

Sorry to hijack the post.

Anyways, I like the small blow up beds from Right Start or something I saw a while ago.

 

I'm going back & forth with what to do as well. Mine can climb out of the PNP and we have two trips planned in the next couple months. I was thinking maybe a pair of the bigger peapods because at least you can zip them in and those will last a while.

 

Take a look at THESE I think we'll end-up getting them too when it'll be time for the travel for us

 

QUOTE(debid @ May 11 2007, 06:30 PM) [snapback]251916[/snapback]
I'm going back & forth with what to do as well. Mine can climb out of the PNP and we have two trips planned in the next couple months. I was thinking maybe a pair of the bigger peapods because at least you can zip them in and those will last a while.


I've seen those kids aerobeds. They are so cool. I've always thought that I'd like to try them out on one of those before converting their cribs and see how it goes. If not well, then the cribs would still be set up. But the cost....WOW.

 

I got the flip open sofas when we traveled and K&K have also slept on the sleeping bags with the air mattress attached ( I think they are called ready beds on Amazon).

In regards to those whose children are climbing out of PnP's, the makers of the crib tents also make them for PnP's. I used them for years!

 

QUOTE(Dianne @ May 11 2007, 09:33 PM) [snapback]252436[/snapback]
...
In regards to those whose children are climbing out of PnP's, the makers of the crib tents also make them for PnP's. I used them for years!


I looked at those also. Considering that the cost is about the same, though, wouldn't it make more sense to get something like the bigger peapod since they can use it past the toddler years? Or will they not like using a zip up tent as a preschooler?

 

At your kid's age I started using the OneStepAhead bed that looks just like the Kid's Aerobed. The cost was a little high but we've gotten tons of use out of them. The take them to thier grandma's and our entire Florida vacation last year they slept on them. Mine were still in cribs when we started using them. I just layed in the room with them until they fell asleep and then got up and joined the adult crowd on our first weekend away. After that they were pretty used to them. They do hold a lot of weight and are really big, I can almost curl up on one so I know they will use them for a long time.