Graco Contour Electra Travel Cot, Little Adventures

A must have! I rarely write reviews but will spend time reading them before buying and will always do my research when choosing and buying a product. I love this so much I had to do my own.

My twins have been using as their ‘proper cot’ in my room since we came home from our long hospital stay. Mattress is comfy on its own and we used while away for a week and they slept just fine (well as much as babies who wake for feeds do), however when at home they also have the Asda extra thick travel cot mattress on top which fits great. The travel cot is sturdy, light weight but strong and is cleverly designed with many features listed that all work well, such as the vibrating that mine like and still sometimes use now while still in bassinet top section (only top section vibrates, once on lower section it does not).

But one feature that has often saved the day, that is not listed, is the ability to swing/rock the bassinet top part. The way it is suspended as it’s connected to frame and the way it is constructed means you can lie in bed and gently kick the side of the mattress through the netted sides making the mattress and base of bassinet top raised part rock/swing. Sometimes that has been the only thing to settle mine when they were very small and really hard work. Even tonight as I write this I have just kicked it for a few mins to settle them back off as my gorgeous but winngy boy woke them both crying. I shall miss that element when they go in their own room in a wooden cot each. Don’t mistake this great feature as a sign it is flimsy, it is not, it can’t be rocked by the baby or in my case babies but by you with your foot, hand or knees if leaning over and stroking their hair at same time. Often use together with vibrating. But even rocking on own can help settle them.

The travel cot is easy to move about room when needed. My room is tiny so need to move backwards and forward to get into wardrobe and draws. When they do have own wooden cot I will still use in my room as playpen when I have to get something done or pop to bathroom or I will use as a spare cot when needed when one is ill or unsettled as to not disturb the other. Instructions are clear and very easy to build on own IF you read them properly which I didn’t at first. (Click sides together before pushing centre down). Cot is great at all levels and all features listed work well. It doesn’t bow in the middle, which is a relief with one but defo with two. Strong metal rods ensure this won’t happen. The mattress remains flat and level despite both of them sleeping on it and snuggling in the middle.

When my twins were super tiny and only settled in a smaller space next to each other (like they were in their hospital cot & I guess my womb) I’d put one of their moses baskets from the lounge on top of the cot, it rested fine on mattress and then I could rock the sides like explained. They could still benifit from vibrations even in moses basket, which surprised me after the odd review I read. Once they got used to the bigger space of the cot they loved/love this travel cot. At 6 months they’re still sharing it in the bassinet level (led next to each other long ways, like a single baby would, although do also fit sideways which really I should do to give them more room to the sides of them and maybe avoid the wacks in the face they give each other but they do like to be near each other).

Only thing I would improve on is the tone of the light. It is not a soft warm light but more the whiter harsh tone. Some might like but like my Christmas fairy lights, I like a warmer yellower tone. Even a red light on this would have been nicer than the harsh white but that is just my opinion. But then we don’t need the light as we use Ewan the Sheep and when smaller the Gro Egg thing, now they sleep longer and we sleep in the dark when not feeding. Would also be nice if available in different colour designs, maybe grey all over or grey with white stars. Or even if cream was white or another tone of grey. My room is grey and white so didn’t want grey with the cream bits and nearly didn’t buy because of that which I know is silly but so glad I did now as all of it is great and the changer is very very handy too!!

Sorry I’ve waffled. But to summarise – great for 1 or 2 babies as a travel cot or as their main ‘proper cot’ or even a playpen, fab vibrating function that is safe (don’t get why someone said it was not when a toddler as is safe and only works & attached in bassinet section, easy to attach vibrating part when in bassinet set up and no lose dangerous wiring at all), life saver ability to rock it and very handy changer that is easy to take on and off, easy to build on own and take up and down on own, doesn’t bow, easy to move on wheels, light weight but strong and very well designed. I would defo recomend!!

*Update* Still love. Now in wooden cots and miss this cot and rocking and vibrating functions, however still using the control panel as easily and safely attached/slid into cot side so can use sound function and lighting if needed. Once room cleared of stuff to sell travel cot will be going back up in room for reasons explained above.

*2nd Update. Now back up as mentioned above. Took me less than 5 mins to put up on own. That said, I hadn’t dismantled changer, that was a little tricky to put together due to tension & took a few extra minutes so left up. But apart from that rest was down & packed away & took me less than 5 to put back up. Only mentioning as just don’t get other reviews saying hard to put up. Been my best buy, this prep machine & Bepanthen nappy barrier cream – twin boy got given it in hospital for nappy rash when tiny, kept buying ever since, neither had nappy rash again (buy on here, in big double pack as cheaper than boots).