In all honesty, if you’re strapped for cash or space (or both – you can’t see but my hand is raised over here) a travel crib might be the perfect solution for your family.
Instead of paying for a bassinet. And then a few months later paying for a crib. And then a few months later drowning in debt — why not purchase a great family travel crib, to use both at home and on the go?
Travel cribs are a must for families with babies and toddlers who want to continue adventuring – whether it’s vacationing or camping – but more and more, travel cribs also offer a solution for parents who just want to spend less and save space.
We’ve told you our thoughts on the Guava Lotus Family Crib – we’ve broken down the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light. Now it’s time to inspect the newcomer to the party, the Travel Crib and Bed 3-in-1 Moov and Comfy from Babymoov.
I call Babymoov newcomers only because I had not heard much about them until we came across their booth at the ABC Expo in Las Vegas.
While Moov & Comfy is new to the market, the French company Babymoov has been making premium goods for parents since 1998. Let’s dig into their latest product, the Travel Crib and Bed 3-in1.
Pros and Cons
What We Love About Babymoov Travel Crib?
1. Did you say a Bassinet for Travel?
That’s right, the Moov and Comfy is both a travel crib and bassinet — hence the ‘and bed’ in the name.
Straightaway, one thing that sticks out about this travel crib is that included with the purchase comes a travel cot, which can be used as your bassinet right from birth.
The raised, detachable top cradle portion of the Moov and Comfy serves as your bassinet, for newborns to sleep in until they can roll over on their own (typically around 6 months of age).
The bassinet insert is a revolutionary change in the way travel cribs function. If you plan on breastfeeding, the added height will allow mommy to scoop baby up easier, rather than the constant backbreaking up and down.
Only three other brands offer a similar experience for families looking to travel with newborns, and the numbers on the price tag might surprise you.
2. Price Point on Point
This brings me to the next thing we absolutely love about this travel crib, the value.
Perhaps I should have led with this, but the price of the Travel Crib and Bed 3-in-1 from Babymoov is the lowest of our 3 favorites.
The Moov & Comfy Travel Crib currently retails for $199.99, and includes the bassinet insert.
Say Waa??
That’s right, for under $200, you’re getting both the raised bassinet and a travel cot that’s going to safely contain your little munchkin for the first 3 to 4 years of their lives. If you have two kids, you’re talking 5 or 6+ years of use.
Guava offers a crib-to-bassinet conversion kit, currently priced at $129.95 (or get everything at once for a bundle price of $349.90). This will allow owners of their Lotus Crib to get the same raised bassinet experience, but at a significant cost.
Why not spend money on an extra fancy Woolino sleep sack? Splurge on a Veer Stroller wagon. Parents know the costs of these kiddos add up quickly, so the value alone you get with the Moov & Comfy Travel Crib makes it worth consideration.
“But surely there’s something I’m getting with the extra money spent on the Guava Lotus”?
3. The Side Hatch
One thing we love about the Guava Lotus is the zipper side opening, allowing the travel crib to transform into a play area.
Guess what, the Babymoov’s Travel Crib and Bed 3-in-1 has a zipper side hatch too!
The side opening is helpful in so many ways.
One example is when I’m trying to transfer a sleeping baby into the crib — the side opening allows me to gently plop the baby in more horizontally as opposed to vertically.
I’m so small it can become a balancing act of the highest proportions when I have to place the baby in the crib from an over-the-top motion.
I feel like a waiter carrying too much to the table – or Tom Cruise making a heist in Mission Impossible – trying to put a sleeping baby down and sneak out of the room without creating a stir.
The side opening saves my back from yet more aching and protects my sanity by getting the baby down on the first attempt.
The side hatch also gives parents the option of using the travel crib as a play area during wake windows.
I find my kids enamored with it – why, I still couldn’t tell you. There’s just something fascinating about them having their own little ‘home base’.
Whether we’re outdoors or sitting in the family room, the zipper side opening gives the travel crib a different vibe, making it feel more like a piece of furniture rather than some complicated toddler equipment.
4. Ooh La La
And when you’re going to be considering furniture, it ought to look good right?
No one can deny the French have style, and it’s hard to contest that the sage green color on their Moov & Comfy Travel Crib isn’t beautiful.
I know, when it comes to gear for baby, I typically go for function over aesthetics – but it doesn’t hurt if both turn out to be true, does it? Why not have your cake and eat it too?
The color is soft and inviting, unisex and unique. The added perk with the Moov & Comfy is its break from the typical black color you find in other travel cribs, which adds to the sleekness of its design.
What Can Be Improved?
1. Wet and Wild
Function, check. Beauty, check. Price, checkmate. So, what don’t we love?
All right, at this point, I’m nitpicking, but my youngest boy in particular has a ton of ‘accidents’ during sleep. I will spare you the details, but let’s just say I’ve woken up to some unsavory surprises.
The mattress (thin as it may be) on the Guava crib (and bassinet) is insulated and waterproof. That means when we inevitably have a diaper blowout situation, it takes mommy considerably less time to clean.
Is it a deal breaker? No. Is it a nice perk? Sure!
2. Instant Connection
Connecting the mattress to the frame itself is a touch tricky with the Babymoov. With the competition, you’ll often find 4 little clips that snap in place quite easily to make sure the mattress itself stays in place through all the tosses and turns of naptime.
The Moov & Comfy was created with a loop of fabric that needs to be attached on each of the 4 corners, and it can be a bit challenging to affix properly.
Now, when being used as a bassinet, this is meaningless as there is no need to connect the mattress to the frame.
And I would say, about 95% of the time, parents don’t even need to connect these clips on travel cribs (I’ve used it plenty without these fastened) – the mattress typically stays put, and in many scenarios, this minor detail is not even part of the conversation.
The Moov & Comfy also comes with velcro on the top of the shell and bottom of the mattress (a perk not found in other travel cribs) which helps the two stay in proper position.
But toddlers like to poke and prod and figure out their surroundings.
And when you’ve got a two-year-old with a knack for creating messes, the last thing you need is for him to figure out how to lift the mattress up and toss it about.
Again, minor detail, but worth mentioning.
3. This One’s in the Bag
Much like the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light, the Moov & Comfy Travel Crib from Baby Moov folds up thin ways into its travel bag.
Picture carrying a piece of artwork, it’s like a big 32-inch by 22-inch purse of sorts.
Side note — once your baby no longer requires the bassinet portion of the crib, the weight of the Moov & Comfy (minus the detachable raised crib) becomes 11.5 lbs., making it the lightest of our 3 favorites.
So, is it easy enough to carry? Yes.
Will it compactly go everywhere you need it to go? Yes.
But, the bag itself is made of a silky, nylon-like material. What does this mean?
This is awesome in terms of making the crib ultra-lightweight (yes please), and it also helps to keep everything in one place – the bag itself can literally be folded up and shoved right into one of the two side pockets of the travel crib.
But it also means it may not stand up to the type of beating that all gear created for babies inevitably gets.
Again, is it a big deal, no. But one difference between the Moov & Comfy and our other two favorites is the heavy material made to use the travel bag itself, which is different and of note.
Don’t Take my Word for It
Here are a few reviews on what others are saying about the Travel Crib and Toddler Travel Bed from Moov & Comfy:
Jessica G writes: Almost perfect
Love this travel bed as much as I thought I would. The quality feels really great and I think the design is well thought out and super convenient. It’s exactly what I needed. I’m short and my baby is heavy for her age so lifting her out of the standard playpen design was just not feasible. Also, this comes with 2 very nice mattresses and is actually designed for sleep.
A few small complaints:
The carry bag is very delicate, the first time I used it I noticed a hole already worn in the side. There was is weird smell which I’m sure will go away in time and it is not overly strong or offensive but it is there. There are loops on the bottom mattress that you are supposed to fix to the poles and it is somewhat difficult to do.
Also, I have weak thumbs and struggle to push in the button to open up the legs when setting up.
Still very happy with this product though!
Lisa S writes: Great for Grandma’s house
When you want to leave baby at Grandma’s house for the day, this is a great product. You don’t have to worry about not having a crib. It’s easy to transport and set up. We just leave ours at Grandma’s but if we were going to travel, we would definitely take this with us as a travel crib too.
I Chui writes: Wonderful product
I wish I knew about this part sooner, this is the best baby lightweight travel crib on the market! The three in one is super impressive for the infant bassinet. Wonderful quality and very much well me. He must add to your baby registry.
Wrapping it Up
All right – there you have it. This is the Amy Baby review of the sleek Travel Crib and Bed 3-in-1 Moov and Comfy from Babymoov.
I fell in love with the product when I first came across it at the ABC Expo. It was obvious that Babymoov was on to something with the incredible addition of their detachable raised bassinet portion on their Travel Crib.
Unpacking, opening it up, and even attaching the bassinet is super intuitive. You won’t need the instruction manual (good, because I always lose them anyways).
To be honest, I think some other brands have started to catch on to the raised bassinet idea, and are still playing catchup trying to create similar products. A great position to be in for Babymoov, they are clearly setting trends in the baby world as opposed to chasing them.
I own it, I’ve used it, and I still love it.
