or are travel cots absolutely shite? Single mum in air bnb and have had full on fist fight with said cot.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

Mothercare to be specific. Have given up and am now drinking wine with toddler sat next to me.

In all his rebellious glory

We once used one where you had to get all four feet as close together as possible and then let the tops kind of fall out together then you clicked them together. I'm sure you've tried everything but thought I'd suggest anyway...

Get the middle right up, a good foot off the floor at least. Again, sure you've tried that.

It looks like an evil fucker.

It requires sprinkling with 20ml of frustrated tears before it will work.

My Graco did anyway.

Can't even get one side to click in place. Yes have been lifting up the middle as high as possible and then apparently I just simply click the short sides into place and then the long. Oh how I laughed.

I feel your pain. We had to but one in an emergency and I swear it almost took my fingers off and ended my marriage at the same time.

Don't put the base flat before popping the sides up.

You need to unlock the middle sections. The middle bit of the top bar must be unlocked both sides. The middle of the bed base must be up.

Buy one.

Click the sides up, then push down and lock the base. Used to work for me.
Good luck.

What HolidayHooray said - BabyBjorn

We're probably making you more cross, aren't we?

Will this help?

Looks like our mothercare one. The sides will not click in if the base is flat like that - there should be a little tag in the middle? Pull it up, then hold the centre of each rail and push the button in as you push down - it will then stay in place. Do each side one at a time, then finally push the mattress flat. Hope that makes sense, it's a bugger!

In the photo, the top bar in the front of the photo, the middle bit on the left needs to unlock.

Sorry I'm not helping you am I.....

We've all struggled with bastard travel cots, but if I was with you I could do it.

Is that a Nuna Sena? We have one and you just push the centre bit down and it assembles (best.cot.ever) If it's not doing that I reckon it's knackered.

I've got one at home that works fine (as much as these shithouses can do). This one is just not playing ball.

Pull up middle bit,
Make sure all sides are unlocked (properly not half way)
Flick up two short sides together
Then two long sides
Push down middle bit.

If that doesn't work drink wine.

Ooh yes, someone else mentioned 'unlocking' the sides. You have my sympathy, I have kicked ours many times!!

1. lift up the handle in the middle, so it's really high up

2. feel all the sides, all the middle bits should be floppy

When I had one I found turning it upside down and standing on the side I was doing, then pulling it up really quickly and hard eventually did the trick. Although I think it was more luck than judgement as I could never do it the same way twice! My daughter was in hysterics watching me. Two years I've used it and couldn't reliably depend on doing it right each time. Good luck x

Right didn't see pic the short ends aren't collapsed properly click the clicks bit more

Love the photo!! Can you just give up take out the mattress and let them sleep on it on the floor?

Mood vastly improving. Going to try and tackle it again shortly.

Is the middle bit pulled right up?

Do the base last, get the sides up then the base.

Unlock the sides.