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Parenting

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Original poster

4 nights in UK hotel room with 18 month old - how does this work??!

31 replies

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 22:14

DH hates me for over thinking everything and I know he's right. But seriously this is stressing me out!
Booked a trip away in July to a UK beach resort and we're staying in a seafront hotel with our (what will be) 18 month old DS.
He is currently a very good sleeper - bed at 7.30, sleeps till 7am.
However he is also a very light sleeper

Are we all going to be going to bed at 7.30pm every night? ! How do you do it without disturbing their sleep?

Also how do you sort their milk? He currently has cows milk when he wakes and at bedtime, slightly warmed in the microwave. How do you get around this when you go away?

Normal people seem to just get on with stuff like this but it's really stressing me out!

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intravenouscoffee · 20/03/2017 22:17

Not sure what you can do about the sleeping but presuming the hotel room has a kettle you can take a jug and warm the milk in some hot water.

Sorry you're feeling stressed. I'm a planner too and it's a mixed blessing.

minusten · 20/03/2017 22:18

No advice really but just wanted to say you aren't alone. I stress over atuff like this all the time!! And tbh I would probably not go. But I'm a bit ridiculous.

Just one idea could you ask if the hotel have any adjoining rooms?

Wotshudwehave4T · 20/03/2017 22:25

Early nights for you unless you take turns going out. iPad or iPhone with headphones each to watch tv, films under the duvet.
Make sure you have bed turned down, cushions removed and pjs etc and everything you are going to need ready in the bathroom before putting DS down.

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DirtyDancing · 20/03/2017 22:31

There might be a fridge in the room, mini bar type. We always stored in that; otherwise ask the hotel to store it for you and pop down to reception to get it in the morning.

To be honest the hardest thing is you'll all have to go to bed at 7.30 and you and your DH will be sitting in the dark on your iphones!! We used to take it in turns to pop to the bar with a book/ phone to have a drink so you're not both stuck in the hotel room too early

SallyGinnamon · 20/03/2017 22:36

We found it very tricky abroad in a hotel with DS at that age. In desperation I ended up getting warm milk on room service for £10 in the middle of the night.

If your room has a balcony you can sip wine there before tiptoeing in to bed. Otherwise bed at the same time as him. Not ideal.

We found it much easier going self catering in the end just to have a separate bedroom and cooking facilities. Then you can still eat out if you wish.

Sorry, not really helpful. On a positive note he may be exhausted enough to sleep a bit more heavily after a day on the beach.

Popskipiekin · 20/03/2017 22:37

If you think DS is susceptible to light then there is the most ginormous snoozeshade you can get for the whole cot... or you could (very briefly!) fling a blanket/duvet over his cot if you have to switch the light on in the room temporarily. Personally I'd be stretching his bedtime ever so slightly - maybe to 8pm? Eat with him at 6? And pack you and DP some non-rustly snacks

Original poster

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 22:39

This is beginning to feel like the world's shittest holiday

Minusten , already asked hotel (and various others in the area) about adjoining room but we have basically been told by all that 1) it will double the cost and 2) as it's classed as a separate hotel room it is categorically against hotel policy to leave any children in there alone!

Intravenous I thought that about the kettle - but where do I keep the cows milk?!

Wotshud they're not bad ideas, thank you!

How successful could it be encouraging sleep in the pushchair while we stay out in restaurants etc and then putting him to bed late?!

Glad I'm not the only planner. Dh literally thinks I'm mental for these thoughts processes but it's just the way I work!

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Sweets101 · 20/03/2017 22:41

I took DM, 3 DC and a baby to stay in a travel lodge family room once. Best holiday ever! We were out most of the day so everyone was ready for sleep by the time we got back to the room. Some nights me and DM shared a bottle of wine in the bathroom, sounds less fun then was!

Original poster

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 22:42

Thanks dirty, borders and pops, saw your posts after. I doubt balcony based on pics so I think I'll be drinking myself into oblivion under the quilt whilst watching the soaps on headphones.

Yeehah!

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Itsjustaphase2016 · 20/03/2017 22:42

I'd probably do a long afternoon nap in buggy when out and about then have dinner all together about 7pm, then put him (and you) in bed about 9? That's what we did with our 18 month old on holiday, was great. And even better, late bed time meant she got up at 8.30am! Lie in!

GlitteryFluff · 20/03/2017 22:43

You can get long life cartons of milk so could buy them- they don't need to be stored in a fridge, but when open they do so you'd need to chuck whatever you don't use. Warm in bathroom sink with hot water or kettle if there's one (bring a jug).

Can he have the milk at a different time? Some shops sells little cartons of milk in the drinks fridge with a straw. You could just get him one of those when out?

Headphone splitter, two sets of headphone and laptop/iPad for films or to shows if there's wifi/3G - or download before you go.

Someone posted on here once that you can almost get a travel cot in some hotels bathrooms. If you're taking one and you can fit it in it means he'll be less disturbed. You can turn bathroom light off and keep bedroom light on. You'll only disturb him if you need to use the loo.

Original poster

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 22:46

Thanks both, they're really good ideas! ! 9pm bedtime seems much more bearable than 7.30, and that's genius about the cot going in the bathroom! I'd happily walk to hotel lobby to use the toilet!

May have to request large bathroom now!

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GlitteryFluff · 20/03/2017 22:47

Just saw your post about buggy.
Yes you can do that. Practice at home before you go. Proper practice (actually going for a meal somewhere) or a little pretend one
Milk, pjs, into buggy. Little walk around the block to get him to nod off. Walk him carefully back indoors and put him somewhere you'll make some noise but not too much and see how he sleeps. You might find he starts adjusting to noise and by holiday he sleeps through more disturbances. Then put him to bed after a few hours.

PETRONELLAS · 20/03/2017 22:47

I'd see this as being organised, definitely not stressed - you are having to do all the thinking.
Definitely get everything ready so you're not faffing as he's trying to go to sleep. I make the most of going to sleep early...holidays are so exhausting.
Trouble with having a late nap is that trying to put to bed when you're back at hotel might be a nightmare. Would he cope with just staying out a bit longer?
Phone the hotel about the milk so you know what the situation is. Everywhere we've stayed has always been helpful. Are you off to Yorkshire?

llangennith · 20/03/2017 22:49

Your DS will probably fall asleep
In the buggy if he's used to doing that so you can walk to restaurants in the evenings.
Get him used to cartons of follow-on milk. They don't need to be stored in the fridge and can be drunk at room temperature.
Try not to plan your evenings but rather see how things pan out. It's stressful to try to stick to plans when your DS doesn't co-operate!
You'll probably be happy to go to bed early as being away from home with a toddler is tiring

crapfatbanana · 20/03/2017 22:49

Can you just not let him fall asleep on your lap or in his push chair while you're out in the evening (in the restaurant or wherever) instead of going to bed at 7.30 every night?

That's what I used to do.

Iwantedtrianglesnotsquares · 20/03/2017 22:50

We used to take a thermos flask and boil the water for it just before the kids went to bed- then sat the bottle in the hot water to heat it. We would also travel with a small Tupperware to do cold water sterilising...and we would take a travel bottle with washing up liquid in. It is a faff, but it's not too bad.

milkysmum · 20/03/2017 23:02

Goodness I wouldn't be going to bed at 7.30 when on holiday! I don't think it matters if little ones routine is disrupted for a few days. I would just take him out I the evening in his pj's in the pram and them come back to the hotel 9/10 ish? Straight into the cot and you and dh can have a glass of wine or something. With regards to milk either use hotel fridge, but as you need it or use follow in milk that doesn't need to be kept in fridge 😀

Frazzled2207 · 20/03/2017 23:06

Yeah this is why we do self-catering where dc get their own room.
I previously panicked about this when we went on a short break recently.
Milk- get longlife. Dc will not notice. Put in bottle and float in sink filled with water from kettle for 5m. Or befriend bar staff who should be able to
Microwave it.
Download netflix stuff and bring headphones.
Or try getting dc to sleep in buggy while you go out, we previously managed this but only when younger.

TheABC · 20/03/2017 23:09

...and this is the reason we self cater.

Another option, OP, may be to get a pop up tent and put his mattress inside. You will still need to keep the noise/light down,vbut you evening would not be lost.

Original poster

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 23:11

Thanks all, appreciate the advice! Will definitely look at long life milk.

Yeah we did a very similar break in July last year and he was 6 months old. He slept in pushchair in his jamas and we went back to hotel at around 10.30,quick breastfeed and he was gone again. Was much easier back then in some ways.

He's now sleeping through the night and isn't bf and falls asleep alone but this light sleeping but is a bloody nightmare!

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Original poster

WhyTheHeckMe · 20/03/2017 23:13

Theabc, not a bad shout as we're actually taking a large pop up tent for the beach! It's dark blue! Thanks.
I've looked for SC but there's nothing near the beach it's all further in land and we really want to stay on the seafront to avoid daily and nightly parking battles etc

OP posts:

Notafish · 21/03/2017 00:02

Did city breaks twice with DD at 16 months then 2.5 years. At 16 months we took her out in pushchair all ready for bed. She resisted sleep but eventually dropped off after walking around for an hour. At 2.5 years, sharing a hotel room, DH and I pretended to go to sleep at the same time as her. Once she was asleep we had a low light on. Probaby still later than her normal bedtime though.

Scotinoz · 21/03/2017 00:02

We've done various hotel holidays with our 3 year and not quite 2 year old, and a later bedtime has worked best for us.

We found if we knackered them out enough, they'd have a decent afternoon nap around 3, and be on decent form to take out for dinner then bed around 9.

And yes! Travel cots fit in hotel bathrooms (and sometimes wardrobes!)

I have rather fond memories of a stay in a Premier Inn earlier this year where both children and husband were snoring by half 8, and I had a lovely time watching Netflix and drinking wine 😅

mimiholls · 21/03/2017 06:48

If you upgrade to a suite it should have a separate sitting room to put baby. Could be cheaper than adjoining rooms. Later bedtime has never worked for me, she just gets cranky and it's not enjoyable. Hotel probably have a babysitting service if you want to go out a couple of nights. They should have a minibar in the room to chill milk too? You can buy blackout covers for travel cots have a look on Amazon.

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