traveling toddler sleep habits?
May 5, 2009 9:03 PM Subscribe
please! your advice on traveling with toddler needed! will be flying up to minneapolis this summer to spend a week with family, by myself with 17 month-ish girl child. how do you get a wee one, used to sleeping in her own crib, to be cool with sleeping in a variety of new situations?
i'm from minnesota. i now live with my little biscuit and biscuit's da' in the south. my family is sprinkled all over wisconsin and minnesota. the wee one and i (minus her da'--whom will be working and metafilter-meet-uping it in new orleans) are going on a trip to visit family together in july. how do you get a toddler to sleep in a bed, not her crib, safely and effectively? what are your tricks to doing this whole travel with toddler thing?
p.s. if you think i'm an idiot for for doing this, i agree completely. but i have no choice in the matter, the great-grandparents are clamoring for a visit and who am i to tell them no?
i'm from minnesota. i now live with my little biscuit and biscuit's da' in the south. my family is sprinkled all over wisconsin and minnesota. the wee one and i (minus her da'--whom will be working and metafilter-meet-uping it in new orleans) are going on a trip to visit family together in july. how do you get a toddler to sleep in a bed, not her crib, safely and effectively? what are your tricks to doing this whole travel with toddler thing?
p.s. if you think i'm an idiot for for doing this, i agree completely. but i have no choice in the matter, the great-grandparents are clamoring for a visit and who am i to tell them no?
Rockabye rentals rent out real cribs as well as strollers etc to people visiting Minneapolis/St. Paul and set them up. This may be another option since you're travelling by yourself and want fewer things to lug around airports.
posted by slightlybewildered at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2009
posted by slightlybewildered at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2009
Best answer: Well, be willing to roll with it. Toddlers are challenging to travel with even when you've been traveling with them since they were born, and you need to know that you may have some sleepless nights no matter what you do. It's a no-fun caveat, but there it is.
Bringing a little of your own bedding (pillow, familiar stuffed animals, the blankie) helps. Bringing one of the absent da's shirts (worn, with his smell on it) may also help. Bring a picture of him, too--it's nice to look at throughout the day, and to hold when she hears his voice on the phone (laminating it will make it easier for her to carry around with her if she wants to, without shredding it).
My girls would generally do better on the floor than on a bed, when they were crib age. Your mileage may vary. Alternately, you can kind of bank her with pillows on the edges of the bed, or sleep with her. Naps are really hard though for a crib kid deprived of a crib--don't expect miracles.
Some more thoughts from a veteran toddler-traveler (and many of those trips to Minnesota, even!)...
Traveling can be really disruptive and you may find that normal eating and sleeping routines are meaningless. Don't be alarmed, just refer back to paragraph one and be willing to roll with it. It isn't unusual for a toddler who can eat a whole roast chicken and a side of potatoes to suddenly want only milk on a trip. On the other hand, a kid with a whole new audience may surprise you with what she's willing to do to show off. You just can't know, so...roll with that. A toddler who has recently weaned or come close to doing so may suddenly want to nurse like it's newborn time.
Being around new or infrequently seen people is very stimulating and small children have a hard time coming down from that. You may find that naps are a no-go because of this, or that you will need to lay down with her (you may want to anyway, if she doesn't sleep well at night, so that can be a bonus). Taking some time each day to play together one on one, quietly, will help her power down a little bit.
Don't take it personally if older relatives don't understand it if your daughter gets fussy--it's really hard to remember how overwhelming the world is to a small child when you're decades removed from it and when childrearing practices are so much different than they used to be.
A new toy or two on the airplane is a good idea--nothing noisy, obviously, but flashing lights or intricate buttons are good. Playdough can be an especially good bet if you are careful not to let her eat it all (although I have been on flights where I've not only allowed my toddler to eat the playdough, I've allowed her to eat half the Skymall catalog as a chaser. You do what works). Snacks are important--have several baggies of different things to just keep handing her, and it doesn't hurt to have a backup baggie of M&M's for the last part of the flight, just in case it gets a little hairy. A friend of mine refers to M&M's as "shut 'em ups" when used for this purpose ("Here, kid. Have some shut 'em ups").
posted by padraigin at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2009 [2 favorites]
Bringing a little of your own bedding (pillow, familiar stuffed animals, the blankie) helps. Bringing one of the absent da's shirts (worn, with his smell on it) may also help. Bring a picture of him, too--it's nice to look at throughout the day, and to hold when she hears his voice on the phone (laminating it will make it easier for her to carry around with her if she wants to, without shredding it).
My girls would generally do better on the floor than on a bed, when they were crib age. Your mileage may vary. Alternately, you can kind of bank her with pillows on the edges of the bed, or sleep with her. Naps are really hard though for a crib kid deprived of a crib--don't expect miracles.
Some more thoughts from a veteran toddler-traveler (and many of those trips to Minnesota, even!)...
Traveling can be really disruptive and you may find that normal eating and sleeping routines are meaningless. Don't be alarmed, just refer back to paragraph one and be willing to roll with it. It isn't unusual for a toddler who can eat a whole roast chicken and a side of potatoes to suddenly want only milk on a trip. On the other hand, a kid with a whole new audience may surprise you with what she's willing to do to show off. You just can't know, so...roll with that. A toddler who has recently weaned or come close to doing so may suddenly want to nurse like it's newborn time.
Being around new or infrequently seen people is very stimulating and small children have a hard time coming down from that. You may find that naps are a no-go because of this, or that you will need to lay down with her (you may want to anyway, if she doesn't sleep well at night, so that can be a bonus). Taking some time each day to play together one on one, quietly, will help her power down a little bit.
Don't take it personally if older relatives don't understand it if your daughter gets fussy--it's really hard to remember how overwhelming the world is to a small child when you're decades removed from it and when childrearing practices are so much different than they used to be.
A new toy or two on the airplane is a good idea--nothing noisy, obviously, but flashing lights or intricate buttons are good. Playdough can be an especially good bet if you are careful not to let her eat it all (although I have been on flights where I've not only allowed my toddler to eat the playdough, I've allowed her to eat half the Skymall catalog as a chaser. You do what works). Snacks are important--have several baggies of different things to just keep handing her, and it doesn't hurt to have a backup baggie of M&M's for the last part of the flight, just in case it gets a little hairy. A friend of mine refers to M&M's as "shut 'em ups" when used for this purpose ("Here, kid. Have some shut 'em ups").
posted by padraigin at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2009 [2 favorites]
We all sleep together, always have (we have a large bed), so there's never been problems with sleeping in new environments.
As for the plane, make sure you ask for a seat at either an emergency exit or in the front row, at the bulkhead, where there is usually a movie screen: more legroom.
At 17 months, pulling new toys out of a bag or whatever is probably not going to work. I found walking around the cabin was good enough.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:33 PM on May 5, 2009
As for the plane, make sure you ask for a seat at either an emergency exit or in the front row, at the bulkhead, where there is usually a movie screen: more legroom.
At 17 months, pulling new toys out of a bag or whatever is probably not going to work. I found walking around the cabin was good enough.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:33 PM on May 5, 2009
We've had grandma pick up a pack and play from craigslist when we went and visited and need a place for the baby to sleep
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:38 PM on May 5, 2009
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:38 PM on May 5, 2009
Yeah, we travel with a pack n play and our guy loves it. Easy to carry; we just check it in its bag and so far it's always come off the carousel unscathed. I agree with the suggestion of letting her get used to it at home first.
posted by escabeche at 10:12 PM on May 5, 2009
posted by escabeche at 10:12 PM on May 5, 2009
my aunt and uncle always took the kids for a drive when it was bedtime. they'd drive around for 45 minutes until the kids were asleep then carry them in and lay them where ever they were sleeping. it seemed to always work (although, i seem to remember later they had a hard time falling asleep if they weren't driven around).
but really, rent or buy a crib.
on the plane ride, that ear popping sensation you get at take off and landing i hear is worse for a kid. i knew one mom who would try to induce her baby to yawn (big yawns in front of her or blowing just lightly in her face) to pop her ears.
posted by nadawi at 11:47 PM on May 5, 2009
but really, rent or buy a crib.
on the plane ride, that ear popping sensation you get at take off and landing i hear is worse for a kid. i knew one mom who would try to induce her baby to yawn (big yawns in front of her or blowing just lightly in her face) to pop her ears.
posted by nadawi at 11:47 PM on May 5, 2009
Sleep with her. She will love you.
Many parents I know do this when traveling. It solves a number of stresses.
posted by rokusan at 4:05 AM on May 6, 2009
Many parents I know do this when traveling. It solves a number of stresses.
posted by rokusan at 4:05 AM on May 6, 2009
The consensus seems to be pack n play or just sleep with her. Both are good, but for less logistics concerns, go with just sleeping next to her. She's going to be a bit overstimulated anyway with all the new folks, wacky travel schedule, new places, so she might not even sleep in the p n p.
But hey you aren't crazy, its GREAT for kids to get to travel at a young age. I have been traveling with my daughter, who is now 3, alone since she was six months old. We generally co-sleep so maybe for a crib sleeper its different, but my kid does pretty well and likes all the new stuff she gets to engage with. Just roll with the necessary fussiness and overwrought emotion that comes from meeting new people and leaving fun places.
posted by RajahKing at 5:15 AM on May 6, 2009
But hey you aren't crazy, its GREAT for kids to get to travel at a young age. I have been traveling with my daughter, who is now 3, alone since she was six months old. We generally co-sleep so maybe for a crib sleeper its different, but my kid does pretty well and likes all the new stuff she gets to engage with. Just roll with the necessary fussiness and overwrought emotion that comes from meeting new people and leaving fun places.
posted by RajahKing at 5:15 AM on May 6, 2009
We travel with an inflatable mattress -- easier than asking hosts or hotels to put their mattresses on the floor -- and I sleep with the tot. This has been entirely fuss-free everywhere, with no special bedding or teddies etcetera.
posted by kmennie at 5:16 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by kmennie at 5:16 AM on May 6, 2009
Nthing just play to sleep in the same bed as her. People sometimes worry they'll never get the kid back out of their bed, but my kids at least seem to understand things are different on vacation.
posted by bluedaisy at 5:32 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by bluedaisy at 5:32 AM on May 6, 2009
By the way, I don't think there's anything wrong with this kind of travel. Do people really expect parents of toddlers never to leave their county?
posted by bluedaisy at 5:33 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 5:33 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Our daughter slept in a bed at that age & was fine. If you're worried about yours rolling out, you can roll up a blanket into a long tube & put it under the sheet as a built-in bumper.
If you're not comfortable with that, either a pack-n-play or a crib mattress on the floor would work.
I'd start having "practice naps" where you put your daughter to sleep in different places around the house, just so she starts getting used to sleeping in something other than her crib.
posted by belladonna at 5:39 AM on May 6, 2009
If you're not comfortable with that, either a pack-n-play or a crib mattress on the floor would work.
I'd start having "practice naps" where you put your daughter to sleep in different places around the house, just so she starts getting used to sleeping in something other than her crib.
posted by belladonna at 5:39 AM on May 6, 2009
I also vote for the Pack-N-Play route.
posted by Overzealous at 5:45 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by Overzealous at 5:45 AM on May 6, 2009
When the family traveled overnight while my siblings and I were growing up, toddlers were sometimes put to sleep in an inflatable rowboat.
An established napping routine will be helpful. If lunch + shades down + story + song + teddy = nap consistently at home, doing all that in a different venue won't be so hard. You may want to take a nap at the same time; toddler will like it, and you'll benefit from the rest.
General travel-with-toddler advice: Little containers of all kinds of foods, parceled out a bite at a time. Miniature magnetic drawing board. Favorite music and headphones.
Have a great time in MN/WI! The Children's Museum in St. Paul is great if you're looking for things to do, but don't plan on eating there. Vending machines and McDonald's are the only things right nearby.
posted by lakeroon at 8:02 AM on May 6, 2009
An established napping routine will be helpful. If lunch + shades down + story + song + teddy = nap consistently at home, doing all that in a different venue won't be so hard. You may want to take a nap at the same time; toddler will like it, and you'll benefit from the rest.
General travel-with-toddler advice: Little containers of all kinds of foods, parceled out a bite at a time. Miniature magnetic drawing board. Favorite music and headphones.
Have a great time in MN/WI! The Children's Museum in St. Paul is great if you're looking for things to do, but don't plan on eating there. Vending machines and McDonald's are the only things right nearby.
posted by lakeroon at 8:02 AM on May 6, 2009
I'm all for lightweight solutions, and sleeping in the same bed is certainly appealing on that front. But, if you can't or won't do that, I would advise against the really, really heavy and bulky pack and play and get a Peapod Portable Travel Bed. Worked great* for our daughter of the same age, and it's really small and light.
*Yeah, she took a while to settle in, but that's going to happen in unfamiliar situations no matter what the sleeping arrangements, I tend to think.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 8:29 AM on May 6, 2009
*Yeah, she took a while to settle in, but that's going to happen in unfamiliar situations no matter what the sleeping arrangements, I tend to think.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 8:29 AM on May 6, 2009
Response by poster: thanks for the suggestions.
taking the pack-n-play with us is not an option, nor is having the hosts buy/rent cribs (we will be staying at no less than five different homes, all scattered around wisconsin & minnesota). for the record, she's used to and likes! traveling, but we normally drive and thus can pack in all those comforts and various equipment that seem to make life away from home easier to handle.
i love the ideas of bringing along one of her dad's t-shirts, using a rolled up blanket as a bed bumper, and start taking naps together in various spots around the house.
posted by ms.jones at 9:22 AM on May 6, 2009
taking the pack-n-play with us is not an option, nor is having the hosts buy/rent cribs (we will be staying at no less than five different homes, all scattered around wisconsin & minnesota). for the record, she's used to and likes! traveling, but we normally drive and thus can pack in all those comforts and various equipment that seem to make life away from home easier to handle.
i love the ideas of bringing along one of her dad's t-shirts, using a rolled up blanket as a bed bumper, and start taking naps together in various spots around the house.
posted by ms.jones at 9:22 AM on May 6, 2009
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If you buy a portable crib, you can always introduce her to it at home first to get her used to it.
I have a 4 year old and a two year old; we only stay away from home one or two vacations a year and they take a night or so to get settled into sleeping in a weird place. So expect a rough night or two at first.
posted by slightlybewildered at 9:21 PM on May 5, 2009