Jet lag, unfamiliar surroundings & co-sleeping

[VintageNancy]

We're on a 4-week trip staying with family on the uk and dealing with an 8-hour time difference. Plus DD (5 months) is sleeping in an unfamiliar travel cot in a strange room. So the last two nights she's slept with me & DH (and slept well) as she wouldn't settle in the cot.

2 problems:

1. we're moving to another relatives house on Friday where we can't safely co-sleep (dodgy sofa bed that sinks in the middle
2. if we co-sleep for 4 weeks (bar this weekend) will dd resist moving back into her cot when we get home? She was sleeping well in it, settling fairly easily & only waking once or twice a night.

Tried to settle her in her stroller last night as somewhere familiar but she still woke after an hour and I brought her into bed. If she'll sleep in the stroller that would be a solution for the weekend when co-sleeping is less than ideal.

I wonder if we should wait until she's through the jet lag and then try the travel cot or stroller again.

Any tips from anyone who has dealt with similar?

Hey. My two took about 3 or 4 days to sort the jet lag out I'd be fine by myself and that's with a 7 hour time change.

Dd2 settles anywhere pretty easy. I introduce her to the room and cot, and play with her in it. She soon gets the idea.Dd1 who's nearly 3, gets to play in her strange room and bounce on the bed.

Just keep it light.

I currently live in NYC but have taken DS1- now 22 mos - back to the UK every few months. Jet lag is different each time. I agree with longdistance - keep it light. Do whatever you need to do to maximize sleep for everyone! Give your DD time to adjust either end of the trip, don't be too stuck on bedtimes and nap times - follow her cues, she will gradually settle in to rhythm. She is in unfamiliar surroundings so not surprising she sleeps better close to you. Doesn't mean she won't go back in to her cot when you go home, it might just take a few nights. To be honest, they change so quickly at this age that her sleep might have been different after 4 weeks at home anyway! If you can't safely co-sleep on the sofabed this weekend can you just have a mattress or something on the floor? We always keep a really solid bedtime routine with the same book etc. wherever we are and that seems to help. Good luck and have a lovely time!

Thank you both. She's sleeping so well in our bed I think we'll just go with it. Might stick to it when we get home if she goes through the night .