Any tips to help with my travel cot debacle

[Alysskea]

I have an 18 month old. Obviously I really enjoy it when she sleeps lol so she has a huge cot (toddler bed size) with a £200 super comfy yet airy mattress. She does actually sleep in her bed and room with one wake up for a bottle each night.

The problem is she will not bloody sleep in a travel cot. They’re too small (she’s big and moved around a lot), the mattresses are thin and rubbish and she just hates them.

I would really like to be able to go places - visiting family, maybe a holiday - but I feel trapped in my house because I know those horrible flimsy cots are gonna be the death of all fun when I end up being up all night.

Try sleeping in travel cot at home first for a bit?

could you get a bed guard and try putting her in a bed?

co sleep for the holiday?

I used to do a proper mattress on the floor at that age.

Also, if you’re happy giving her a bottle in the night then carry on. But at 1.5 years old, she doesn’t need it.

Have you tried buying a proper mattress for the travel cot? The thin ones they come with are so uncomfortable, my two would never sleep on them. It's a bit crazy taking your own mattress on holiday but worth it for a decent sleep.

My DC was the same with the travel cots, until we bought a BabyBjorn travel cot, total game changer.

I had the same issue with my son, you can buy slightly larger travel cots, and actual mattresses that go in the cot, the thin board they call a mattress is a disgrace !
We have this one, just a normal size
https://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3061819.htm?cmpid=APP003
With this mattress
https://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9470916.htm?cmpid=APP003
Having the mattress makes a HUGE difference !!

My friend just bought a a playpen and took her cot mattress on holiday and put it in the playpen. That's works for her. But we don't have the car space for a full mattress, plus my toddler would just play all night haha. But it works for her x

A kids size air bed might be better; they have raised sides to stop them rolling out easily.
we had a toddler bed size travel cot and bought a bigger mattresss for it.

Im happy with it. Bottle = 10 mins awake to make and administer. No bottle = 2 hours awake, listening to screaming 🤷🏼‍♀️

We had the same problem around the same age and switched to the babybjorn one - it’s massive! She still sleeps happily in it now at nearly 3 and the mattress is SO much thicker than any we tried before. They’re pricey but we picked ours up practically new off eBay.

i will take a look at these options!!! It’s worth noting we don’t drive! But we do know people who do…

Even a couple of fleece blankets folded under the sheet of the travel cot mattress makes a difference to comfort. Wouldn’t do it for a small baby obviously but should be ok for a mobile child.

At that age I'd get either a kids Ready Bed (inflatable, folds up for travel, usually includes bedding) or a bed guard so they can sleep in a normal bed. Travel cots are uncomfortable, bulky to carry, and once a child starts to be able to climb (which an 18m old will) they can be dangerous as if they try to climb up the side it can tip.

This would still be more hazardous for a mobile child.