Baby at grandparents and will not sleep in travel cot

[Blue73]

We are at my partner's parents for Christmas and bought a travel cot. My 5 month old hates it, recently she has been sleeping through from 10 pm to 6 am but now she just cries if we put her in the cot for her nap or at bedtime. Anyone else had this and what did you do? Thank you

The mattresses on these things are crap. We did a week away and barely slept, until we folded a single duvet, tucked a big sheet over and under the mattress and lay DD on the top. She slept all.night.

The only other thing id suggest is the pram. Weve used that on the odd night where the travel cot was refused. Handy too as I kept it by my side of the bed so if she stirred, I could just give it a little rock. Mind, it is a lie flat one with a very padded seat so.makes for a comfy alternative.

Thank you, we wondered if it was the mattress as she had her nap in our bed yesterday and she slept fine! Going to get a single duvet now!

We have always had to pad out travel cots too. Tricky balance between padded enough and too soft though - I use towels rather than a duvet.

But to be honest I think it's the change and disruption as much as the bed itself. I never sleep so well as in my own bed.

The pram idea sounds good too, assuming she ever sleeps in her pram and you've brought it with you.

DS is the same with a travel cot, it doesn't help either that when we go away he has to be in with us often whereas he's used to having his own room. Other things to try:

• Propping the cot up at one end with books (Ds has reflux so we have his cot at home propped up with books, it helps if they have a cold)
• is the room warm enough?
• is there any noise/light disturbing her?
• have you got the same bedding/comforter/toys she would normally have at home?
• are you sticking to the same bedtime routing she would have at home?
• could you let her fall asleep on you/in bed with you then transfer her?

Hello there, thank you for your suggestions. We have kept to the routine and she has her bunny with her. Her BCG mark started leaking pus tonight and we reckon that it might have been irritating her, then when we put her in the travel cot if it was not comfortable that would have added to it. We have got a single duvet and we're just sorting it out so that we can pad the cot safely. Cheers for all your advice.

We bought a travel cot matress topper - I think mothercare sell them. If it is a regular thing and they have room it might be worth buying a second hand cot.

Both my ds hated travel cots - I used to phone ahead to hotels and ask if they had wooden cots!

When DD was a baby we let her sleep in the pram at grandparents as travel cot just did not happen - i think it unsettled her being ibm such a big space compared to her wee cot at home...mind you, dd was in the pram many nights at home too otherwise there would have been no sleep for anyone!

We bought a mattress from ikea for £15 to go in our travel cot. The base tat came with it is basically plywood & I wouldn't want to sleep on that!

Even the topper is shit. We normally use a big fleece blanket and the mattress topper, sometimes another blanket under their as well.

Thank you all, we tried the duvet. Didn't work but the blankets under the mattress topper did and she has been sleeping through again so cheers for that.

Amazon sell a travel cot with a thick mattress the the best, it is very thick my little one sleeps well in it..

Op's baby is too big for a travel cot now!!