When we rented the villa in France we knew there wasn't a cot so we jumped at the chance to review Mamas and Papas Sleep Travel Cot. If you've not heard of Mamas & Papas they specialise in a range of stylish, but functional products for mothers and babies including pushchairs, maternity wear, car seats for babies and others that are suitable for up to age 12.
Blondie Boy had slept in a Pack and Play (what Americans call travel cots) when we were in the US last summer but not since he's when walking and climbing so I was a bit worried about if he'd actually stay in it.
Well my fears were unfounded. If I'm honest I assumed the only reason Blondie Boy doesn't climb out of his cot now is because he wear a sleeping bag at night so he physically can't; well he slept in the Mamas and Papas Sleep Travel Cot without a sleeping bag and stayed put. Not only did he stay put but he was PASSED OUT.
He's all crammed up in the corner but that's how he sleeps in his cot at home too, weirdo. It took a wee bit of getting used to but the cot was easy to put up and down and obviously comfortable for a wriggly toddler, too.
My only complaint is the travel bag. The bag itself is quite flimsy, especially when you consider this is a product which is specifically designed for travel. The bag was ripped by the time we landed Barcelona. Perhaps if the bag was better quality or even if both the handles could be secured together (we speculate a baggage handler grabbed by one handle at that's how it ripped) it wouldn't have ripped.
All in all though I would highly recommend it as the cot itself is extremely sturdy and while the bag took quite the battering the cot itself survived intact. The Mamas and Papas Sleep Travel Cot retails for £90 but is currently on sale for only £69.
Transatlantic Blonde was provided this product for review but the views expressed are my own.
Tomorrow we are leaving on a proper vacation. What the freak makes it proper you ask? It's a vacation which has the sole purpose of being a vacation. Being an expat means that a lot of your vacations are actually trips to visit friends and family. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing them, but I'm really excited to being going on a proper holiday which for me includes a beach and our very own OUTDOOR pool!
This will be our third trip with Blondie Boy so I thought I'd pull together a list of what I think are must haves for travelling with a toddler. Some of these I haven't tested or tried yet, but like I said it's my opinions, not facts.
Trunki: Unless you've never been in an airport ever you'll have seen a Trunki; I saw at least ten over the past two weeks when I flew to Manchester and London. Not only are they ridiculously cute, but they are functional. Your child can ride on it, you can pull them on it while you use it to schlep their carry-on stuff on the plane. Blondie Boy has been pushing it around the living room all week so I can't wait to see what he does at the airport.
Salter Luggage Scales: I hate packing; I am always overpacking and don't even get me started on how I jam everything into our suitcase when we come home from the US (I may or may not bring an extra bag just for food). On more that one occasion we've had to shuffle items from one bag to another so they were the right weight. You attach the Salter luggage scales to your bag, lift it by the handle, and wait for the beep to see the total weight. No more embarrassing moments at check-in and no more excess luggage fees!
New toys and books: The tip mentioned to me most often is to bring toys and books your child has never seen before to keep them entertained. I've already broken that by letting Blondie Boy play with his Megasketcher but I love that the pen is attached to the board so he can't drop/throw it away. Luckily my Mother-in-law has gotten him some new books as well.
Change of clothes in your carry-on: I'm not just talking about for your toddler here; pack an extra top for you, too. Do you want to sit in a puked on, peed on or food smeared shirt for an extended period of time? I didn't think so.
Snacks: I don't like airplane food and chances are your toddler won't either. Pack snacks you know they like and are easy to eat. Things like snack bars or fruit pouches which your toddler can slurp. If the pouches are more than 100ml you'll have to taste them but 100ml or smaller and you are good to go.
A baby carrier: If your child is still light enough use a baby carrier. We used one when we flew with Blondie Boy at 5 months and it was amazing. He fell asleep in it and I could carry him while eating a Sausage McMuffin; I call that a win-win situation.
A compact stroller: We are taking our Nuna PEPP with us on the flight. It folds up easily and compactly, but doesn't slack on style or function. I've been happy with how it's worked for travelling around Glasgow and I'm interested to see how it does travelling abroad.
Travel Cot: Blondie Boy still sleeps in his crib so trying to put him to sleep in a regular bed is just not going to work. We're taking a Mamas and Papas Sleep Travel Cot. It is compact and portable, but still very spacious, sturdy and stylish. Hopefully Blondie Boy will like sleeping in it!
Pourty: I've talked about the Pourty before and since we know Blondie Boy likes using it as a potty and it is portable we are taking it with us on our trip. No reason for potty training to stop just because we are going on holiday. It also means we can dispose of everything in the potty easily and without mess.
What are your *must* haves for travelling with a toddler? Am I forgetting anything?
Some, but not all, of these products were provided to Transatlantic Blonde to review but all opinions are my own.
Blondie Boy had slept in a Pack and Play (what Americans call travel cots) when we were in the US last summer but not since he's when walking and climbing so I was a bit worried about if he'd actually stay in it. 
