Even those couples who were masters of traveling light before they had a family find it almost impossible to keep luggage to a minimum once their baby is born! Whilst breastfeeding mums don't need to lug around a steriliser etc, even they still have the other baby paraphernalia to pack: travel system, baby bath, a sackful of nappies and spare clothes, and of course, that all-important travel cot.
Making sleep time on the go as cosy as home
However, even if you take all these home comforts with you wherever you go, it's hard not to disturb your baby's routines. For example, what you will find is that every bedroom you put your baby to nap in is different from the familiar surroundings of your home – hotel rooms, a friend's house, grandma's spare bedroom.
At home you will have probably set up your bedroom (or, if your baby is over six months old, your baby's own room) with curtains that block out light so that daytime naps and summer sleeping hours don't disturb or wake your baby too early. But often, if you are visiting someone else, you may well find that the curtains or blinds are not so thick.
This is where Content&Calm's simple new invention comes in… for use with a regular or a travel cot.
Content&Calm Cot Canopy
This product pretty much 'does what it says on the tin' – it's a canopy that fits easily above any regular travel cot, which can drape down over the cot in order to maintain a dark environment for your baby or toddler even during a daytime nap.
It's easy to put up and you can arrange the different sides of the canopy to allow some light or no light to come in. Not only is this useful when you are staying away from home in other bedrooms, but also great for going camping, as there is a mesh cover which can act as a mosquito net. The mesh cover also acts as a half-light cover, when you don't need the full shade covering the cot.
As well as being useful for blocking out unwanted light from the windows, if you are sleeping in the same room with an older baby or toddler who has got used to sleeping in his own room (in one hotel room altogether, for example) then being able to lower the sides of this canopy means you don't have to creep around after he has gone off to sleep. Instead, the canopy acts like his personal space!
It's a simple idea and it's well designed, coming in a nifty little travel bag to make it portable when travelling abroad, too.
The Content&Calm Cot Canopy has an RRP £129.99 is available now from Contentandcalm.com, and stores including mothercare.com. For stockists near you, call 01823 323363.
