Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

How can I make a travel cot more comfy?!

17 replies

NLW91 · 23/04/2021 12:42

Hi there,

We are staying at my mums this weekend and my 8 month old son will be sleeping in a travel cot. We slept there last weekend and when I put him in the cot he screamed blue murder. It took a long time to settle him and he had a very restless night. I bought a mattress to put in it as it was so hard on the base but it still seems ever so hard compared to his slightly softer mattress in his cot at home. Is there any safe and easy solutions to make the travel cot a bit more comfy for him and maybe more raised so he doesn’t feel like he’s being put to sleep on the floor?! Many thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Lampshade685 · 23/04/2021 13:12

I think they say no to even out a mattress in there but it would be ridiculously hard so we bought a thickish 7cm ish mattress and didn't have any issues with it being too hard. Not as comfy as her cot but fine. Maybe it's too thin?

Hoppinggreen · 23/04/2021 13:14

I always put a cot duvet folded over the mattress and then the sheet on top. It does make it warm though

Peridot1 · 23/04/2021 13:19

I put a folded up duvet under the mattress. It adds a softer layer under the mattress which seems to help the mattress feel more comfortable.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

6-9 months old Babies & sleep Baby & toddler products Children's sleep
Vicky1989x · 23/04/2021 15:09

I also put blankets underneath the ‘mattress’ that came with it (which is ridiculously hard) and then I put her mattress on top of that. I use the same mattress from her cot so it’s familiar. She seems to sleep fine like that.

Ihaveoflate · 23/04/2021 19:31

I put a large, fluffy towel or two under the fitted sheet to soften it up. When she was a little baby, I also did the rolled up towel under the sheet trick to create a cosy nest

Aerielview · 23/04/2021 19:34

Put a few blankets or a duvet underneath the mattress. Or could you cut a memory foam mattress topper to fit on top of the mattress you have?

SummerHouse · 23/04/2021 19:35

I don't think the issue is comfort. I was always amazed that mine slept soundly without a mattress or anything but a sheet on the base.

The issue is that your DS has taken agin the cot I think. I would leave it out with lots of toys in it and see if he can get used to it / have a play in it so it's more familiar.

INeedNewShoes · 23/04/2021 19:40

We had a nightmare on DD's first couple of trips with the travel cot.

Eventually, someone pointed out to me that it's draughtier and colder that close to the floor. Using a long sleeved vest and warmer sleeping bag helped. I also took along the clip toys from her playmat and clipped them onto the travel cot so that it would feel more familiar and started using it for short spells during the day at home as somewhere to sit and look at books so that she got used to it.

We did get over it and she ended up loving that travel cot!

INeedNewShoes · 23/04/2021 19:43

It's not advised to have babies sleeping on soft surfaces. Cot mattresses need to be firm so that baby doesn't sink into them.

Just something to bear in mind when looking for solutions.

Serafinaaa · 23/04/2021 20:17

Travel cot mattresses are just thin boards. I bought a proper cot mattress and used it instead. Didn't make it as portable though!

giftswap2020 · 23/04/2021 22:39

I got something like this, only the one I have is about 7cm thick, and it made it a lot softer and yet not too soft for safety. It folds up smaller, but a bit bulky. Did the job for me😃

How can I make a travel cot more comfy?!
DelurkingAJ · 23/04/2021 22:41

We put a baby sheepskin under the cot sheet to make it softer. And yes to the temperature being different on the floor!

Albta · 24/04/2021 20:30

I bought this this as a waterproof protector and it’s super soft:

Travel Cot Mattress Protector... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0828CWHPR?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Needcoffeecoffeecoffee · 24/04/2021 20:35

We used a cot mattress and for the first few times used the existing cover from the cot at home so it smelt the same. We also used to have lavender in the room so used that when away and anything the same eg sleeping bag and story etc
It may not be the cot in could just be somewhere new

I also found sometimes I would be more anxious eg in a hotel about dd crying (less so at my mums) so she settled less as I think picked up on that

sunnymondays · 24/04/2021 20:41

We bought a £20 mattress the same size as the travel cot because (pre Covid) our little one was suppose to be sleeping in a travel cot once a week. We just folded it in half ish as it was quiet thin so it fit nicely in the car. When we used it little one was very comfy. Definitely recommend! We'll also be using it now little one is 2 for camping (without the travel cot of course!)

Caspianberg · 25/04/2021 07:22

What travel cot are you using? We use the babybjorn due to renovations and baby sleeps far better in it than in his actual cot with fancy organic mattress. The mattress seems fairly good on the babybjorn though, it’s isn’t hard

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread