Road Trip W/ 15 Mo Old....

We had this problem with our daughter this summer also. She won't sleep in bed with us either, she thinks it is playtime. So the first trip was just a one-nighter and I ended up nursing her to get her back to sleep but she was waking every hour. SO MISSERABLE!

So in prep for our 2 week long trip, I started the week before and put her down for bed in her pack in play in her own room here at home for all of her naps. This worked and when we went to the beach, she was fine sleeping in the pack and play the whole time. That week before wasn't fun, but after a few days, she seemed to get the message.

Start playing a bably lullaby CD very softly in her room ASAP (if you don't do so already) every time you put her down to sleep. Then take those exact same songs with you on the trip. Ideally, get them onto your digital music player so you don't have to lug a huge CD player with you. Buy some cheap speakers that you can plug into the headphone jack and play those songs for her. She will be conditioned to sleep whenever she hears them, no matter where she is sleeping.

Hi B. - try making it really comfy like a real bed. This worked for both of my toddlers when we travelled. Put some soft blankets or a comforter down to pad the "mattress". I tucked it into the mattress well so they would stay put during the night. We also added a favorite pillow and some of his stuffed animals. Another thing that worked was to drape a blanket over the side rail so that he didnt feel like he was sleeping in a fishbowl.

We just got back from a trip with our 1 year old and had to put her to sleep in bed with us. There was no way she was goig to stay in her graco with us in the bed right next to her. So we brought her up in bed, turned all the lights out and didn't say a word (we were both on each side of her so she wouldn't be tempted to crawl off the bed). Eventually she would fall asleep and I could move her to her graco. It worked perfectly.

I always set up the pack-n-play as soon as we get to our location...then I put my daughter in it with some toys and her pillow/blanket. It seems to help her get used to the idea that she will be sleeping there and she feels more comfortable.

Put her down in her pack and play for her naps, so she's used to it... I did this with my daughter, who took naps when she went to work with me.... I don't work anymore, but am still tempted to put her in the pack and play now and again just in case we need her to sleep there in the future... The first little bit it was hard, but it makes the trip easier...because she is used to the pack and play so the new location isn't quite as scary.

B.,
You could let her fall asleep on a regular bed, then when she is out put her in the portacrib. Don't forget her favorite luvvy (bear, blankie, you know exactly what it is!). That is worth turning around for honestly!!!

Good luck!
V.

We had a son who was the same way. When we were actually on the road, he slept with us. The second night at our destination, he usually did fine in his Pack n Play. If your daughter has a special lovey, that would probably help, too. Our son did not. Our two kids who have loveys have always done well with travel, although they lived a life on the road with my husbands job. GL! Hope you all have a safe, fun time!

If it already takes her forever to go to bed, it will take longer if you are in a new place just before bedtime. Try to get to your hotel/house/whatever several hours before bedtime so she is used to the place.

We have traveled a million times with the kids and they are tuckered out when we get there, but are excited with a new hotel room, so they bounce off the walls for awhile before sleeping. Make sure you take the same books you read to her every night or follow the same routine, so she is getting the signals that it's bedtime. This is not a good time to break out the new pajamas.

You can try to get her to sleep on the floor (kids seem resilient to hard surfaces) and hope she stays asleep. Otherwise, have her sleep with you. If the bed doesn't seem big enough, sleep sideways (head and feet to side of bed instead of top/bottom). We fit all 4 of us in a queen this way and my hubby is 6'6". His feet hung off, but side to side we were good.

Good luck. My kiddos love traveling and in the end, is is usually a great experience.