Recommendation for Portable crib please!

[torinyc]

Hello,
We need to buy a portable crib for a summer house. Our 6-month old will be using it for 5 weeks straight. I have been researching online and can not decide what is best. I do not know really care about bells and whistles such as vibrations or night lights. But I would like to buy an option with the best mattress. What are you using?
Should I buy Graco, Chico, Baby Bjorn?
Are there additional mattress/sheet options for any?

Thank you very much!

[GraceH]

Are you looking for an actual portable crib or pack n play?
FWIW, my DS slept in his Graco Pack n Play SPORT for 5 months in the living room (we took in a house guest, long story). If you go the pack n play route, I highly recommend the SPORT because it's an indoor/outdoor one (not sure what all you do at your summer house) with a UV roof and padded waterproof floor. It doesn't have cardboard in the floor, so moisture won't ruin it and you can hose the whole thing down to give it a good cleaning. Oh, and it's unique shape and zippered door allow it to become a play tent once your little one is older.

[torinyc]

Thanks Grace! We are looking for a mesh crib, like Graco Sport you described. I think this particular model has been discontinued.
I have a general questions about Graco type cribs. The mattress seems to be basically on the floor. Is that OK for the baby? Is he going to be cold or uncomfortable?

[amandabea]

You should be able to get a basic Pack-n-play. The Graco ones are fine - that's what we had.

The baby should be warm enough based on what you dress him in, so I wouldn't worry about that - obviously don't place the PnP someplace where the temperature is extreme. As far as the firmness of the PnP mattress, that shouldn't affect his ability to sleep/comfort, but you can buy an additional mattress for it. They sell two-inch, vinyl ones at Babies-r-Us and somewhere you should be able to find nicer ones too (my DD's daycare had 4-6 inch mattresses in their portacribs that fit the PnP, so I know they exist). If you do get a thicker mattress, I'd recommend getting regular size sheets - that's what I used for DD's daycare bed. A portacrib/PnP sheet never would have fit and the mattress fit snugly into the crib so I didn't worry about any excess fabric.

[GraceH]

I must admit that I got my Pack&Play SPORT on eBay in excellent condition (~$100) because the outdoor capabilities were important to me - they still sell them new in Europe and possibly Canada, I don't know why not here anymore, maybe the US doesn't spend enough time outdoors?
Most Gracos have the mattress a few inches off the floor, the cardboardish bottom is supported by metal crosspiece(s) - the SPORT padded floor rests on the carpet/ground itself -- technically, many times adding mattresses and padding isn't suggested (they're worried about baby getting stuck between the mattress and the wall), but if you get a super snug fit, I would imagine it would be okay - babies are much more flexible and comfortable than we adults give them credit for.

[torinyc]

I am pretty much sold on Graco now. But I would like to see if I can get an additional mattress... I called Graco to ask what the mattress area dimensions are as opposed to the whole crib and they would not tell me! it is a liability for them, since they do not recommend using mattresses... I am taking a trip to Babies R Us or may be Walmart. Interestingly enough, there is Graco Georgia Dotty model that I could only find at Walmart that is very similar to Sport

[MCsMom]

How about a Phil and Ted's Traveller?
Costco.com is selling them for $99 plus shipping...

[GraceH]

Just to clarify, this is the kind of Graco Pack & Play SPORT I was talking about:
http://www.preciouslittleone.com/acatalog/GRPNP.html
(although that's a UK shop linked there)

[torinyc]

Thanks Grace! I only saw it available on ebay and it is used. We are looking for something that is not necessarily for outdoors, but is comfortable for DS to spend 5 weeks in. However, I love the tent as a protection from mosquitos on the Sport!!!

[BeccaB.]

I love my PnP but I wouldn't buy one with all the extra features. Just the bassinet and the basic crib are fine. The changing station on mine is completely useless. It is tipped to such an angle that when you put the baby on it they almost seem like they are going to roll out.

[sariana]

We have a Graco P&P, and it does have the bells and whistles. One of those bells (or whistles) is a thicker, removable mattress cover. It came with the set, so I would hope it is safe. My parents got a cheaper P&P, and its mattress has no cover at all. So I don't know what we would do if DC ever leaked on it (or threw up, as DS did in ours a couple of years ago--we just threw the cover in the wash).

We LOVE our P&P. DS slept in it for several months, from when he was about 22 months until he was about 26 months. Then he was too big, and we moved him to a mattress on the floor. (We were living with ILs while looking for a house to buy.)

Both DS and DD slept in it for the first months of their lives, with the bassinette insert.

We didn't use the changing table much, and we would have used it less had DS not been born early (meaning his room wasn't ready). The vibration feature was nice but not necessary. We rarely used the music or the lights. But the extra cost was well worth it for the thicker mattress, IMO.

[torinyc]

Thank you all for your help! I ended up buying Chicco, just because I liked them better. I also bought additional mattress and sheets. I bought organic sheets (I do not really think organic is necessary, but I do not like non cotton next to baby's skin). I will report back when my DS will test drive it :)
A salesman in a baby store demonstrated to me that Chicco and Graco are the same size mattresses, so I hope everything will fit. The reason I Bought Chicco is simply because I really liked their Miro design. My DS is still very much into contrasting pictures, like black and white flash cards. I am hoping Miro design will help to enjoy the crib :)