March 2017 (2)

[purpleviolet1]

Second thread!

Interesting.. thanks namechange. Bit worried about ds settling for sleep somewhere else ?? Will he settle back at home ok once we're back?

DS has a Sleepyhead so that's been handy because we took it with us so he was still in the Sleepyhead even if everything else was unfamiliar! He woke up in the night a bit more often than usual for the first two trips, but was ok on the third one. Don't know why, maybe teething or leaps in development were factors. On all the trips naps were a struggle (but they can be at home too). If I remember rightly I think he did go back to sleeping better when we got home.

I guess the important thing is to try and stick to the bedtime rituals and general routine as much as possible when you're away. I think it's also ok to just do what you have to do to help them get some sleep, even if it means adjusting or retraining them a bit when you get home.

The advice seems to be not to start any kind of sleep training just before going on holiday, so we are waiting until we get back from our next (and final, for the time being!) trip. For now we are just rocking instead of feeding to sleep at bedtime - it went smoothly again tonight, yay!

I do need to stop putting him the Sleepyhead soon, as he's too big for it now, but I'm not quite sure when to start the process - before or after holiday... it would be good not to have to take it with us, but then if it helps him sleep while we're there it would be worth it... tricky.

@name - we are also going abroad next month. Hope the flight will go ok - 4.5hrs with a 5mth baby on our laps .....

Have done Devon twice since dd was born - 4wks old and 12w old. Def easier as took everything bar the kitchen sink in the car - but made home from Home for 5nights

Yah for night 5 with dummy @purple

Blondes
Best of luck, hope she sleeps a lot!
Do you have any experience of getting babies to transition from a Sleepyhead (or similar) to just the crib or cot, by any chance?

We went to Greece 4.5 hours flight when DD was 3 mos and then just been on a long longgg drive holiday to Cornwall .
Both I felt ok with . Much more than I expected . Didn't take our nice pram on the plane as they often get lost or smashed around .
We bought a £35 stroller and used Milton sterilising tablets to do bottles etc .
Close U.K. Is probably easier for you Purple with having all the issues lo has had with reflux ? Then again if he is settled in to the new formula and content by then it's whatever feels comfortable.
I was anxious about going abroad with a baby as my first was 18mo when we flew but she was fine .
I don't stick to routine while away , she kind of finds her own routine . As we were with family and took the children out of an evening , she would sleep in the pram .
I did give her 3 meals within an hour of set time every day though regardless of where we were and she seemed to want a 7oz feed at 10-11 every night naturally .
DD seems a lot happier and more content since we went away . She also seems to have more hair 😂.
Hoping I will have a solid routine formed for DD1 going back to school then me taking ok more work .

@name - make your own style of sleepy head up with rolled towels under the cot sheet. Then make looser and bigger over time and the. Won't need at all

WEve also brought a second hand stroller for holiday. I've seen what they do to buggies at airports and don't want dd nice one ruined

Have hired out a steriliser , bouncer and toys when there

So that will help

Ooh good tip Blondes, thank you

welcome :) x

Hugh

We have a bedside crib (Snuzpod) so the Sleepyhead goes in there. You can put it on any flat, firm surface, so we also used it downstairs when he was younger (our sofa footstool is the perfect size which was handy!) When we were away, we put the Sleepyhead inside the travel cot. You can also put it in the bed next to you - provided you keep all pillows, duvets and blankets away from it - but our king size bed isn't big enough, I think you'd need queen size or whatever the huge ones are called! (To be fair both DH and I like to spread out )
The Sleepyhead has definitely been really handy, I bought it when DS was little and woke up every time we put him down, but of course we do have to wean him off it now. Anyway I will try Blonde's suggestion and see how we get on!

Sounds like you've had a stressful day so far, well done for getting through it!

Oh and FWIW I think DS will get much more out of holidays when he's old enough to play on the beach. So don't worry that you've missed out, next year will probably be perfect timing!

I have seen online a different version of a sleepyhead which is a fraction of the cost but apparently even better . I'll try to find it now .

Yeah there are similar products that are bit cheaper. But if you've managed without so far, I'm not sure whether it would be worth it now tbh, you'll only have to wean them off it when they grow out of it.

www.madeformums.com/reviews-and-shopping/10-of-the-best-baby-nests-and-baby-pods/41302.html

filibabba.com/products/babynest-indian-warm-grey

Yes we are lucky to have been away Hugh but I think next year our belts will be tightened a lot !

The Sleepyhead has been fully safety tested and I would worry that the Babynest might not have been tested to the same standards - happy to be corrected if it has, though!

www.sleepyheadofsweden.com/safety/

I would love a holiday right now. But don't think I would be able to relax until ds more settled and we have also settled into our house.

Night 6 of dummy free sleep! Got to say I'm really pleased with how it's going. Did have a couple moments where I just wanted to pick him up and give him the dummy but to be honest, I'm ready to take it off him during the day as well coz he drives me mad playing with it especially when trying to settle to sleep. We were advised to give it for daytime naps just now so that he doesn't get overtired (if he fights every nap).

Today he has gone to sleep in 14 min. I've just sat beside him and said shh twice. He hasn't cried at all, just made this 'uh uh' sound. Now he is asleep 😀

If anyone if dithering whether to get a sleep consultant then i say don't think again and just go for it!

Sorry that should say 12 mins not 14

That's amazing purple and I can't blame you for wanting to wait .

Ah great news purple! Keep up the good work 👍

That's great purple

DD has a dummy to go to sleep but the past couple of days she's not wanted it. She's struggled today with teething, not a happy little lady.

Think ds is teething as well as he just gnaws on the dummy. From all angles. Also chewed my shoulder today my top was so wet with saliva ! I think it's contributing to not settling easily for daytime naps.

Great news purple think we will be using a sleep consultant when the time is right.

We had a week away in the UK. I enjoyed it in parts but don't think I was ready for it. I found the long drive not being able to see and hold dd in the back very upsetting. DM and her "helpful" advice probably tipped me over the edge.

troodie
Yes we've had times when DS was screaming in the car seat and it was absolute torture not being able to stop straight away to cuddle him, just 5 minutes to get to a safe place to stop feels like 5 hours with a screaming baby! That's why I preferred travelling by train. Having said that, we did have several journeys when he slept a lot, thankfully.
Oh and I hear you on opinionated parents, easy to brush off when you see them briefly but gets very annoying when you're with them for several days or more!