Can a baby sleep in a Portacot all the time ❓

Can a baby sleep in a Portacot all the time is one of those questions we get asked all the time in store. Due to this, we thought we would answer that right here…

Portacots are also known as portable cots or travel cots. This is because they are easily collapsed for travel.

Key Reasons a Portacot is not recommended for long term use:

• Firstly, Portacots are designed for temporary use. They are not designed for permanent use. Therefore there would be concerns in regards to wear and tear if used every night on a long term basis.
• Secondly, due to the mandatory Australian safety standards, most manufacturer’s of portacots and travel cots make mattresses that are more firm. Therefore they are less comfortable for baby to sleep in.

Some parents may think, no problem – I will add a comfy mattress. This is also a safety risk. Adding a mattress to a portacot may mean that baby’s head could end up trapped between the mattress and the soft side of a portacot or travel cot. The result could be suffocation. If you don’t believe me – read this sad story.

Safe Sleep Soloutions for a newborn:

Depending on the reason you are thinking about using a portacot for sleeping in long term, we would make the following recommendations.

If you are thinking of using a portacot or travel cot due to space in your own bedroom, the more obvious answer is a bassinet or a cradle. Even better, a co-sleeping cradle. A co-sleeper is often an ideal solution for parents. This is because if you get one that attaches to the bed, you can have access to baby right next to you in bed safely.

You can see our range of bassinets here or our range of baby cradles here.

 

The downside of bassinets is their short life cycle. As a result, to avoid the risk of them climbing out, you should move the baby out of a bassinet or cradle as soon as they learn to sit up on their own.

If your concern is the short life cycle, then we would suggest that you consider a compact cot. One designed for permanent use. These are smaller and are easier to fit in your bedroom. More importantly, they are built to last and have a proper mattress for long term use. In fact, they usually have all the benefits of a full sized cot, just smaller.

Some options include the babyhood Mali Compact Cot or the babyhood Mini Ergonomic Cot

Can a baby sleep in a Portacot all the time?

Summary:

I hope this article has helped you to understand the question of “Can a baby sleep in a Portacot all the time?”

When buying a portcot / travel cot, it is also important that you choose a portacot that meets Australian Standards. Check out my recent article here on that subject.

In addition, you need to pick the right travel cot for your specific needs. Everyone’s needs are different. I highly recommend that you check out my article to help you here.

At Bubs n Grubs, we have a great range of Portacots / Travel Cots and Folding Cots. We also have hand picked great compact cots as well as awesome co-sleepers and bassinets.

The owners (Judy and I) hand pick each product. Those decisions are based on our combined experience of over 20 years and over 15 years in this business has taught us.

As a result, we have learned from talking to thousands of mums and dad’s personally. This has helped us to understand what their needs are. Don’t forget we have a highly trained team of baby product experts. They will spend time with you to give you the right advice in store or over the phone.

Click the button below and check out the range of portacots and don’t hesitate to pop in to store or call one of our baby products experts for any questions or advice you need about finding the Portacot for your needs.

See you online or in store soon!

 

Frank

 

About the Author

Frank is a founding owner of Bubs n Grubs. He is also the sole author of the Bubs n Grubs Baby Blog. He has been personally evaluating baby products & testing them before offering them to our customers since 2009. In addition, he is consistently giving manufacturer’s feedback & product development advice, reviewing & getting customer feedback. He has been doing this since the business started in 2009. He is proud to be one of the rare baby store owners in Australia who regularly engages with customers in his store. Frank values the constant feedback and regularly seeks it out. He has been featured on the Morning Show & the Today Show on Channel 7 and Channel 9 and is a recognised expert in baby products as a result.