Portable Travel Crib

The versatile Graco Travel Lite crib is about half of the size of the regular Pack n’ Play, but is safe for babies up to 30 pounds. It can be used as a bed, playpen or changing table and folds up with the push of a button. It also comes with a bassinet. Younger babies actually prefer less open space and one of the major advantages of the Graco Travel Lite Crib is that it will fit through doors and has wheels on one side. We used this exclusively to travel until our kids were about 18 months because we could put them to sleep in the bathroom of our hotel or guest room and then easily move them once they fell asleep. Once they started to move around a lot, we simply switched to the bigger Graco Pack n’Play. Another great thing about the Graco Travel Lite is that it's less than 20lbs and you can carry it with one hand.

It's also a nice accessory to have around the house to use for naps downstairs or as changing table. The Travel Lite Crib is offered in a variety of colors and is relatively inexpensive (around $80). Don’t forget to buy an extra set of sheets.

It may seem like a waste to buy both this crib and the traditional Pack N' Play, but it really does give you a lot more flexibility for that first year, which in my opinion is worth the relatively small investment. It's also the perfect price point for a gift.