Chicco LullaGo Portable Bassinet

After several weeks with a cold and unable to sleep lying flat, my son was refusing to snooze in his bassinet or crib. With a family trip right around the corner, I began really sweating his new sleep preferences. Would he be up all night? Would everyone else in our shared vacation home be up with him? How could I quickly and easily transition him back to sleeping flat? I had tried a few products but wasn’t having a lot of luck until finding the Chicco LullaGo Portable Bassinet.

The LullaGo was initially impressive in its ease of setup. In its box were four detached legs, the main bassinet piece and a folded mattress pad. I snapped the legs onto the bassinet and unfolded then placed the mattress inside … I was finished in seconds!

Stepping back, I admired the design. With minimal bells and whistles, this bassinet is sleek and modern—and the color (pistachio) is attractive yet gender neutral. I noticed that the included shoulder bag carrying case would be handy for packing, storing and transporting during our trip. Bassinet disassembly was equally easy, only requiring the push of a few buttons, and all components are relatively lightweight.

My son was immediately happier with the LullaGo bassinet. At 27 x 22 x 36 inches, it is larger than the original bassinet he disliked. When awake and in his bed, the extra space gave him more room to kick, roll and stretch. Its mesh cutouts along the sides allowed for more breathability, but my baby, who likes to be involved in everything, also enjoyed being able to peer out of and poke at the new mesh texture.

Later when asleep, the plush mattress pad was comfy enough to not wake baby when transferring from mama’s arms for the night. Due to the bassinet’s hanging design, its basket swung and rocked a bit when my baby would transfer his weight, which he also seemed to find comforting. The Chicco LullaGo portable bassinet quickly became the only way I could get my son to finally resume sleeping flat!

While I love the mattress pad’s softness and that its cover is washable, I did find one imperfection in its nearly flawless design. Chicco recommends washing and line drying all bassinet components, so it is crucial to have a backup plan in case of a diaper blowout or big spit up, as my baby doesn’t always allow that extra time in the schedule! I have not used an additional bassinet sheet over the mattress cover due to its plushness (that my son seems to prefer), but one could be an option if you needed to cut down on drying time.

For on-the-go families, or even those just looking for a well-made, comfortable and convenient baby bed, I would highly recommend the Chicco LullaGo bassinet. It has changed the bedtime game for our family, at home and on the road, and I now can’t imagine life without it! Vacation, here we come!

Price: $100
Where to buy: amazon.com