HELP! Going on vaca in 1.5 mos with a 13 mo old who won't sleep away from home

[ctk134]

My ds is a wonderful 13 month old boy who has always been very sensitive when it came to sleep. But he is now sleeping independently in his crib and has been since he was about 6 months. In about a month and a half, we are going 13 hours from home to visit dh's family. The problem is that my ds hasn't slept outside of his own crib since he's been about 4 months old. He is an extreme creature of habit and routine (a few months back I rearranged his room and he woke in the middle of the night screaming hysterically) Last night I wanted to see how he would do away from home, so we packed up and went to my parents - taking everything that he's used to and going through the same bedtime routine. Needless to say, we ended up back home at 11:30 and he wasn't calmed down and alseep until 12:15 (nearly 4 1/2 hrs after his bedtime) He was fine as long as I wasn't trying to put him to sleep. He's cuddle on my lap and watch TV, but as soon as we went into the room and it went dark, he'd cry hysterically. I think its just as much sleeping in the pack and play as it is sleeping in a new place.

So I'm wondering what to do to make this trip in a month and a half less of a nightmare. I thought about putting his pack n play up in his room and getting him to sleep there for a few nights to realize he can sleep in it, then maybe moving it to another room in the house so he gets used to sleeping in new surroundings. Then, if that goes well, try grandma and paps again. Any other suggestions that may help?

[anna*]

I think that having him sleep in his pack n play at home is a good idea, and also doing as much as you can when you are away to make his sleep environment feel familiar - ie same music, lovey, sheets which smell like home etc.

BUT I think to an extent that you may only stress yourself out by doing loads of prep at home. Isolated nights, he may not sleep well at all in a new environment. But when you go away he WILL eventually sleep. Yes you may have an awful first night, or first two nights, but he will eventually sleep.

[Mashi]

BUT I think to an extent that you may only stress yourself out by doing loads of prep at home. Isolated nights, he may not sleep well at all in a new environment. But when you go away he WILL eventually sleep. Yes you may have an awful first night, or first two nights, but he will eventually sleep.

Ditto to this!   We moved when DS was 12 months, he'd napped in his pushchair but other than that slept in his own room from 8 months and in his own cot from about 6 months, every night. Never a night away from home, nothing.  What can you do - we moved overseas, this is your new room!  It was a new cot, no cot bumper as it did not fit to bring it, new everything, really. I brought his bed sheet and his bedding but everything was brand new. The first night he cried a lot, and it was hard for him, but the second was better, and so on.  After a week it was his room, he thought nothing of it!

[~inbalance~]

I remember when DS1 was about 15mos old we went on vacation and I was super worried for the same reasons, but everything was fine!  We made his bed at the hotel as much like his one at home (I even brought his sheets that he had slept on so they smelled like him), and just went with it.  Usually on exciting family trips there is so much activity and excitement that LOs are pretty tired and will sleep better than you think.  Then, at the end of the day, you have to let go and have a bit of fun too.  So don't stress about routine, bedtimes, etc. too much.  When we were away, DS only really napped on the go, and he stayed up late every night.  But we all had lots of fun. 

I agree with trying out his pack n play at home and then hopefully again at the grandparents house.  You still have 1.5mos to prepare which is good, so just keep trying. 

[ctk134]

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. My mom just bought a portable crib since she doesn't trust her drop side so I definitely think that will help. I'm a perpetual «worst case scenario» thinker so its settling to hear some words to ease my mind.