Two year old sleeping arrangements holiday

[Worried23]

Hi all just after some advice.

My child is 2 years 4 months old and we’re going on a UK break shortly. This is rearranged from last year so obviously he’s much older now. I’m getting my knickers in a knot about what sleeping arrangements would be best for his stage.

At home he’s still in a cot with the side up but we’re planning to move him to a bed shortly. I’m concerned a travel cot is just too small for a toddler of this age and also that he will have the ability to climb out and could tip it over so I’m not sure if that’s still safe?

Alternatively I’m concerned about his first time in his own bed being on holiday and wondering if a bed guard would suffice as I imagine he could still just fall straight out of the bottom ( he moves a lot).

I don’t know anyone with kids the same age so I just wondered if people would tell me what they’d probably do in this situation, or what they’ve done in the past?

Thank you!

Check the weight limit on a travel cot, I think my daughter was just under 2 (22 months) when she went in one on holiday, otherwise just take a bed guard as you will need one anyway at home. Don’t worry about the transition, just make it very matter of fact, time for a big bed.

My three year old slept in one last week. She sleeps in a toddler bed with a side down at home. I asked her if she’d prefer the travel cot or single bed on holiday and she said travel cot. She was very happy in it for a week. She didn’t try to climb out but I think it would be quite hard to tip over as the legs are quite far apart. Length-wise, she was fine.

I would just put them in bed with me.

Thanks everyone, that really helps.

If you want something contained, have a look at the Peuterluxe or Peuterbox travel cot tents from Deryan - they are really handy and you can often find them second hand.

We used this: its been brilliant, tuck the sheet under the mattress part to help reduce rolling
www.argos.co.uk/product/7608182?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixilatwpa&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59130%7cacid:289-152-2757%7ccid:599609992%7cagid:24126986217%7ctid:pla-886262790854%7ccrid:94168542777%7cnw:g%7crnd:527883371104650056%7cdvc:c%7cadp:%7cmt:%7cloc:1007266&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=599609992&utm_term=&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=24126986217&utm_custom2=289-152-2757&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhb7F8KyX8QIVGPlRCh1XaQJFEAQYASABEgLUb_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Unless you child is really big for their age a travel cot will be fine. If you use a bed just put a poop noodle under the sheet.

*put!

Pool a pool noodle!

Travel Cots are pretty big. I'd say bigger than a normal cot.

When we took our 2yr old on holiday abroad pre covid we asked for a travel cot to be set up for her. She had absolutely plenty of room and slept fine in it.

Another vote for the Intex Kidz travel bed, you can buy them from Argos or Amazon. Very happy with ours. Best with an electric pump though!

What size is your travel cot? Could you have a trial night at home using it? Check the weight limit but if it's 120cm long is should be fine (our travel cot is 60x120).

I can't remember when DS went in the Intex bed instead of the travel cot. We put it off as long as possible! He didn't try to climb out.

Why is putting him in bed with you not an option?

A poop noodle

A travel cot will be fine, they come in two sizes though so get the longer one. This one from John Lewis is as big as a cot.
www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-travel-cot-black/p3436746

Presumably OP doesn't want to go to bed at 7pm with their toddler, so would have to put the little one to bed alone in a big double bed with no sides, which presumably would be so strange and exciting they wouldn't go to sleep! I wouldn't want to share a bed on holiday with a wriggly toddler

[quote ineedaholidayandwine]We used this: its been brilliant, tuck the sheet under the mattress part to help reduce rolling
www.argos.co.uk/product/7608182?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixilatwpa&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59130%7cacid:289-152-2757%7ccid:599609992%7cagid:24126986217%7ctid:pla-886262790854%7ccrid:94168542777%7cnw:g%7crnd:527883371104650056%7cdvc:c%7cadp:%7cmt:%7cloc:1007266&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=599609992&utm_term=&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=24126986217&utm_custom2=289-152-2757&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhb7F8KyX8QIVGPlRCh1XaQJFEAQYASABEgLUb_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds[/quote]
@ineedaholidayandwine is that inflatable bed noisy? I had a ready bed for our eldest but it was so noisy whenever he moved about I’m thinking of alternatives for DS2 when he’s old enough to transition out of the travel cot.

We have it too and it's not noisy. Good quality. I didn't get a good impression of quality from the Readybed reviews I read.

@MikeWozniaksMohawk Hi, never noticed any noise, my daughter finds it very comfortable too

We're going away next week and using the travel cot. DS is 2.5 and tall!

We use a travel cot with a, I think its called a snooze shade?
Keeps it dark and stops them climbing out.

DD has almost never slept contained, I got her a small air bed and she also bedshared. Just moved stuff she might break or hurt herself with.

Travel cot will be fine. Don’t try something new on holiday. Just makes it more stressful than it needs to be.

@Ozanj why on earth would someone want to spend their holiday sharing a bed with a small child? I’ve never shared a bed with either of my children and certainly wouldn’t want to do so on a holiday

Thanks @ineedaholidayandwine and @NameChange30

We went away for a few days last summer and DS would have been 2 years and 9 months and he was in a travel cot. It was the larger size but it was absolutely fine.

@welshweasel

Travel cot will be fine. Don’t try something new on holiday. Just makes it more stressful than it needs to be.

@Ozanj why on earth would someone want to spend their holiday sharing a bed with a small child? I’ve never shared a bed with either of my children and certainly wouldn’t want to do so on a holiday

I cosleep with a toddler. I just replace myself & dh with pillow walls to make sure he doesn’t fall & go to bed whenever I want. Not sure why things have to be more complicated than that.

@Ozanj I mean that’s great for you. I’m all for cosleeping if that’s what people want to do. But can you not understand that people who don’t already cosleep might not want to start particularly on holiday with a child who is used to a cot?

Thanks OP, I have a similar dilemma with my 2 year old so this thread has been useful.

Ozanj was surely just giving a suggestion of what could be done. I'm sure they understand not everyone Co sleeps 😂

I recently had my 2.5 year old away for a few nights. She stayed in a single bed but she is in a cot at home still. She is too long for the travel cot.