Need Tips-They have only slept in their cribs

I started using Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child at around 4 months. I was very strict on having them take their naps and bedtime in their cribs (verses in the car or a swing or bouncer). They are excellent sleepers and take a 3 hour nap daily and sleep 12 hours at nite and rarely ever wake up. They have only napped/slept in their cribs.

We'll be going to my bil's for Christmas Eve. The extended outlook says we might get a good amount of snow Thursday night into Friday. He has offered for us to spend the night so we won't have to take the hour drive home. I plan on leaving here around 2:30 so at least they have an 1 1/2 hour nap. Even if we don't get snow, it may be nice just to relax at his house and not have to worry about getting home.

I honestly don't know how they will do. They may be exhausted from the day and fall right to sleep or they may wake up in the middle of the night and freak because they won't know where they are. I'm not real sure where they will sleep. I no longer own a pack and play so I'm guessing they'll sleep on the floor and I may end up joinging them later in the night so if they do wake, I'll be there for them.

I plan on bringing their white noise machine and their blankets & pillows.

Any tips on getting them to sleep?

Thanks!!

 

I am a stickler on sleep, too...I HATE traveling with the kiddos for that very reason. As they have gotten older/more used to it, ours are better about sleeping in strange places and not in their crib.

We use two pack and plays...and it takes them about 5 minutes to settle down for the night and sleep. We also give pacifiers at night while traveling (a big no-no at home!). I always bring their lovies, blankets, sleep sacks, white noise machine, and night light. When we stay in a hotel, the drapes are generally blackout...just like at home. I saw a good suggestion somewhere that you can use painter's tape and black trash bags to make your own blackout shades while traveling...never tried it, but it seems like it would work?

That said...without a pack and play, I don't think my kiddos would EVER go to sleep. You might just have to deal with one really bad night. I am a total type-A, need-to-be-in-control type of person...however, I am learning that it is okay for things to be totally off-schedule for one or two nights for those special instances. You will reclaim that schedule when you get home...it might take a night or two, but you will get it back!

And I think a night without any sleep (you or the kids) far outweighs driving back on icy roads!
Good luck...and here's to a wonderful night of sleep for you all!

 

Hmmm...bringing the white noise machine is a good idea, along with their blankets and pillows. We usually take our pack and plays for travel but I see you said that you don't have one, does your BIL know anyone who can loan him some p-n-p's? I would also bring a nightlight if they use one and any loveys that they might use. I would also bring any books they love and perhaps (especially with the hustle and bustle of Christmas Eve) give them some quiet time to wind down before bed. What time are you going to BIL's? If you are going early enough, perhaps they can spend some time in the room they will be sleeping in, so they won't be so freaked out.
Good luck!

 

Mine only sleep in their crib also and there is no way they would ever sleep on the floor... I'd bring all their stuff and try to stick to the routine but would definitely try to get two pack'n plays beforehand. We use PeaPods when we travel and they hate them, but still fall asleep pretty far with their music/sleep sacks, but they need to be contained.

 

My girls slept away from our house for the first time at about the same age as yours. They had previously only slept in their cribs/toddler beds, so I was nervous too. Like everyone else said, bring everything you can that relates to your routine. If you read books before bed, make sure you do that at BIL's. Bring blankets, pillows, etc.

I don't think my girls would have gone to sleep on the floor (it's hard!), but they did fine on mattresses on the floor. If there's a way BIL can make up a bed or at least an Aerobed for your kiddos, I think it's worth it. Borrowing PNPs would be even better, but it wasn't practical for us either.

Above all, relax and don't worry about it. Your kids will pick up on your stress. And if worse comes to worse and they don't sleep well, it's only one night and they'll get back on track when you get home. This past summer we spent two weeks at my family's house and my girls didn't nap at all. I was freaking out, but they survived and life got back to normal the day we returned home.

 

i agree with PPs - bring whatever you can to maintain your routine. that being said, i've found when traveling, you really need to go with the flow. i just do whatever works to get them to sleep. and usually, it's the first night or two that are the worst & i just prepare myself for not having a great sleep those nights. then they settle in & are usually fine. of course, once we get back home they fall right back into their normal routine without much fuss. we also use peapods when we travel & they're pretty good with them - usually a couple of days before we leave we pull the peapods out & let them play in them & use them for their naps. it seems to help. at the end of the day though, you'll never know how your guys will do until you try it - they may surprise you & sleep right through without any issues! i always figure it can't hurt to try something new & you'll always learn something - even if it's that you'll never do that again. GL!

 

Mine have only slept in their cribs too. I've never even been able to get them to nap in a pack n play before. At this age I think I would try them on a bed or a mattress pushed up against a wall before I'd go back to a pack n play. We may be taking a trip this summer and I think we're just going to try mattresses against the wall and hope for the best.

 

Thanks everyone,

I think I'll just see what happens with the weather. I really don't want to invest in peapods or pnp's (even used) since it would only be one nite.

They will be staying up later than their usual 7:30 bedtime so my hope is they'll be so exhusted that they'll fall right to sleep.

I still have a few days to decide so for now I'll just keep an eye on the weather.

 

Mine have only slept in their cribs and when we are not home (on vacation or my parents) they have no problems sleeping in the beds there. :good: I bring their "stuff" (like you are) and I do have to lay with them while they fall asleep but I've not had any issues with them waking and freaking out. I hope it's the same for you. :good:

 

We are also very routine with our sleeping habits. I'm not sure that mine would ever sleep on the floor only because they are able to move around. They need containment in order to settle down. That said, as long as you stick to their bedtime routine, I don't think they'd have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Mine spend the night at their grandparents probably once or twice a month and they do just fine. We've also gone on vacation before and they slept well, too. I would try and get some pack n' plays. It beats driving home in bad weather. Plus, it's just one night. Good luck!