Peapod Portable Travel Bed

KidCo's PeaPod; the travel bed that does it all for the on-the-go parent! The inflatable air mattress helps protect kids from cold, damp floors while providing a comforting place to sleep. Great for outdoors because of its UV protection and wind screens. Zippered panels allow parents quick and easy access to children from virtually any angle. The slick, easy to fold design makes it ideal for storage and anytime use.

Features:

• Great for outdoors because of its UV protection and wind screens
• Zippered panels allow parents quick and easy access to baby from virtually any angle
• The slick, easy to fold design makes it ideal for storage and use anytime
• Open Dimensions: 48"L x 30"W x 18" H
• Storage Bag Dimensions: 14"L x 5"W x 14"H
  Customer Review: Great for travel
  This is a really neat and creative travel bed. It is easy to set up and the mattress is very comfy. The only problem we had was that while sleeping and moving around, our 8 month old would tend to get stuck inbetween the mattress and side of the tent. This is because we took the mattress out of the bottom part so we could place a sheet over the mattress and it would be more comfortable for her. Next time I think we will just leave the mattress in the bottom of the tent and we wouldn't have this problem. Our daughter liked it but was a little scared at first as it is totally different than her crib. But, after a few nights she seemed to do ok. I think we will definitely be using this on all of our trips to visit family and friends.
  Customer Review: Very compact, but lacking for active babies.
  This bed's mattress can be inflated with the included pump, or with your own lung power. It also folds away easily into the included travel bag, though deflating the mattress could be easier if it included a larger outlet hole. It definitely meets the portable description. The biggest drawback is the tendency for an active baby to get his or her head wedged between the mattress and the tent part. When this happens, the baby is most likely going to wake up. If the mattress were designed with a raised edge it would probably help. If your child sleeps peacefully with little movement, you would likely rate this item higher.
  
  
  

  Mosquito bites When you go outdoors, it is lush and green and your companions for the evening, sometimes, are also the local mosquitoes. While some people are not too affected by their bites, others (including me) are. In those allergic to the bites (me too), the irritation of the bite is followed by intense itching and a red swelling around the bite. This is because of the enzymes a female mosquito injects into the skin before sucking blood. While these bites are pretty harmless, there is the rare chance of some infection from them (malaria!) and in any case, they are best avoided.

  Mosquito repellents abound in the market, and most of them seem to be pretty effective when used as directed. It helps to wear long trousers and full shirts.

  If you get bitten, the best course of action is to do nothing. Scratching only intensifies the itch. If the irritation is very severe, rubbing ice, or any cold metallic surface helps to a great degree. The ideal thing to do is to get involved in something to distract from the itch.

  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!

  Snakes

  In the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, snakes rule. They seem to be found in every region we go to. Yet, we have not had a snake related casualty on a programme. The reason is that snakes are shy creatures. Very few of the snakes we come across are actually venomous and even the ones that are, would prefer to flee rather than encounter a creature many times its size and waste the precious venom that it uses for digestion and cannot do without. Humans are not prey sized for any of the snakes in our region in any case.

  Still, snakes can bite, are slithery creatures and give most of us a jitter at the very least.

  There are many things we can do to avoid snakes and snake bites. Look carefully before reaching into crevices or under rocks. Wear shoes in the wilderness at night and walk slowly to give them time to escape. If you come across a snake, stamp your feet to alert it to flee and move away.

  In the rare case that you or someone with you gets bitten, look at the wound carefully bites from venomous snakes leave two puncture marks and non-venomous bites leave scratches. If you are in doubt, or if it is a venomous bite, tie a tourniquet on the thigh, or upper arm and reassure the victim and help him or her to be calm, to keep the heart rate as slow as possible and move to the nearest medical services at once.

  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HANDLE OR CAPTURE SNAKES THAT YOU COME ACROSS UNLESS YOU HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO IDENTIFY THEM ACCURATELY AND HANDLE THEM ADEQUATELY. This is a leading cause of snake related accidents.

  Scorpion bites Scorpions abound in the outdoors in India, and being careful is a virtue second to none. They are nocturnal, so it helps to be aware that they could be around after dark. Basic precautions include shaking the bedding thoroughly before getting in, if it has been laid out for some time, shaking out shoes before putting your feet in, not reaching into dark crevices of any sort without checking them out first. If stung, the procedure is the same as for a snae bite. Keep calm, restrict the spread of venom and rush to the first doctor you find.

  Dehydration Dehydration is the most common medical problem in the outdoors and the chief cause of headaches and faintness. We are unaccustomed to spending a long time under the sun, or in physical activity. We lose a great amount of water through perspiration and even plain evaporation through our skin.

  The result is a headache, faintness, chapped lips, exhaustion ... We need to drink water to cover our loss from exposure to the environment. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and make a habit of sipping from it. Hats, sunglasses and full clothing are useful in staying cool and minimizing water loss.

  You will need more water than usual and not being used to it, you may not consciously feel thirsty, so try to consciously drink as much as you can. There is no such think as excessive water intake in the outdoors and you are not having enough if you don't need to go and pee every couple of hours.

  Sunburn This one is self explanatory. Please apply adequate sunscreen, and reapply as needed. Hats, sunglasses, scarves and full clothing help. The more sensitive your skin is, the more careful you need to be about these things.

  Chapped Lips The chief cause of chapped lips is dehydration (smoking too). Most of the time, it is fairly safe to say that if a person has chapped lips, he needs to drink more water. Vaseline, lipbalms, etc. help to protect and relieve discomfort, but cannot actually cure the lips that are parched.

  Cuts and scratches These happen on exposed skin that gets rubbed on things near it. Long trousers and full sleeve shirts solve most of this problem. Being careful and avoiding scrapes does the rest.

  Campfires An evening outdoors is all the more cozy around campfires. Some precautions can help make it worry-free.

  Avoid campfires unless it is cold enough to require one, or you need it for cooking. The wood is best saved for fuel for locals, who might end up cutting trees in the absence of dead wood.

  Build a fire in an area as sheltered from the wind as your site allows. Also build it downwind from your precious nylon tents that could get sparks and tinder from the wind.

  Handle the fire from an adequate distance and with appropriate respect for consequences of carelessness. Pay particular attention to long hair and loose clothing when bending over a fire.

  Enjoy to your hearts content!

  Before retiring for the night, make sure that the fire is dead. Dunking a pail of water and putting a couple of flat stones on it is a good way of ensuring this. Wind directions often change in the night and early morning and you don't want to be sleeping soundly in your tent when the wind brings embers that way.

  These ideas are precautionary, and there is a huge potential for fun. So don't forget to have a great time.

  Vidyut Kale is a mountaineer turned outbound facilitator and does extensive work with children through experiential learning programmes as well. Her site Wide Aware provides a great deal of information and support for the outdoor adventure scenario in India.