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Travelling with small children? Where will they sleep?
Categories: Places To Go, Baby Essentials
Many of our ParentDish writers set off for cross-country destinations with kids recently. It's had me thinking about my own experiences with children and travel.
There is nothing more stressful about traveling with kids than figuring out how you will manage all the gear. "OK, so if we bring the stroller and the car seat... How will we fit the pack n' play?" Now a nice hotel will likely have some sort of crib, but what if you're camping, or staying in motels, or worse -- with relatives?
Last year, on our most excellent US Major League ballpark adventure, we did not have room in the trunk for the pack n' play. But I did manage to squeeze in a bed rail for small town motels. We would push one of two double beds against the wall and put the safety rail on the open side. Still, not ideal for an 18-month-old. Thankfully we only had to do that two or three nights out of fourteen.
In comes the Pogy Travel Crib. It folds compactly into your luggage and unfolds into a comfy bed (though let's face it, I'm WAY too big to verify this) with high sides and plenty of breathing room. There's a removable insect net for those nights in the great outdoors, or naps taken during family picnics. Can't get a moment to get anything done? Keep your restless napper next to you in the living room, so you can fold laundry while watching Oprah. Now that's worth a couple of twenties, innit?
There is nothing more stressful about traveling with kids than figuring out how you will manage all the gear. "OK, so if we bring the stroller and the car seat... How will we fit the pack n' play?" Now a nice hotel will likely have some sort of crib, but what if you're camping, or staying in motels, or worse -- with relatives?
Last year, on our most excellent US Major League ballpark adventure, we did not have room in the trunk for the pack n' play. But I did manage to squeeze in a bed rail for small town motels. We would push one of two double beds against the wall and put the safety rail on the open side. Still, not ideal for an 18-month-old. Thankfully we only had to do that two or three nights out of fourteen.
In comes the Pogy Travel Crib. It folds compactly into your luggage and unfolds into a comfy bed (though let's face it, I'm WAY too big to verify this) with high sides and plenty of breathing room. There's a removable insect net for those nights in the great outdoors, or naps taken during family picnics. Can't get a moment to get anything done? Keep your restless napper next to you in the living room, so you can fold laundry while watching Oprah. Now that's worth a couple of twenties, innit?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pbhj 7-22-2007 @ 10:44AM
Not wanting to pour water on your merchandising fire but what's wrong with on the bed?
Essential equipment when travelling - car seat (though you don't need that if you use public transport), sling and maybe a toy and a book. No sippy-cups, no pushchairs, no fancy-pancy lullabying dingo mobiles with light-shows (yes I made that up).
What on earth is a pack-and-play.
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Nicola 7-22-2007 @ 12:54PM
pbhj -- I think that a pack and play is like a portable playpen. Am I right? A place to store the kid. I guess that if you're used to storing the kid at home, the thought of vacationing and having a child on the loose could be frightening!
I never did understand the whole caged child phenomenon, but there is apparently a market for it.
In all seriousness, we have been traveling with our guy since he was born. His first international overseas trip was at 5 months old. We fly at least eight times a year between the midwest and west coat and the midwest and UK.
We have never brought a stroller, a playpen, gadgets or gizmos, let alone a bed. You need a carseat. You need a sling or carrier for an older child (we use the Patapum for our 3 1/2 year old). A few favourite books and easily portable activities. The change of scene will take care of the rest. And as for a bed -- most places have them. If you sleep on the floor or in a sleeping bag, baby can too. If you're in the bed, share it. A portable travel sleep system? It cracks me up. A waste of money on yet more baby junk.
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Anna V. 7-22-2007 @ 9:04PM
We couldn't have made it without our pack-n-play. It functioned as the twins' crib until we had room for their crib, and it was useful for those moments when I had to pee or take a shower!
I have only twice shared my bed with one of my twins as an infant, and never with my daughter (until she got older). Knowing a wee baby is with me in a bed prevents me from getting any restful sleep, and the boys slept much better with each other anyway. This little crib is adorable, and it seems a viable alternative to a pack-n-play for those of us who choose not to share our beds with babes.
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april 7-22-2007 @ 9:12PM
Wow, who knew that the co-sleeping crowd could be so self righteous?
Some people don't co-sleep, and thus when we are traveling, would like a place for our children to safely sleep. For those of us; this is an insightful article.
Not to ignite the co-sleeping vs crib sleeping wars, but heck why not...if you are going to call me a child cager, then can I call you a baby suffocater?
Oh yeah, and pbhj, what the heck is wrong with a sippy-cup? My daughter isn't that good with a regular cup yet, let alone twisting off a cap and drinking out of a water bottle. A sippy-cup lets her drink independently when we are on the go. Maybe you children are super coordinated, or maybe they just don't show any independence, or maybe you are being just a bit too condescending.
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pbhj 7-22-2007 @ 9:32PM
April. I thought the lullabying dingo bit would have shown I was being a little light hearted.
Anyhow, we didn't co-sleep as such - drop-side crib next to our bed. We've not travelled much by virtue of running our own pottery studio. When we have been away J has slept in bed with us (hotels) and in borrowed crib-y things (homes) and just on a mattress on the floor.
Sippy-cups? Apart from a vehement hatred for the name ... not a lot, they just represent that whole "we _need_ to have a lorry to carry all the things our baby _needs_" sort of western mentality. Most kids just use whatever vessel [type] their parents use.
Nicola - our lad is 2yo and I had to give up carrying him in the sling a few months ago as he's too heavy. Does your 3 year old really fit in that sling?
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Nicola 7-23-2007 @ 9:40AM
pbhj -- check out the Patapum toddler version. It carries up to 65 lbs. Our guy is 3 1/2 and big for his age, tall, but I can still carry him.
We haven't formally co-slept at home since he was 18 months old. My point was that on vacation, we don't necessarily need EVERY single comfort of home. Most hotels OR motels have cribs available, or at least a pull out sofa. At a relative's house, surely they have a sleeping bag that you could borrow? Or some blankets and pillows for the floor? All I'm saying is that actually packing a portable crib seems a bit over the top.
And on that note, we're off for a cross country flight right now, need to finish loading the car with our luggage. Two small cases for four weeks. Not bad, eh?
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Leian 8-25-2007 @ 11:00AM
We've never used a crib when traveling, but not for lack of trying. I would always request the crib provided by the hotel, and daughter would hate it (when pressing on the mattress, I would often understand why - it was hard as rocks and you could feel coils). So she ended up sleeping with us. Which was fine with us.
Not for nothing, but I think people should be a little less judgmental about choices other mothers/families make. Some people think co-sleeping is the only way to go. Others can't imagine having their children in bed with them. Many times it's not even a matter of what people want to do, but what they HAVE to do to accommodate their individual children/budgets, etc. I know I started motherhood with a set idea of how things were going to go - and I had to adapt that to what was actually happening in our house when my daughter arrived. I learned there's nothing written in stone, and not to judge other people's choices in how they parent. And also not to talk about my own choices as though they were the only choices anyone with a brain would make. They're the best choices for US. They may not be for everyone else.
That said and back to the topic on hand, I don't know if I would use this particular item. It's one of those items I would have found adorable as a new mother and probably would have purchased but now I know that neither of my kids would sleep in it and I'd be pissed at yet another useless purchase!LOL But this may be great for some parents, especially with the portability factor (those darn pack-and-plays are not so packable. Having a travel blog dedicated to traveling with kids, I'm always glad to hear about what's out there. Do you actually have this, Nadine? If not, are you thinking of getting one?
http://www.childofleisure.com
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MS 9-21-2007 @ 5:04PM
A Baby Cage? No, I don't think so. When we go on vacation, when we have small babies, we bring the wearable soft baby Sling, for carrying, and the baby sleeps with us, in the bed in the hotel or cabin.
If we are camping, the baby sleeps in my sleeping bag, so he can nurse whenever he wants to.
The less you bring, the less stress you will have.
We do have a car sear in our car, but it STAYS there. One of the keys to bonding, IMO, is to never take the car seat out of the car, unless you are switching cars, or going on a plane. A car seat is not a "baby parking garage."
Babies belong in arms, or crawling, if they are old enough. There is no need for all that silly expensive stuff.
What's Pack N Play? Oh, a Baby Cage. Forgot, we don't have one. Both my husband and I, and our older children have arms, for holding the baby. Skin is SOOOOOOOO much softer and comfy-er (is that a word?) than some hard artificial fiber and plastic contraption.
Babies and arms were meant for each other.
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MS 9-21-2007 @ 5:13PM
"Not to ignite the co-sleeping vs crib sleeping wars, but heck why not...if you are going to call me a child cager, then can I call you a baby suffocater?"
Um, except for the fact that co-sleeping does NOT cause suffocation. ALL the suffocation deaths blamed on co-sleeping were actually babies placed on innappropiate pieces of furniture, like chairs and overstuffed bean bags. Babies do NOT suffocate, in regular beds, with sober parents.
If you don't want to co-sleep, that IS your business, I just don't see the point to spending all that money on a "bed" for a baby, which will only fit him for a year or two, and only during vacations. You can't just co-sleep on vacation? Unless you abuse alcohol or drugs, (and my guess is you certainly do not) you can safely sleep with your baby or toddler, for the few days you are on vacation. Unless you WANT to pack all that extra stuff.
It's your back, at the airport or hauling that stuff down hotel halls. Of course, it's your baby's back on those horrible cardboard or nasty, formaldehyde filled frames and matresses. Oh, well, I guess.
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AL 10-19-2007 @ 11:41PM
Interesting that I came across this after searching for information on portable sleeping arrangements for a toddler that is tall for her age and doesn't fit comfortably in her "pack-n-play". Here is a situation that may not have been contemplated by the "just co-sleep" crowd. My little girl doesn't like it. She is very easily awakened and finds it impossible to sleep when her parents (a constant source of entertainment and praise) are right there to poke at and talk to and play with. We, her parents, loved the idea of co-sleeping and pushed her to like it as well, until we finally realized that she gets much better sleep without us. So, for our family, no one will get any sleep traveling unless our little one has her own comfortable place to sleep. She is longer than the average 32" pack-n'play and too young and restless to sleep without some kind of containment that helps her feel secure. So what is your suggestion for someone in my situation.
The real reason for me responding to this series of opinions, is that I am sick and tired of the parents who think that they have any idea what is right for other families. Reality check, every family and every child is different and we are probably all doing the best we know how. It is impossible to follow all of the experts or self proclaimed experts opinions on raising children, as intelligent people have polar opposite opinions on what is right for children. I know my daughter better than anyone, I've never been away from her. I just wanted good information on children's sleeping arrangements and found myself greatly offended. We are not helping one another through this journey of parenting by calling eachother names like "child cager" and "baby suffocator". I happen to think that both the use of portable cribs and co-sleeping can be right depending on the situation.
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