Portable Travel Bed for Babies

I almost never review something on this travel gear blog that I haven't used myself, but since my kid is 8 now and this is a bed for babies, well...

Friends of mine will soon have a new baby though and I've been looking around for a good travel-related present for them. I'm sold on this portable travel bed from Peapod. It's more of a tent than a bed, which makes it easier and lighter, plus it looks like it would be more fun for the tyke as well.

We used a pack-and-play set when my daughter was a baby, but it was really large and heavy. It just added to the incredible bulk of stuff you end up with when traveling with a little creature that only weighs ten pounds. This portable travel bed folds up to a manageable size (14"L x 5"W x 14"H) and it only weighs about 5 pounds for the smaller version.

There's a self-inflating (with a small included pump) air mattress at the bottom, lots of flaps to get to baby, and screens to let the air come through---just like a real tent. It comes in several colors and two basic sizes, so check the Peapod site to figure out which is best. Hint: if people commonly say to you, "Wow, that's a big baby," then you will probably want to go for the large one.

Almost anywhere you see customer reviews of this item, you see parents gushing about how great it is, so I feel very comfortable buying it sight unseen for my friends. You can find this portable travel bed for around $50-$70 at the likes of Target and Kohl's, or you can order it online from lots of outlets. Click here to get it at Amazon.