Amy Hopkins puts her seven-month old daughter to bed in the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light and crosses her fingers for a good night’s sleep
A lightweight travel cot from BabyBjörn that can be assembled and folded down in one simple movement
Pros:
Cons:
Anyone who’s used a BabyBjörn baby carrier or bouncer will be familiar with the company’s chic, minimal Scandi style and their travel cot is no exception.
Available in black or silver, the cot’s refreshingly simple, pared-back design makes it an attractive addition to your room, should you choose to have it permanently set up as a playpen.
The cot is made of soft, breathable material. The mesh fabric sides mean I can keep an eye on my daughter, Annie, and she can see out, but the mesh is thick enough to create a darkened sleeping environment.
The big question for parents is of course, how does she sleep in it? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how willing Annie has been to nod off (and stay asleep) in this cot, both for naps and night-long sleeps.
BabyBjörn advertise the cot as suitable from birth to three years old. Annie is an averaged sized baby and although it’s spacious for her now (aged 10 months) with plenty of wriggle room, I’d be surprised if she still fits comfortably in it when she’s three. Time will tell!
Setting up the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light really is a breeze. Simply unzip the carry case, remove the cot and unfold in one simple movement. When you open the frame, the legs unfold automatically, as does the built-in base plate that holds the mattress and keep the cot firmly on the floor. Packing it away is just as easy.
Once assembled, the cot stands firmly on the floor and feels surprisingly sturdy for something so light. I love the fact that the mattress folds away inside the cot when you pack it up, unlike other models I’ve tried. This not only makes it easier to store and carry, but protects the mattress while travelling.
Also unlike other travel cots, the BabyBjörn’s carry case is roomy, doing away with the stress of trying to squeeze a bulky cot in and out of a tight bag. The carry case is well-designed, light and easy to carry, but it’s still quite large and would probably have to be checked in as luggage when flying. The cot is expensive, compared to others on the market, so if I was flying with it I’d be a bit concerned about it being bashed in transit.
I first used the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light when Annie was seven months old. Building work was being done in her bedroom and so she spent a couple of nights in the travel cot in our room. I was skeptical about how well she’d sleep, given that the mattress is so much thinner than her regular cot mattress, but she settled down easily and we all had a good night.
We haven’t travelled anywhere that hasn’t provided a cot since then, but I recently took it to a friend’s house during the day, when I was invited over for lunch. The cot is so light and easy to assemble, it was no trouble to bring it with me and pop it up in my friend’s upstairs bedroom. Annie settled straight away and napped for two hours – leaving me to have a peaceful lunch and catch up with friends. I felt a bit silly turning up to lunch with a cot, but it worked brilliantly and was so much better than the alternatives – struggling through lunch with a tired, cranky baby, or leaving early to get Annie home to sleep.
Planning a night from home with a baby or toddler is always a little complicated, but the BabyBjörn travel cot makes baby’s sleeping arrangements one less thing to worry about. I haven’t taken it on a plane yet, but I’ve used it for overnight stays and daytime naps in the UK and it’s been a breeze.
It would be handy if the mattress was raised off the floor a little higher, but generally the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light is hard to fault. It’s stylish, light, well-designed, super easy to use and most importantly, my daughter is happy sleeping in it. I imagine I’ll be using this again many times until Annie has outgrown it, when I’ll be popping it in the attic for any future siblings!
Price: £215
Weight: 6 kg (including carry bag)
Mattress: 60 x 105 x 4 cm
Assembled: 82 x 112 x 64 cm
Folded up in carry bag: 49 x 60 x 14 cm
A fitted mattress is included. A Fitted Sheet for Travel Cot Light is available to buy separately from BabyBjörn for £22, but a regular cot mattress works just as well.
Discover more
