Taking 2yo away for 2 nights-really need tips!!

[Roseii]

DD1 is 27mo and has not spent a night away from her own bed in over a year (and that night I had to climb into the travel cot to settle her )
She does sleep very well at home now and she will be in a roll-out ready bed rather than a travel cot, we will be staying in a hotel for 2 nights, all in one room, attending a wedding on the 2nd day.

Soooo any tips to try and avoid it being a total disaster?! She will inevitably have a late night and probably no nap so she will be OT to add to the equation I just want to make it as stress-free as possible seeing as we will have the baby to deal with too 

TIA xx

[~inbalance~]

Hey Charli.    Whenever we would go anywhere with T I would pretty much take the entire contents of his bed (or as much as I could fit in the suitcase ) and recreate it.  I would bring the sheet he was sleeping on (not a clean one) so it smelled like home, and all his familiar loveys.  He's always done well by doing this.  Now I only need to bring a few things instead of the whole lot.    If you can make the room as much like home as possible it helps, i.e. blackout the windows if you do it at home, and have white noise especially because I find hotels tend to be noisy with people walking up and down halls and banging doors. 

Good luck, we just spent last Saturday night in a hotel and it wasn't a total disaster. 

[firsttimemummy]

Yes, try to recreate as much as possible.  DS is used to us all staying at my parents but elsewhere can be more unsettled.  What works for us is showing him his bed earlier in the day and explaining that is where he will sleep, etc.  We take his bedtime story, grobag etc etc and follow his normal bedtime routine.  Last weekend we stayed at a friend's house and he went down with no fuss at all as it was his usual routine, just in an unusual place!

Start talking about the "holiday" and how nice it will be etc so that she knows what is coming, and is prepared for it.  And remember, if the worst happens and she takes a while to settle, it is only 2 nights (and the 2nd wil be easier as she knows what is to come).  We had a week abroad in August and my friend couldn't get a cot so he had to sleep in a bed beside us and didn't get chance to nap at all (he doesn't sleep well apart from in his bed) and was up late each night etc etc - he took a few days to settle once home but that was a WEEK of chaos!!

It wont be as bad as you think - enjoy xxx

[Mama2boys]

i will give you a contrary view....we travel a fair bit every year with DS1, and have now with DS2 and besides the favourite lovey i do not take anything else.
I cuddle with DS1 to help him sleep and it become sour holiday thing, but he sleeps in his own bed.

We also recently attended a couple of weddings while on holiday and DS was awesome, he was super excited and enjoyed staying awake and having fun and made up for the lost sleep the next day. So maybe not worry so much about it and it will be ok.

problem with worrying is that noone gets a break and sleep still gets messed up IYKWIM

[Roseii]

Thanks girls this is great. Tbh I don't feel massively worried, what will be will be, I just want to make it as smooth as poss 

Hey Charli.    Whenever we would go anywhere with T I would pretty much take the entire contents of his bed (or as much as I could fit in the suitcase ) and recreate it. 

Thanks sweetie, DD is at a stage where she literally has about 17 toys in her bed  But she always chooses 2 to take to nursery so I will get her to pick 2 to bring with us, and I think I will bring her pillow

showing him his bed earlier in the day and explaining that is where he will sleep, etc. 
Start talking about the "holiday" and how nice it will be etc so that she knows what is coming, and is prepared for it.

I really like these ideas, thank you. She responds well to talking about things in advance.

I cuddle with DS1 to help him sleep and it become sour holiday thing, but he sleeps in his own bed.

I have no problem doing this, I don't think she will connect it to sleeping at home, thanks hun

Now I need to make a list of everything, geez who knew 2 nights away with 2 kids (3 inc DH) would need so much planning!!

Thanks girls xxx

[firsttimemummy]

enjoy your weekend away

[Mrs Coops]

Hi, Maybe blow the bed up and let her see it, play in it or even sleep in it at home first. At least then the bed will be familiar and it can pick up some familiar smells instead of new and rubbery!

The first time we put DD's ready bed up we had monster tantrums because she loved it and wouldn't get out of it to get in the bath We used it in the transition to her BGB, she rolled out a few times initially but stays in it ok now. In fact she's in it this week for our week away.

I hope you have a lovely weekend away. x

[Roseii]

Thanks Hun, we blew it up today actually but she freaked a bit when I mentioned sleeping in it She is so intuitive, she totally knows she won't be sleeping in her own bed soon and it bothers her Think I might end up in the ready bed and her in bed with DH!! Going to try her again in a day OT 3 hopefully get her more used to it xx

[Mrs Coops]

Oooo, hopefully she'll get used to it before you go away. x

~~~~Merry Christmas~~~~

[*Liz*]

What I did a lot on holiday was put J to sleep on a buggy walk and then plonk a fast asleep little man into a toddler bed. Then later I moved him from the night nursery to our room. He just rolled over and went to sleep both times.

He went straight back to cot sleeping at home.

He even drifted off on my knee a whole host of times. Never thought I would see that day!!

[~*Nicole*~]

Not to scare you but just "in case"...our DD does NOT do well going other places. For whatever reason it is generally a disaster no matter what things from her room we bring and how similar we make it. The same lovey, blankets, sheets, music, books, etc. She still freaks and can't settle and has always had trouble. BUT no matter what we all end up asleep at some point and after a few days to a week back home we get back on track. So, I just wanted to say....even if it doesn't go as planned....all will not be lost. The stroller thing worked a couple of times when it was well past her usual naptime but I could never transfer her so the whole nap had to be in the stroller. A ride in the car helped on occasion as well. Best of luck!

[LucySol]

How did it go? Did you get any sleep? im sure you said it was NYE you were away?

[Roseii]

Thanks for checking in
Well...it went really well I think! My poor girls had SUCH late nights both nights and DD1 absolutely amazed me by sleeping in her ready bed She took an inordinate amount of time to actually go to sleep (she was only messing around, not crying) But she STTN once asleep!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how shocked I am!! DD2 settled absolutely fine (I am so glad I BW'd her from the beginning but had a billion NWs but that's OK, we got through it!!
Thanks so much for all your suggestions xxx

[~*Nicole*~]

Sounds pretty darn good! Fantastic!

[Mrs Coops]

YAAAAAY, so glad it went well.

Happy New Year. xxx