BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light, Silver

Like many other out there, I could decide between the BabyBjorn and the Guava. I did A LOT of research, so this is going to be a lengthy review. :) Let me start by saying, you really can't go wrong either way. Personally, I was looking for a travel crib not for travel as much as just to replace my old pack n play that I no longer wanted to keep due to wanting to get rid of all of my baby gear that contained flame retardants. From my research, the only pack n play replacements currently on the market that do not contain flame retardants are: BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light, Guava Lotus, and the Nuna Sena. The Nuna Sena has the perk of being more like a traditional pack n play because it has two levels (one for a newborn), and it does not sit on the floor like the travel cribs. It also is bulky like a normal pack n play and isn't as easy to haul around. The Sena is also the most expensive choice at $250. It also is bulky like a normal pack n play and isn't as easy to haul around. You can find the Guava for $189 on their website, and the Bjorn averages in the $219-250 here on Amazon. First I bought the Bjorn because I couldn't resist the thicker mattress that everyone raved about. I will say that this is a VERY good travel crib. It is very nicely made, super easy to set up and take down, and the mattress is super comfy as others have stated. The footprint is slightly smaller on the Bjorn (see photo. The legs don't stick out quite as far as the Guava). The mattress is slightly wider than the Guava (see photo). The mesh of travel crib gets narrower as it gets to the top of the crib, making the top opening smaller than the Guava (see photo), so this makes the Bjorn not as good of a play space in my opinion, because it feels a little more closed in than the Guava does. To clarify to anyone out there that is wondering, the Bjorn mattress is made of polyurethane, not polyethylene (same is the case for Guava). I had seen a couple of reviews saying that it was polyethylene, but it is not. Also, the Bjorn is not completely made in Sweden. It says that the textile is made in China, and that the crib is "finished" in Sweden. The textiles are Oeko Tex Certified, which means that the materials used have been tested and certified to meet certain parameters. The tests for harmful substances cover: legally banned and controlled substances, chemicals known to be harmful to the health (but not yet legally controlled),  parameters for health protection. The Guava is not currently Oeko Tex Certified, but is Green Guard Gold Certified. The Bjorn is the clear winner for you if: 1. Your baby will be doing a lot of sleeping in the crib, as the mattress is definitely thicker and more plush than the Guava. I would also say that it does have a slight edge over Guava as far as quality, but not by a far stretch. There are currently no accessories to go with the Bjorn. It folds up compactly into a suitcase, whereas the Guava folds into a backpack. The Guava Lotus is another great choice for a non-toxic travel crib. I emailed the company, and they told me they are looking into Oeko-Tex certification, but are currently instead Green Guard Gold Certified. I was told "GreenGuard Gold standard that tests the actual product in a sealed chamber for 7 days to make sure there is no un-healthy offgassing occurring." The Guava mattress is about half as a thick as the Bjorn, and a bit firmer. Some people may actually prefer a firmer mattress for their baby, so this isn't a "con." I would still say the mattress is better than a standard pack n play mattress. The Guava is made in China, which is a bummer...but what isn't anymore?! I do appreciate that Guava is a small company out of California, and I have been happy with the customer service I have received from them thus far. Things that make the Guava a clear winner for you: 1. You travel a lot and want to be SURE that your crib can be carried as a carry on (in my experience airlines have always shipped my giant pack n play for free, but according to other reviewers this is not always the case. I guess I have been lucky ;)). 2. You want to use it as a play space (The Bjorn has a narrower top, making it a more claustrophobic feeling space for playing. Guava also makes a "Fun shade" that turns the crib into a fun play space to be used outside or inside as a fort of sorts. 3. Your baby wakes up when trying to lay them down (it's a long way down to the mattress on these travel mattresses, and sensitive babies are sure to wake up on the way down!). The Guava has a zipper opening that you can use to gently lay them down. 4. Your baby nurses to sleep. The zipper opening allows mom to lay down with baby if needed. 5. You have a bad back, you're short, or you are using the crib for the grandparent's house. Leaning down to pick up a baby that cannot yet stand up gets old really quick. My mom is 69 and about 5'1 and hated the Bjorn because she could barely lean in to pick my son up or lay him down. The Guava zipper solves this problem once again. Did you make it through this review?! I hope this helps someone, as I tried to cover some areas that other reviewers did not. I ended up returning the Bjorn, as I wanted the crib primarily as a safe play space at home that I could put baby when I needed to do something around the house. One last note: The American Baby Pack n Play sheet fits both of these mattresses, and is a lot cheaper than the ones made specifically for each crib. :) Feel free to ask me any questions, and I will try my best to answer.

I love this travel crib. It’s totally worth the price. It is super easy to assemble, takes only 2-3 minutes. I love that it comes with a comfy mattress (usually you have to buy and carry a mattress separately with other travel cribs or pack‘n‘play). It folds really small and fits perfectly in its travel bag, it’s super light weight and can be even carried as carry-on luggage on a plane if needed. The first and only travel crib I know which is really light weight but still very durable, stable and of great quality. The size of the assembled crib however is on the smaller side compared to a pack‘n‘play but it will still easily fit even a toddler. Also this crib can be used from birth, you won’t need an extra inlay as you do with other cribs. A little extra tipp: you can easily fit a small blanket and even some toys or other stuff inside the folded crib and it will still fit in the travel bag. That’s so practical... I carried a wearable blanket, baby blanket, muslin, snuggle toy and PJ with the crib on the go. I would definitely buy this again. I wished I bought this from the beginning and didn’t bother with a pack‘n‘play.

I know this is an expensive travel crib, but if you travel at all- trust me, this is the crib you want! We originally got the Graco Pack n Play thinking it would be our travel crib, but after seeing a friend use a Baby Bjorn and watching how light and easy it is to carry and set up, I realized just how ridiculous the Pack n Play really is for travel. It now stays at my mom's house as her permanent crib, and we use the Baby Bjorn for travel. It's honestly amazing. It's so easy to set up, take down, re-pack, and very easy to carry. It fits well when packing it in the car because of the size too where the Pack n Play was totally bulky and so heavy! I constantly hurt myself trying to set up and take down the Pack n Play. Also, don't let them trick you into buying their sheets! Any travel crib sheets work! We had a pair from the Pack n Play that fit perfectly in the Baby Bjorn, so you can save some money there. I read tons of reviews trying to justify spending the money on a travel crib, but once I saw one in action, I had no doubt that it was worth it. It looked so magical compared to the Pack n Play, and it really is! We have no regrets and I'm sure you won't either! Very good baby buy if you travel frequently! Note: sometimes Amazon has items offered for less money because the packaging has been damaged or the item was a return and they can't sell it as "new." When we bought ours, there was an offer for a bit less money because the packaging had been opened and it wasn't in the original box. It came in perfect condition and was never used! So if you have some patience and want to get it for a bit less money, try waiting to see if any offers are available to get it at a lower price through Amazon's warehouse deals. However even if I couldn't have found it for a lower price, I still would have made the purchase because I knew how worth it it was!

For various reasons we recently bought this in addition to the Guava Family Lotus travel crib (which we have owned for the past 3+ years), so I'm able to compare them. They are actually fairly similar, and I think they're both very nice products. But, there are some notable differences. Thought I'd compare for those of you not sure which would better suit your needs. SETUP AND TAKEDOWN: The BabyBjorn is super easy to set up and takedown (15sec.). The Lotus isn't too bad, but it's not even close. It's the difference between just swinging open the frame and having it automatically lock into place, vs. having to do a bit more thinking to snap open and then individually manipulate each leg. Putting in the mattress and fitted sheet is a little easier on the BabyBjorn (though honestly it's a little annoying on both). Closing up the Lotus is definitely more complicated: you need match up the two moon symbols and the two star symbols to make sure you are folding it up the right way, etc... often I also feel like I need to force a leg beyond what it wants to do in order to get it to fold up all the way. WINNER: BABYBJORN SIZE WHEN OPEN: The overall footprint and the mattress sizes are both very similar. Lotus: external size 45" L x 32" W x 25" H; mattress 42" L x 24" W. BabyBjorn: external size 44" L x 32" W x 24" H; mattress 41" L x 23.5" W. The BabyBjorn legs slant at a bit more of an angle, which makes the top opening smaller and makes the interior area feel a bit more cramped. They are both fine for sleeping, but the Lotus feels a touch more suitable for playtime. WINNER: LOTUS SIZE/WEIGHT WHEN FOLDED UP: They both weigh 13 lbs, but the Lotus folds up much smaller, into a rectangle (23" L x 12" H x 8" W) that can be worn as a backpack. In comparison, the BabyBjorn only folds in half, and so must be carried more like a small suitcase or large briefcase (19" H x 23.5" W x 5.5 in" D). If you're going to be toting your crib around and/or flying with it a lot (as opposed to primarily using it at home and traveling with it just occasionally), that would be a really good reason to pick the Lotus. WINNER: LOTUS MATTRESS: The BabyBjorn has a slightly thicker & cushier mattress. Also, for me it lies more consistently flat on the floor. WINNER: BABYBJORN ACCESS TO BABY: The Lotus has a zip-up door that either the child or an adult can crawl through; the BabyBjorn doesn't. I found the door to be a killer feature for my first child, who often needed to be soothed/nursed to sleep. With my second child this was a non-issue, but if you have a kid like my first, then that is reason enough to choose to Lotus. WINNER: LOTUS BUILD QUALITY: It feels like the Bjorn is constructed of higher quality materials, and feels more durable. The legs on the Lotus sometimes bend a little funny & get in the way of folding up the crib. Also there is some padding on the Lotus legs (to prevent abrasions when folded up?) that is attached to the legs with some sort of adhesive that is starting to peel off on my crib. I haven't washed the Bjorn fabric yet, but when I washed the Lotus fabric for the first time, the little plastic pieces that connect to the legs and are sewn to the Lotus fabric ended up snagging the mesh fabric in a few places in the washer, which continues to irritate me every time I look at it. WINNER: BABYBJORN STABILITY: If you jiggle the two frames after the cribs have been set up, the BabyBjorn feels a little more stable (presumably because the legs are more angled). We never had a problem with our child knocking over the Lotus, but he's a pretty chill kid. Could possibly be a factor if you have a hellion. WINNER: BABYBJORN TOXICITY: The two cribs are constructed of similar materials: polyester top fabric & mesh, and flame retardant-free polyurethane foam mattress. The Lotus is free of flame retardants, PVC, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, and heavy metals (e.g. Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury). The Bjorn is Oeko-Tex certified. Bottom line, they both sound pretty chemical-free (especially as compared to other manufacturers who use flame retardants in the foam), but I personally prefer the Oeko-Tex certification since there is third-party testing involved and they screen for a broader array of harmful substances. WINNER: BABYBJORN PRICE/VALUE: The BabyBjorn is a little more expensive. But it also includes a fitted sheet (and an organic, very soft one at that), which the Lotus doesn't. Even without the sheet difference, I would personally consider the price difference justified based on the Bjorn's superior build quality. WINNER: TIE BASSINET EXPANSION: The Lotus is convertible to a bassinet (with purchase of a separate bassinet conversion kit); the BabyBjorn is not. For the Lotus, you use the same frame, but replace the crib fabric and mattress with modified versions for the bassinet (the smaller bassinet mattress is suspended from the frame instead of resting on the ground). We used the bassinet with kid #2 for the first six months, and we loved it. It was light & easy to take on the go or travel with. WINNER: LOTUS BOTTOM LINE: They're both great cribs. I personally marginally prefer the BabyBjorn (at least for the way that we use it -- primarily within our home), due to its higher build quality, easier setup/takedown, thicker mattress, and Oeko-Tex certification. HOWEVER, the trade-off is a larger folded up size, a bit more cramped interior space, no zip-up door, a slightly higher price, and no bassinet option. If you are going to be traveling/flying with your crib a lot, you foresee yourself regularly being able to make use of the zip-up door (e.g. to soothe/nurse your baby to sleep), and/or you don't already have a separate bassinet for the newborn period, then the Lotus might be a better choice for you! Good luck with finding the best fit for your family!

**UPDATED REVIEW** We've had the Baby Bjorn travel crib for two years now and I still love it and would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat! For awhile, I used to baby it by putting it in a bigger suitcase when we flew. After a year of doing that, I finally got curious enough to see if it would hold up without having to be placed in a larger suitcase. It held up great the first time we did it (DTW to LAX). So as luck would have it, the third time we checked our beloved travel crib for a simple flight from DSM to LAX, it somehow got tagged incorrectly and wound up on a flight to China! I was pretty livid. So after a few days, our jet setting crib finally made it back to us. It reeked of smoke and probably air pollution but it was in one piece. No tears or worn down areas in the traveling case, the frame perfectly fine. I simply threw the carrying case and top/netting portion of the crib as well as the plastic case that envelopes the mattress padding into the washing machine then air dried it overnight. Everything else I wiped down with lysol wipes. Good as new. I'm very thankful that in this case, I definitely got what I paid for: a durable, well-made travel crib. The crib itself can still accommodate my petite three year old (35 inches tall). We still use it when we travel and we want to ensure that she has a safe, contained place to sleep. She did teach herself to climb out of the crib and can do so easily since the crib is so stable. Not that we condone or encourage it. I just thought it was noteworthy. **ORIGINAL REVIEW** I was torn between the Guava Family (GF) lotus crib and the Baby Bjorn (BB) travel crib. I decided to order both so that I could compare them side by side! Please bear with me as being succinct was never my forte. The carrying cases for both are stylish and subdued. For the BB crib, you can only carry it via two handles on top - much like a brief case. For the GF crib, you have two options: like a brief case or as a backpack. I like how the GF's carrying case gives you two options; however, the quality of the BB carrying case is better. The fabric is noticeably thicker and I suspect may be more durable in the long run if you're rough with your baby gear. The set up design of both cribs is instinctive. I was able to set both up without reading the owner's manual. For the GF crib, the mattress pad is secured via velcro tabs located underneath the pad. You pull the tabs through slots on the bottom of the crib and secure it to velcro tabs there. I was able to do all four velcro tabs just by touch. There's a bit of fumbling but I don't think that necessarily detracts from the ease of set up. I noticed that the mattress pad did pull up at four corners initially, but after a few days it now lays relatively flat. The BB mattress pad is secured via red tabs pulled through corner slots of the crib. They're anchored with a hook-loop mechanism instead of velcro. It was admittedly easier and faster to anchor the BB mattress than it was the GF mattress because I could see what I was doing. The BB mattress pad also initially pulled up at all four corners and is now settling down and laying flat. Neither crib had any discernible odor upon set up. As for the mattress pad, I'd say the BB mattress is double the thickness of the GF mattress. You can order a plush quilted sheet to make the GF mattress softer. I personally prefer the more plush mattress as my child is 15 months; however, I could also see why others would prefer the thinness of the GF mattress. I'd say it's akin to any typical Graco pack'n'play mattress. We have the American Baby Company 100% organic cotton interlock fitted pack'n'play sheet and it fit fine on both mattress pads. I feel that overall, the quality of material is noticeably different. The fabric at the top of the GF crib is not as smooth and luxe to the touch as the BB one is. One review noted that they felt like the former fabric could potentially snag more and I can see that happening. The top fabric parts of both cribs can be zippered off and washed. The mesh material of both feel exactly the same. To take down the GF crib, there are two handles on the top part of the frame that you simply squeeze. The location of the handles is indicated by white circles with upward arrows. For the BB crib, you tug the legs down and fold. Because the GF crib is shaped like a box, its footprint is larger than that of the BB crib. The legs of the GF also stick out further than the BB crib's legs. They're both roughly the same height. In terms of aesthetic appeal, I'd go with the BB crib. It's sleeker and I prefer the all black look versus the grey, white, and black of the GF crib. What I really enjoyed about the BB crib is how user friendly set up and take down is along with the materials used. I feel like the $60 or so difference in price tag of the BB crib is fair given its more apparent quality. Ultimately, I feel like you can't go wrong with either crib. They both have their pros and cons. If I could, I'd engineer a travel crib that had the sleek, luxe look and quality of the BB crib with the side zipper, carrying case, and folded dimensions of the GF crib. In the long run, I decided to go for the BB crib because I felt like it suited my family's needs more. Happy traveling!

I have an almost 1 year old who, no matter how hard I tried to make it comfortable, would not sleep in a PackNPlay! We have an upcoming trip in about a month and I had been trying to get him used to sleeping somewhere other than his crib. He’s an independent sleeper who sleeps best in his own crib. But don’t we all sleep better in our own bed? Anyway, I needed something more comfortable for him! This travel crib had the best reviews, and although the cost is more expensive, I decided to go ahead and try it. I am so glad I did! The comfy mattress sits directly on the floor - so no dips, sagging or poles sticking through the bottom! It’s incredibly lightweight and by far the easiest thing to assemble. As with anything new with my son, it took about three days of naps for him to become fully adjusted. But the first time we tried it out he fell asleep just fine. And here’s another review within this review - I use this crib with the SlumberPod! Please look it up if your child has issues sleeping away from home! Our “system” worked perfectly at Grandma’s yesterday - he napped like a champ! I have no doubt that this will make our upcoming trip WAY more manageable. Buy this crib! You won’t be disappointed! And while you’re on Amazon, look up the SlumberPod! Together, they are a great combo for restful sleep for your baby!

This is an awesome travel crib! It is super light and can be VERY easily popped up and closed in seconds. The padding at the bottom is a smidge thinner than I would have liked it to be. Another thing to note is that this is smaller than most pack n plays. It truly is a travel crib. If you are wanting a pack n play to use when you need to put the baby somewhere safe with a few toys for a minute, this is not really the product for you. It might work well for a younger baby, but not once they get mobile. We never use a pack n play for anything other than travel, so it is perfect for us! I was concerned about it stability at first, it seems a little shaky. After my 15 month old and I put it through its paces, I definitely feel that it is very secure! I would HIGHLY recommend and I would definitely buy again! That all being said, I would like to address why I gave this 4 stars instead if 5. The first reason is the padding is a bit thinner than I would have liked, but on the flip side, my son did not seem to mind at all. He slept very well in the travel crib! The thinner mattress may also be why it can fold so small as well. The second reason is the crib sheets...the Baby Bjorn sheets are $30-40, depending on where you look. That is just crazy! Instead, I purchased a 24x38 inch sheet by Luvable Friends and a 27x39x4 inch sheet by American Baby Company (less than $10 each). They are not a perfect fit, so it would definitely depend on your comfort level...but I was happy with them!

After a lot of research and reading reviews we decided to purchase the Baby Björn (BB) Travel Crib for our recent trans-Atlantic trip. The BB was intuitive and easy to set up. Additionally, the high sides make it a better fit for us, as our 1 1/2 yo child is in the 90 percentile in terms of height and is quite tall for his age. The set up and take down was a snap and the mattress fit snugly into place. As other reviewers have stated, and I can attest from 3 weeks of road travel with our child, this crib is indeed as advertised and a dream for us while on holiday. Additionally, our child felt very comfortable in the BB crib and we felt better knowing that the fabrics and materials our all certified Oeko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 for baby products. This guarantees that the fabrics are free from harmful and allergenic substances. This was also another consideration for us, as our child has very sensitive skin. The crib also traveled well in the airplane and we were able to stow it in the overhead compartment on the plane and use it as a carry-on item. While on the road, the carry case was easy to transport from car to room and could fit in a variety of spaces. Moreover, if we were visiting friends or family, the crib was a snap to set up for our son to take an afternoon nap or go to bed if we stayed up late. I read all the lower rated reviews and I cannot understand how this product would get a rating of less than 4 or 5 stars. We were so impressed by the functionality, easy transport, and versatility of this travel crib that I was inspired to write this review, based on first-hand experience. We had peace of mind knowing that the fabrics were safe for our child, the high sides made it comfortable and secure for our child to stand up, and the breathable sides let us monitor him for a quick peek if needed. We also purchased the fitted sheet, which was also very handy. I would highly recommend this crib for anyone with a toddler on the tall side and families that like to travel lightly. I would gladly purchase the BB crib again and highly recommend it.