I had a hard time purchasing this bed because it is a little on the expensive side and I have twins. I bought two Peapod Pluses and paid very close attention as to how to refold them (since a lot of complaints came from that area). My kids (who are 2 years old) loved them right away. That sat inside of them and watched TV and thought zipping them open and closed was a lot of fun. Today was the first day I attempted to get them to sleep inside. Both crawled inside and made themselves comfortable. I zipped my son inside (only the screen not the solid outer cover) and he whined for about 10 seconds but settled into a nap. My daughter (who is a little more mature) I left hers open because I didn't want to encase her the first time she slept in it. She slept a full nap and was very happy when she woke up. My son is still snoozing as I type this. Tonight we'll give it a go for nighttime sleep.
We are traveling to Paris in a week so we need these beds to take to the grandparents house where they are staying while we're gone. I'm happy I bought them since my two don't fit in pack and plays anymore yet are still too young for a big bed.
Notes:
I bought two of the red/blue kind because I read the reviews that said that they yellow/silver one does not come with a pump. Looking back, I wish I could have bought one red/blue and one yellow/silver because the red/blue one comes with a pump! I don't need two pumps, I could have just used the one to inflate both mattresses. DOH! Also, the mattresses do not seem too awful to inflate by mouth if need be. I like to distinguish one as my daughters and one as my sons to eliminate "Mine!" fights. I'll use stickers or something else I guess.
The sleeping bag is pointless unless you are really going camping outdoors and need warmth. It's pretty thick and is really hot. I didn't put the sleeping bag inside but did what others suggested. I took the inflatable mattress, covered it in a mattress pad and sheet from their cribs (fits great) and then put that inside on top of the floor of the tent. I didn't put the mattress in it's little pocket under the tent because the tent floor is rather loud and scratchy. This method works great.
I didn't have a problem refolding the tent. I don't know why some people are having a hard time. It's possible they think they can fold it with the mattress inside? or maybe they don't do a slight "twist" at the end. I suggest just paying very close attention when you get it in the mail. See how it is all folded up before you pop it open. I took a short video of it so I can reference it.
This thing is great! I have a big, sweet ten month old who I've been dragging around the country for the last two weeks, this thing saved our lives! My little one is not the world's easiest sleeper, especially when traveling, off his schedule, in new places, etc., so we're always looking for anything that will help. We have used the Pack and Play (several of them) numerous times but it is so heavy, cumbersome, and a pain to travel with, I needed a more practical alternative. I'm a small lady and have been traveling solo with kiddo, on and off planes, trains and automobiles, in small apartments, the beach, etc., and the PeaPod Plus was incredibly helpful getting my son to sleep comfortably and through the night. The dark color is super helpful keeping light out (absolutely key when traveling just about anywhere from the west coast), and the mesh screen can be zipped up so you know even a roller can't work their way out of bed, etc. Also, I think the enclosed space made my kid feel safe and not so freaked out when he'd wake up in a new place. Honestly, I'm so pleased with this purchase, worth it's weight in gold . . . more actually, it's very light weight. I debated about getting the smaller one, but this was definitely the right one to get, the smaller would have been way too small and it doesn't come with an air mattress (which is super comfy and worked well). As for the folks who seem to have had trouble putting this away, I think they must have had a defective tent, or didn't read the directions, it's so incredibly simple, and I did it numerous times by myself, you just need to read the directions once and you get it. As for the complaint that the tent gets hot, it does get warm in there, but certainly not uncomfortable, and I just adjusted by taking a layer off my kid. Honestly, I'm picky and hate products that are even remotely complicated to deal with and I really recommend this!
This product is great. My daughter is one. She hadn't slept outside her crib in several months and I wondered how we would do at grandma's house, especially now that she is so aware of her surroundings. She did great! She slept better in the pod than at home in her crib! And it was so easy to carry and set up. I can see it also being a great tent for play once she outgrows it (which won't be for many more years). My dad (an engineer) had only seen traditional travel cribs (pack and play, etc.) He couldn't stop raving about the pod and how well designed it is. As a non-engineer, I found it a bit difficult to collapse when putting it away, but got the hang of it eventually. I highly recommend this product.
