Getting 11 month old to sleep away from home

[MAH1480]

Help....! We're about to go away for the first time since DS was born last September, and I've suddenly realised that he won't sleep anywhere away from home. He has a great bedtime routine, and we've not (touch wood!) had any trouble getting him to settle himself to sleep since he was 6 months old, but in the last 2 weeks we've twice been at someone's house in the evening and taken our travel cot to put him to sleep, and he's screamed until making himself sick.

We've followed his exact bedtime routine, taken his comforter and another familiar toy with us to put in the travel cot, but the second he knows he's being put down, he starts crying, building up to heartbreaking screaming...followed by sick.

After the first time this happened, I thought it might just be the travel cot (being different from his own cot) so have since tried to put him down for his naps in the travel cot at home, and he's not even whimpered once at it! I thought we would be ok, so took the travel cot to a friend's house this evening but had to leave when he refused to settle and made himself sick with the crying.

We're due to go away on holiday in 2 weeks time, just staying in the country, but I'm now SO worried about his sleeping and that he's not going to settle. The cottage we're renting does have a proper cot, and will also take our own travel cot, but I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, or if there are any ideas what we can try to make it easier for all of us, and help him to sleep away from home?

Thank you so much for your help...

[matana]

Sorry, no experience of this (so far, touch wood) but didn't want you to go unanswered.

Have you tried going to bed the same time as him and having the travel cot in your room initially (say for the first night)?

We're going to France on Saturday to stay at my parents' and even though i know my DS is ok sleeping in strange surroundings (he does tend to wake early on initially just to check we're still there but re-settles ok), i'll have him in our room for the first night until he gets used to new surroundings.

Have you tried putting an item of yours (a jumper or scarf or something) in with him so he can still smell you?

Other than that i'm not really sure what to suggest, but hope someone with some more experience will be able to help.