Travel or portable cots are designed for use by babies on occasions when the family is away from home. These travel cots have the ability to be folded up for easy storage and transport and are not designed to be used every day as a permanent cot for the baby. Unlike cots designed for everyday use, travel cots are not required to meet a standard in relation to safety. This does not mean that all travel cots are dangerous it just means that the standard does not address safety issues about these cots and the consumer needs to be more vigilant when purchasing a travel cot.
When buying a travel cot it is important to consider and check the following things to ensure that you purchase a travel cot that is safe, comfortable for the baby and is suitable for your needs. There are hundreds of different types of travel cots on the market so it is important to consider the following before purchasing your own travel cot.
Travel cots are designed in such a way that they have a mechanism which is designed to lock into place once the cot is assembled. It is important that this locking mechanism has a safety to stop the cot mechanism from disengaging and collapsing while the child is in the travel cot.
The unpacked cot should be fairly sturdy in construction and withstand applied pressure without buckling. The base of the cot should not sag or be able to be pushed down to the floor when the cot is set up. It is important that the base does not sag as this may cause the baby to roll onto their stomach which should be avoided. Most brands of travel cots have a weight limit of 15kg which means that large children over this weight should not be placed in a travel cot.
Once the cot is set up it is important that there are no gaps between the walls of the travel cot and the mattress. This is important for the baby’s safety as gaps around the edges of the mattress can trap hands, feet or even the baby’s head.
The mattress provided should be the only mattress that is used in the travel cot. The mattresses that are included with the travel cot are thinner than the mattresses provided with regular cots so these mattresses cannot be interchanged from a regular cot to a travel cot.
The construction of the travel cot should also be considered before deciding to purchase one. The edges of the cot should be smooth with no sharp protrusions and there should be nothing that can come loose and cause a choking hazard. In addition to this the travel cot should only be used and set up how described in the enclosed set up instructions to ensure the baby’s comfort and safety.