Thinking about renting a crib? Will you use a baby equipment rental company or the hotel?

October 28, 2013

A baby’s sleep schedule and their ability to get quality rest is a major factor in their mood and happiness. When traveling away from home, this can be challenging for parents. Babies, like adults, grow used to sleeping in their own beds and resting anywhere else can sometimes be an adjustment. For children that typically use a crib, one option for away from home sleeping is a crib rental. Crib rentals are often offered by hotels, as well as baby equipment rental companies, but there are some major differences to consider before making your final decision on which to rent from.

Crib Size – The first factor to consider before you lease is the size of the crib that will be available. While some hotels will offer full sized cribs, this is generally an exception to the rule. Most of the time, cribs that are available to rent through a hotel will be a smaller, more portable crib, very similar to a pack and play. Baby equipment rental companies, on the other hand, will likely have a number of full sized cribs available for rent.

Crib Bedding – Crib safety should always be the number one priority when it comes to baby, and experts always recommend that crib bedding be perfectly fitted to the baby’s crib. This reduces the risk of entanglement or danger to your baby while they sleep. Most hotels do not offer crib sized sheets for their rentals, and simply use regular, adult sized bed sheets with the extra fabric tucked under the mattress. This can be dangerous to your child. Baby equipment rental companies go the extra mile to provide crib bedding options that fit properly and that are made with baby’s safety in mind.

Crib Construction – Another area to consider is the actual construction of the crib that will be rented. Most baby equipment rental companies will offer comfortable wooden cribs with standard crib mattresses, similar to the ones that a parent will have at home. Metal cribs, which are commonly leased by hotels, are often very uncomfortable for a baby to sleep in and less likely to provide quality rest. Many hotels also offer extremely thin crib mattress that offer very little support or cushion.

Crib Cleanliness & Condition – After a long trip with baby, no one wants to arrive at their destination to find the crib that they have rented is dirty, covered in germs, or in unsatisfactory condition for use. While many hotels do an outstanding job of keeping their crib rentals clean and in good working condition, there are quite a few that do not take the time or care that is required. Baby equipment rental companies, though, are generally more up to date on proper cleaning and sanitizing techniques that are safe for babies, check crib recall notices much more often, and are more educated on what to maintain to keep a crib in top working order.

Renting a crib for baby while away from home can be a great experience, if you have taken the time to educate yourself on the questions to ask and the issues to watch for. Baby equipment rental companies are usually the best option, and are often just as reasonably priced as a hotel crib rental.