Getting 6mo DS used to a travel cot. Any tips?

[Mull]

Hi,

We stayed with my IL's last weekend and it was the first time that 6mo DS had used the travel cot. It didn't go down very well! We made sure his bedtime routine was followed exactly as normal but it took about 1.5hrs to get him to sleep (he'd sleep for 5 mins then wake and think WTF! MUMMY!!). He then woke at 12am, 1.30am (I BFed him then), 3am and 5am then we got up as normal at 7am. Both he and I were shattered the next day!

I need to persevere with getting him used to the travel cot so I've set it up in the spare room. Any tips would be greatly received. So far I'm thinking:

• Should I use it once a week or do it for a few days on the trot?

• Should I sleep in there with him (the room, not the cot!). Its likely we would all be sleeping in the same room when we use it to go away.

• I'm thinking of buying a travel cot mobile as he is used to seeing his cot mobile normally (the normal one won't fit on the travel cot).

TIA

No tips on using a travel cot but could you perhaps co-sleep with your DS instead if you are in unfamiliar circumstances? Might help to reassure him if he knows you are close by, and would make bfing easier for you too.

Use it loads and loads and loads and loads. I used ours for some day time naps in the lounge, also had a portable hanging toy that played a lullaby used at home and away, and also slightly blacked it (it was one of those pop up ones so just laid a light cover over the top of it) out so it seemed the same wherever they were- same sleeping bag and music etc...

Oh just seen that your DS is 6 mo. As soon as they were crawling/ walking we'd put it up as soon as we arrived at places, put all the familiar things in and let them get used to it where it was, talk about it loads. We also called it 'holiday bed', so dc had 2 beds 'home bed' and 'holiday bed', so holiday bed was their normal bed that they had when we went away. The older dc has got the more hit and miss sleeping when away has now become, used to be able to resettle with breast feeding, since 20 months or so am always prepped for poss arrival of dc in bed with me/ us at some point!

We used a travel cot on holiday and DS was fine it in (7 months at the time). Slept better than at home!

The one we have has a really hard mattress, so I lined it with a lambskin fleece which is on his cot at home so felt soft. I also put his two toys in it that are in his cot at home.

It could be because he was somewhere new as opposed to the bed itself. Whilst the routine was the same, how was it leading up to bedtime?

Thanks for replies.

ScroobiousPip - unfortunately cosleeping has always been a nightmare for me. When he was newborn I had night terrors about finding him dead on the floor, under the duvet etc so couldn't do it. I tried it again the other night when DS was unconsolable at 4am (teething) and still didn't sleep a wink! And DH had to go in the other room as I wanted DS to have lots of room. Wish it was different but can you tell I'm not a very relaxed mummy yet?!

EffieB - I completely agree about using it lots and lots. Going to try it again tonight. I've got a mobile now and he played in there yesterday for a bit and I'll put him in there today as well. I'll use the sleeping bag he had on last night so it smells familiar, and the usual muslin which is tied to the cot.

Igglybuff - he was absolutely fine before he went to bed and he'd had good naps in the day, feed well etc so I really think he was just unsettled by the unfamiliar surroundings rather than anything else. I think the soft lining sounds like a good idea as the mattress does seem very hard. He is used to a fab, sprung mattress in his cot (it cost more than the Ikea cot!) so I might try a fleece liner.

So, I'm going to give it another go tonight. Anyone got any more ideas?

Thanks

Hi Mull, do you have a separate mattress for your travel cot or are you just using the one it was supplied with? It may be that your DS is just uncomfortable in the same way we would be on, say, a camp bed. I worried a lot the first time we used ours but DD was fine. We bought a special travel cot mattress from Kiddicare and tried to make it as similar as possible to her cot at home - same soft toys, same sheets. DD is not the most adaptable of children to put it mildly so I was amazed she was ok. Just a thought anyway. Oh and don't worry, we never got on very well with co-sleeping either - I've never managed to get DD to settle whilst next to me and have now given up trying.

Hi DrCosyTiger, well DS went off to sleep immediately tonight! I couldn't believe it! I was sure we would have a terrible evening trying to settle him so I was wandering round the house at 7pm with nothing to do!

I'm starting to think he was uncomfortable. We don't have a separate mattress so I've put a fleece blanket under the sheet and it feels a lot better to me. We'll see how he does during the night...

That's great! We didn't buy a separate mattress, just stuck with the lambskin so feels the same as his cot. Also keeps him warmer, especially in winter months.

Well it was a complete success! He woke at 2.30am for a feed which is normal for him but went straight back off to sleep til 6.30am. I'm SO pleased. I'll keep using it at least once a week I think. Last night has made me feel much happier about the weekends away that we've got coming up.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Oh that's brilliant - what a relief!

Fab, great news!