To not want to go on holiday?

[HopelesslyHopeful87]

As a general disclaimer, I have quite bad anxiety and I think I may have over thought this. Didn't sleep a wink last night for worrying.

Holiday is booked for Easter holidays. We are booked to go in a static caravan. Me, DP, DD, DSD, DS and 4 month old DD. We are going with friends and their two DC in an 8 berth caravan. It was booked over a year ago before I knew I was expecting DD. Therefore there will be ten of us in the caravan. Wouldn't be a problem usually as two of the girls would top and tail.

The reasons for my worries are:

• DD is only four months old
• We will have to take her whole life with us
• She doesn't sleep brilliantly and is currently in a shit sleep regression
• There is nowhere in the caravan for her to sleep
• There is nowhere in the caravan for me to attempt a semblance of her bedtime routine.
• She has just got out of hospital with severe bronchiolitis which needed three days of intensive care where she almost needed ventilating. Thankfully that didn't happen. I am therefore worried about her being out in the cold and going swimming etc
• She also has reflux
• She is a very light sleeper to the point where us just turning over in bed at night disturbs ber

I am so anxious about not being able to keep her in routine that I've worked so hard to put in. Naps I can work around but at night we do bath, low lights and quiet and a bottle then in her crib in the dark and she self settles with Ewan. In a caravan the travel cot doesn't fit in the main bedroom does it so where will I put her to sleep? The van will be busy and with all the six other kids I don't see how I can do it.

It's making me not want to go. I feel like I'll be the only one bothered about how she sleeps and I'll be trying not to disturb the other kids and the other adults. It was decided that we would sleep in the living room sofa bed thing and the other adults would have the main bedroom due to fitting the travel cot in but that is making me feel worse because I can't go to bed if everyone else is up.

Someone please help me and tell me how I can work around this. The anxiety is doing my head in and is making it so hard to see the wood for the trees. Sorry this was so long.

"We've been to TB resort before."

As have we, several years ago. Bear in mind that since the merger they may have tightened regulations. It's up to you and your friends if you want to risk it again.

My idea of hell.
I've done lots of caravan holidays too.

Just because you got away with it before doesn't mean you will this time OP. One more thing to worry about I suppose.

"Are there any really small caravans on site that aren't particularly suitable for families?"

On PDR parks, all vans are either 4-6 berth - one double bedroom, one twin plus sofa bed, or 6 -8 berth, with one double room, two twins plus sofa bed. They don't do dinky little vans for cosy couples.

Fucking hell! There's no way on Earth I'd do this. It's far too many people for one van. Just way, way, way too many. They're not designed for that many people. I hope you can hire another van. We've holidayed in a 6-berth, the 4 of us, and it was crowded enough.

Sounds like a nightmare. I wouldn’t go. I’d be tempted to send dh and the other dc. Sounds too crowded even before the baby!

I wouldn’t want to go at all, it sounds such hard work. What if it’s wet a lot? Wet clothes, bored dc and everyone bickering. And the shoes!

Depending on how far it is to travel could you go for a couple of nights then go home with the baby? Otherwise I would only go if you have your own accommodation. The caravan will surely feel packed even with your own family of six?

Have you looked at Air BnB places in Porthcawl? Im sure with Trecco there, there'll be somewhere you could get for less than £600.

Just ask the caravan place to switch the booking to two smaller caravans, for everyone’s sake. Not least the people who have to stay next door to you

Perhaps just go for a few nights and you and your DH stay in a bed and breakfast with the baby (assuming your friends are happy to have your other children each night). You can leave late in the evening and come back early in the morning... It will probably be cheaper than booking a 4 to 6 berth caravan for a week.

And really unfair on the holiday home owners, using their home beyond capacity. Now I know why holiday homes only have the exact number of everything, plates, cups, etc.

O know your DH doesn't drive but if the other couple both drive, can one of them drive your DH and the kidsin your car (adding another person to the insurance fora week shouldn't be too expensive) and you stay at home with the baby.

That crowd in a static caravan would be my idea of a nightmare, even under the best circumstances. Staying home with baby whilst DH takes the other children to the caravan? Now THAT'S a holiday!!!

Your DH certainly isn't very understanding, is he? Perhaps if you make it clear to him that HE will be the one getting up and resettling Baby and doing all the 'equipment shifting' during the day he might have another think.

Would it help to enlist the support of the wife of the other couple with an eye to your family backing out altogether or getting a 2nd van? I wouldn't care to spend a week in a crowded van with a baby waking through the night (been there, done that) nor would I really want a situation where the mum needed to bow out and their dad brought the other kids alone so I ended up as 'de facto' mum to the whole brood whilst the dad sat around drinking beer and sunning themselves (been there done that too!).

Have you looked on ebay for a bargain private let OP?

My dp is actually very supportive, hands on with baby and will always be on hand not sunning himself with a beer. [Hmm]

We've booked a 2nd van. Friends chipped in.

Thanks for all your replies.

Good call, OP. Enjoy your holiday, :-)

Don't forget an infatable baby bath or small paddling pool for bathing your baby DD in. You could hold her in your arns while you stand in the shower, but some babies get scared of the running water. Anyway, have fun. :-)

Glad you got another van booked. Have a lovely holiday!

That's great OP!

I'll use the kitchen sink. We don't have a bath in our house so she's used to odd washing facilities!

Great news! Have a lovely time

What about baby sleeping in a sleepyhead on the floor? Still small enough to fit. You could borrow one or buy second hand then sell on for same price. Then you could squeeze into the bedroom. Buy a cheap white noise machine that goes all night. I got one from amazon.

I wouldn't want to go either!

I would do the sleeping like this:

Friends have the double room.

3 girls share one twin room.

You and baby have the other twin room, take your travel cot.

DH and the 2 boys have the sofabed in the living room. If there's room, get the 2nd bed from your room out each night to make a bit more space.

Take some extra bedding (duvets, sheets, pillows) of your own with you to make the space more flexible.

Ha.x-post! Glad you have a 2nd van

A second van you will be absolutely fine!

"get the 2nd bed from your room out in the room"

It's all irrelevant, but ftr beds in static caravans do not move. They're fixed in.