Guava Lotus

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

Guava Lotus. Easy to set up, easy to fold down, and folds down really small. And the bag can be worn as a backpack! And it is so much lighter than the Graco PnP!

Thread: "pack n play safe sleep?"

In the US, they are regulated for sleep and considered a safe sleep option. Our baby has been sleeping in a Guava Lotus in our room since she outgrew her bassinet.

Thread: "Pack N Play recommendations for carry on plane travel?"

The Guava Lotus one is supposed to be pretty good for travel. Folds up to backpack size. But depending on which cities you are going to, have you looked into a rental company like BabyQuip?

Thread: "Best travel crib/playard that is NOT Graco"

I got the Guava Lotus and I love it.

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

Another vote for the guava lotus. We love it

Thread: "Can’t decide on travel crib"

The Guava Lotus has the option for a bassinet. I think most bassinets will have the same weight restrictions. I would not put an additional mattress to try to elevate a child- that is not conducive with safe sleep.

Thread: "Is the baby bjorn travel crib worth it? Travelling for an extended period with 2 under 2"

We have the guava lotus but have also used the baby bijorn but yes I think it's worth it. The mattress is on the floor so it doesn't have the bulky bars that a pack n play does and it's so much more lightweight for travel

Thread: "Travel Crib solution for a 2 Year Old?"

I love our Guava Lotus. It folds up much nicer for travel and it’s longer than a pack and play so kids can fit in it longer (their website states up to 35” tall).

Thread: "Safe sleep: Seeking recommendations for playard /pack n play"

In the US, “travel crib” is not a regulated safe sleep space category. We only have safety standards for full-size cribs, bassinets, and playards/non-full-size cribs. For a “travel crib” to be safe for sleep, it would have to meet one of those standards. We also have the Guava Lotus, and it meets the US standards for a playard/non-full-size crib. Mesh is just for visibility, and has nothing to do with sleep safety. Manufacturers will claim it’s there to be “breathable” but that’s just a marketing term in the US, not something regulated or tested for. ETA as far as the manufacturer guidance, if you’re in Canada, that might just be a legal requirement? I’ve never seen that on a PNP in the US. But it’s also worded in a way that sounds very CYA/legalese to me, “you must still provide the supervision necessary for the continued safety of your child” - they don’t specifically say you have to be watching them or even nearby, so I’m wondering if it’s like, “don’t leave your kid asleep in a PNP in an empty house/in the front yard alone/in a room full of cats.”

Thread: "Pack n play: Baby Bjorn or Guava Lotus?"

I have a Guava Lotus. I love the side-zip for nursing baby to sleep then rolling away, and my toddler loves it for using as a fort. I appreciate it being on time ground means I don’t need to worry about weight limits, but I may be less fond if I travelled somewhere with more ground pests. It sets up relatively quickly; clipping in the mattress is the most aggravating part. When packing it up, sometimes the trigger handles are a bit stiff and sometimes I fold the legs one bend off so it doesn’t compact all the way, but both are minor quirks that just take a bit of practice. Fitting it into the travel bag is a bit like shoving a sleeping bag into a stuff sack: it’s going to take a minute because there’s no wiggle room, but the end result is highly compact. Overall, zero regrets and I’m very happy with it.

Thread: "FTM looking at travel cribs - Guava Lotus with bassinet conversion or Maxi Cosi Swift?"

The swift is new to the market but I have every other item in the home line and am VERY impressed.

Thread: "Playard Recommendations"

Because of her age, I would look at playards that put the bed right on the ground. The ones that are a few inches off the ground have weight restrictions that your kiddo might quickly reach. I have the babybjorn travel crib and I love it. It’s super quick to set up/take down and folds up pretty small for travel, and is lightweight. I also have the veer basecamp tent that I love for a safe enclosed space outdoors or in the house. I don’t need to worry about bugs getting in and it has a sunshade/wind breaker that comes in very handy. I’ve seen the Guava Lotus travel crib, that might be the best of both worlds (front zip access) but I don’t think it’s easily available in Canada Edit: also the babymoov naos might be good, and is cheaper

Thread: "pack n play safe sleep?"

The Canadian recommendations was regarding the pack n play, sorry if that’s confusing I’ll edit to point that out. Guava lotus looks like the more recommended option

Thread: "Travel friendly pack n play/travel cribs? "

Guava Lotus is really travel friendly and would be my top recommendation. It is slightly on the pricier side, but the lifespan is pretty long that you’d most likely be able to find uses for it for some time that might make it worth it. The Dream On Me Travel Light Playard looks like it might fit your needs too if you’re looking for something at a lower price range. ETA: sorry for your family’s loss💔

Thread: "Best temporary / travel crib?"

I’m stuck in a small apartment until June and my little guy has been sleeping in a Guava Lotus in my bedroom every night since he outgrew the bassinet so we can conserve space, and he LOVES it. He goes to a Montessori daycare/preschool and sleeps on a mat on the floor at daycare anyway, so I think he likes the consistency.

Thread: "Recommendations for play yards/travel crib/ play pens?"

I really recommend deciding what you want to use it for. Most play yards are really heavy ( > 20lbs!) which is fine for driving trips to the grandparents, but is really hard to manage if you are flying especially solo for trips. If using for flying, I've heard good things about the guava lotus and baby Bjorn. Otherwise most will be comparable. Note that in Canada, only the bassinet portion is rated for safe sleep, usually to a max of ~15lbs.

Thread: "Deluxe Pack and Play Suggestions"

Most pack n play bassinets probably have the same milestones in terms of baby out growing them. Usually about 15lbs or when baby can push up on their arms- whichever comes first. The ones that last longest because they have no weight limits are the ones like the guava lotus that sit on the ground. Also- beware that most attachments that come with pack n plays are not safe for sleep. The bassinet is the insert that hangs down inside of the structure. The attachments are for awake time only

Thread: "Travel crib for tall toddler recommendations"

Guava lotus? It sits on the floor and comes up pretty high (I’m 5’5” and struggle to lean over). It packs up nicely for travel.

Thread: "pack n play safe sleep?"

Nooo I have a Guava Lotus. The mattress is very thin and I don't really see how a baby could slip into the sides, but they're mesh regardless.

Thread: "Favorite pack and play/travel crib?"

The guava lotus but it doesn’t have a bassinet insert. They do sell a separate bassinet (I’m pretty sure it’s separate)

Thread: "Playard recommendations - bassinet insert and travel friendly"

I've seen posts about this in the forum with recommendations for Guava Lotus travel crib. 13 pounds. Can be a carry on as well based on fold up size. Good from 0 to 3 years. Only available via Amazon.com (the American site) and its $240 USD plus 99 import fee. I've seen some on Facebook Marketplace near Toronto area and they never are up long so I figure I'll be able to resell it. I have Amazon.com gift cards on my registry as my mother in law said she wasn't going to buy off my registry and I think she'd be the only one to put in that money (my mom passed away last year unfortunately)

Thread: "Can’t decide on travel crib"

We had a Graco Pack ‘n Play that had another piece that suspended the mattress higher up - I’m not sure what that model was called (just tried to look and maybe one of the On the Go models?). It was more convenient for laying her down when she was very little, but once she could sit up well, the sides weren’t high enough to be safe. My baby never slept well in the Pack ‘n Play because she would wake herself up when she would roll over and the mattress would move. She will actually only sleep in a travel crib with a mattress on the floor (she normally sleeps all night and will usually still do that in a Guava Lotus.) I definitely would be concerned about being able to comfortably lay your baby down in one being 5’ tall though. Hopefully others have some additional suggestions!

Thread: "Can’t decide on travel crib"

Yes second mattress is not safe sleep. The Lotus mattress is soft enough to be comfortable while being firm for safety.

Thread: "Best travel crib/playard that is NOT Graco"

Second this! We got it as a travel crib but ended up using it in our room to room share full time. We LOVE it!

Thread: "Best temporary / travel crib?"

Seconding the Guava Lotus! I got one when my son was 9ish months. He had never slept in anything other than a bassinet (at first) and his crib and we were going to spend a weekend at our friends lake house. Our current pack and play just seemed so bulky and we use it for diaper changes so I wasn’t convinced he’d even sleep in that. The mattress on the Guava Lotus is SO much better than the pack and play, too. He slept so great in there! After that, we didn’t use it at all until just last month. We were getting new doors installed in all of the bedrooms, but it was time for him to nap... so we set it up in our basement along with the white noise/baby monitor/all other nap essentials and he slept for 2.5 hours!

Thread: "FTM looking at travel cribs - Guava Lotus with bassinet conversion or Maxi Cosi Swift?"

Guava lotus is amazing…we didn’t get the bassinet conversion but the lotus itself is one of our favourite things we bought. Super easy to put up and take down, and compact for travelling

Thread: "Safe sleep: Seeking recommendations for playard /pack n play"

+1 Guava Lotus. It served us SO well.

Thread: "Best Travel Crib? Mat Leave Travel"

Guava Lotus hands down. I got mine on marketplace and has been one of my most used items, even when I’m not travelling!

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

The guava lotus they have a bassinet add on as well

Thread: "Question about guava lotus travel crib"

In addition to the side flap, I place a pillow on the floor so it’s easier to kneel and place baby inside!

Thread: "Best temporary / travel crib?"

Another vote for the Guava Lotus! It packs up super easy which is great. Also really like that it has the mat directly on the floor with the side entry. It made it easy during travel (pre-COVID) to do side lying nursing until my daughter fell asleep, then just zip up the side without having to worry about the dreaded sleeping baby transfer. We still use it sometimes when she's having a rough night teething to just lay next to her on the floor to keep her company.

Thread: "Pack N Play recommendations for carry on plane travel?"

We just brought ours on a 2 week vacay as a carry on. Most airlines offered to gate check it for us.

Thread: "Best Travel Crib? Mat Leave Travel"

Guava Lotus fan here! Super easy to set up and take down, and not too bulky to bring on trips. Ordered ours online and had a friend bring it back across the border for us, but I've also seen it on FB marketplace.

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

Guava lotus. I LOVE the bassinet adapter too. We used it so much even at home. The full size crib is good too. I love that it packs up small and can be set up super quick.

Thread: "Travel crib for 3 month old"

A friend has the lotus and I've seen it in action as well, they are a similar size assembled. The Phil and Ted's is lighter (like half the weight) and packs up more compactly so that was the deciding factor for us. The top sides/rails of the lotus are a little "beefier" but I've been happy with the sturdiness of ours. The lotus also folds and unfolds with less "assembly", but for our needs, less weight is worth popping together a couple leg pieces when we set it up. Happy travels!

Thread: "Graco Pack N' Play vs. Guava Lotus"

We love our Lotus! There are a few differences from the pack and play that are key for us. First, since the mattress sits on the floor, there's no weight limit. My son hit 35 lbs before age 2, so would have maxed out the P&P, when we still plan to use the travel crib for a few more years. Second, the fact the side unzips is super handy- let us transfer him in easily when he was little, allows us to comfortably rub his back now that he's older, and makes it nice when you're using it as a safe space if you want them to have independent entry/exit at times. Overall, it's really simple to set up and take down, too.

Thread: "Pack n play: Baby Bjorn or Guava Lotus?"

Guava lotus is amazing!!! It’s more comfortable then the pack and play. It is easy to pack up and take with you and light weight. We used it as a full time crib.

Thread: "Help choose a travel crib/pack n play"

Is it primarily for travel or to be used at home as a playard? I have the babybjorn and it’s really nice. It folds up small into a carrying case, the mattress is more comfortable. That being said I recently got a used Guava Lotus and I really like the ability to open the side. I had a hard time putting my baby down in the babybjorn which depends on the type of sleeper they are. My sister put my niece in it easily but she fell asleep independently. I was putting down a sleeping baby and it was difficult. I see your comment about the price on the Lotus. I’d look at your middle option seeing as it has the side opening (I’ve never heard of it) or look for a lotus used.

Thread: "Best temporary / travel crib?"

If I didn’t need the bassinet mode (and lived in the US) I would go with the lotus :) It seems to be good value for the money and it’s more roomy than the Bugaboo (which is narrower than a standard playard)

Thread: "Best travel crib for toddler with high weight capacity?"

We LOVE our Guava Lotus. The mattress is on the floor so there’s no weight limit! It folds up super conveniently and relatively compact and there are lots of “off brand” sheets that fit perfectly available on Amazon.

Thread: "Graco Pack N' Play vs. Guava Lotus"

I’m pregnant with my first so no experience yet but the Guava Lotus was recommended to us because it’s light weight and easier to travel with.

Thread: "Travel crib? Pack and play? Suggestions for sleep when visiting relatives. [ca]"

We use a Guava Lotus for travel and it’s never been a problem. She sleeps in a crib at home. It folds up smaller & lighter than our pack & play, so we prefer it. You can find tons of travel cribs on marketplace so I’d recommend seeing what’s out there - they’re usually so minimally used that they’re in good condition for much less than buying new! Something I like about the Guava Lotus is the mattress is a bit more cushiony than the P&P. It also rests on the floor instead of brackets so you don’t have to worry about your baby/toddler becoming too heavy as the brackets have a weight limit. My 2 year old still uses the Guava Lotus when we travel so it’s served us well for several trips!

Thread: "Graco Pack N' Play vs. Guava Lotus"

We have both and we LOVE the Lotus. It's so, so much smaller and easier to pack around, and it feels more stable when my toddler does MMA in it at night.

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

We have a Guava Lotus for each kid, which isn't as big as a Pack and Play, I think, but it's amazing. We actually use it as our regular crib, so we've used it every night for at least two years. It's held up great, our daughter is comfortable, and when we travel our kids sleep in something familiar. It's zip down on the side (but annoyingly just one closure), you can add a bassinet, and it's pretty easy to pack up. We also have brought it as carryon on a few flights. The only possible downside is that our daughter was able to escape shortly after she turned 2, but also she spent a lot of time trying quite hard since it's her regular crib.

Thread: "Best travel crib for toddler with high weight capacity?"

Same for the baby bjorn travel crib! No weight limit because it’s on the floor

Thread: "Pack n Play that isn’t Infuriating"

Guava lotus or the maxi cosi play yard

Thread: "Playard recommendations - bassinet insert and travel friendly"

We have the Guava Lotus, which also has a newborn insert.

Thread: "Best Travel Crib"

I have the Guava Lotus and love it! It's ridiculously easy to use and packs up the size of a carry on. My little guy is 99 percentile in height and so far, at almost 5 months, he's still got tons of room to grow. It seems sturdy to me, my little guy kicks the mesh a lot and the metal bars seem well built. I love the side zipper a lot too, makes getting him in and out much easier since it is on the ground.

Thread: "Pack'n'play / playard recommendations for full time sleeping"

After he outgrew the stand-alone bassinet, baby slept in a graco pack and play until we moved him out of our room at 8.5 months. We never used the bassinet insert it came with, but using that would allow you to use it from birth without killing your back. The graco is effective and functional. The issues with it are issues you’ll get with most—it’s a long way down, but this is a problem with all of them that don’t zip open on the side. It’s also kind of noisy, which we didn’t appreciate. I don’t think it has a bassinet option, but we are planning to upgrade to a guava lotus for number two, who will probably be in our room for some time. We borrowed one when traveling once and it is sooo much nicer than the graco. Quiet, so lightweight, and crazy fast to assemble.

Thread: "FTM looking at travel cribs - Guava Lotus with bassinet conversion or Maxi Cosi Swift?"

We ended up with the lotus! Ordered it to a po box across the border and picked it up!