Taking Vacation Soon, Where to Sleep 10 Month Old Son???

I have the co-sleeper pack-in-play by Arm's Reach and my 18 month old son has been using this since he was 3 months old.
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http://www.target.com/Arms-Reach-Natural-Original-Co-Slee...

It comes with a travel bag and we bring when we travel for a short weekend vacation, an overnight stay at a relatives house, or a long week vacation.

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Hi, K.! We, too, used the Graco Pack-N-Play, and it was just great. It fits in the trunk or back seat of the car easily for transport, and it's a breeze to set up. At this age, you wouldn't use the bassinet insert, just the regular bottom "mattress" that comes with it. You can find them at Babies R Us, Target, all over.

I would not recommend a sleeping bag or air mattress, as 10 months is still too young for those - suffocation is still a risk at this age.

Good luck to you, and have a great vacation!

N.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.:

I have three suggestions:

1. Take a pack n play and use it as a crib.
2. Contact a rental company and rent a crib. This is a common issue and many companies exist that rent cribs and other baby items. http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/baby-equipment-rentals.htm)
3. Sleep your son in between you. If you are anything like me, you will wake up with first movement.

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Pack n play!!! My twins slept in them everywhere we went until they were 2 years old.

Ask your friend if she has a crib she could set up for your son (if she has young children herself she may have kept her crib?) or even a pack-and-play. If you think traveling will be something your family will do together, pack and plays are great and worth the money. In fact, you can always find one at a resale held by Moms of Muliples or at churches. I found mine, fully equiped, for $12 at a sale. The original owner saw me with it and said he's glad to see that someone could use it, that they bought it thinking they'd travel a lot but barely used it at all.

And, you can always just sleep with your child. Not convenient, but if you have to, give it a try.

If you decide on the pack n play, wash the sheet ahead of time so it smells like home, I always found it helps to make baby feel at home. Also your friends may have a pack n play if they have kids or a neighbor might, but buying one isn't too expensive, but stay away from the super cheap Cosco brand I hear they are terrible. Graco and Evenflo make pretty good ones, and unless they are marked a special size, they both take the same sheets. My daughter slept in one even when she was 3 when we went on vacation. She didn't seem to have difficulty adapting and neither did our son.

B.

Do you not have a pack and play? If not could you borrow one from a friend or family member?

In a pack n' play - they're portable, yet big enough for your little one to lay down in, & tall enough so he can't climb out.

My daughter was very active at 10 months and we used a Graco Pack 'N' Play for a travel crib. She couldn't climb out. My girl/boy twins also slept in Pack 'N' Plays at 15 months on a week-long vacation in Minnesota and did fine. My son, who can climb out of anything, couldn't climb out of that at 15 months, even though he was jumping and walking and running already at that point. We've always made sure to bring our kids' one or two special things with us and kept the bedtime routine as consistent as possible regardless of where we were, and they've fallen asleep and stayed asleep surprisingly well. Good luck!

I have used a pac n play and I have also used the Kidco Tent - that zippers on all sides. My 18 month old LOVES it. It folds up very nicely and weighs only 9 pounds with all equipment - sleeping bag and hand pump for the mattress. He has been using it since he was 12 months.Good Luck!

My daughter is a walking 10 mo. old and we are traveling to Az. for a week. She will be sleeping in a pack in play. She is also very active. She has slept throught the night in her pack in play plenty of times. I have a two year old and they share a room so some nights I have had to seperae them if one is having a rough night.
Ideas. buy a nice quilted sheet, travel with that one after you wash and use it.
sleep at home before the trip in the pack in play
If you buy nice sheets you can buy a cheap pack in play 40$ that is light to travel
good luck.
Pack in play are made safely for this reason.
I just remembered. Hotels have cribs if you call and ask, and their are companies where you can rent baby items for when people travel or rent houses or cottages. Check your traveling area. We discoverd this when we travel to the moutaines in Colorado. My 2 yr. old has slept in many other states. I suggest bringing your own sheets and blankets so your child has something familiar in an unfamiliar space (soft toy, sheets, blanket)
Luke and Olivia's Mom

I agree, a pack and play is the way to go. We have one that is smaller than a normal size one, and it fits great with all the luggage in our small car.

We've had great luck with our pack-n-play. Also, be sure to have your son's lovey with you...that will help make him comfortable in a strange environment. I recommend taking a couple of extra outlet plugs with you, too, to plug those pesky outlets that are in the common areas that he crawls around. Good luck!

We always take our pack & play, which is the playpen that folds down into a reasonably small carrying case. This is also a safe place he can play while you are there, or if you're alone there and need to take a shower or something. There is no way he can crawl out of there and the Graco model has a nice cushiony bottom to it, so it's comfy to sleep on - or you could add another thick blanket (wrapped around the pack & play mattress) to make it even softer. And PLEASE don't put him in a sleeping bag, as was suggested below - he could suffocate in there! I don't think that's very good advice.

I have a 10mo.old son and when we travel we take our Pack and Play. It folds up easy & doesnt take up alot of room & they really can't climb out of them yet.

My family travels a whole bunch...trips to Minnesota, Michiagan, South Carolina ...that's three or four trips a year.

My oldest slept in a playpen until she was about three and then we got her one of those fold out, foam, character couches (hers is Elmo). She slept on that fine.

The youngest was two when we switched her to the Pooh Bear couch.

They are now five and three and they sleep on pallets or a bed.

My girlfriend had an oversized pack'n'play that her son slept in until he was well over 1 year and he's a tall kid. your friends may be able to locate one locally as they are a little big to travel with

We rented a crib (and a high chair and a stroller) from Baby's Away when we traveled to Tucson and ds was 18 months old. Someone came to my aunt's house and set it up before we arrived, and took it down after we left. I'd recommend the company!

T.

I agree, Pac-n-plays are awesome! Some of them come with a changing table too, which is a bonus. You may want to get your baby used to sleeping in it before the trip though. Most hotels can let you borrow a crib as well if you ask in advance. I would rather have him sleeping in his own bed though, IMO. =)

Pack n Play... borrow one from someone or buy a gently used one at a kids resale shop. I've used mine several times on trips. Don't let him sleep with you, you will have a heck of a time breaking the habit when you get back home.

Hi K., I'm not sure what you meant by a travel bed, but I have a pack n play, "playpen" and I take that when we go on vacation. He sleeps in it just fine. Hope that's of some help.

I agree with the Graco Pack 'N Play playard suggestions. I will say, though, that the changing table that sometimes comes with it is pretty lame. I could only use it for my newborn, and even that was somewhat of a challenge (it's a very awkward, small size, and it doesn't sit level). The bassinet feature and the plain playard are both completely awesome, though.

It also (at least the one that I got) plays music, sounds, and it can even vibrate. It works on D cell batteries.

It's really almost too nice for how we use it. If I could do it over (and if it were even possible), I'd just get a Pack 'N Play with a bassinet feature—bare bones.

play and go worked for us

I was about to suggest using just a twin mattress on the floor, or fixing up a dresser drawer and putting it on the floor--and then I read the part about not wanting to put him on the floor. Maybe you could tell us more about not wanting to put him on the floor? He wouldn't be left alone, presumably, so even if he does crawl around when he wakes up, wouldn't you know that right away and keep him from getting into trouble?

Can he just sleep with you? It's definitely the easiest solution when we're away and they love it. You can bring a pack and play with you but there's no guarantee that he's going to sleep in something he's not used to.

Buy a pack and play if you don't already have one. My son is 18 months old and sleeps in a pack and play at the sitters with no problems.

One word: pack n play. Okay 3 words. sort of.

You can buy one used on craigslist, or new. We have twins and we always sleep them in pack n plays. If you have to buy one to travel, get the cheapest smallest one that will fit through doorways without having to disasemble. (Meiier has them for like $35).

Also, you can look on Craiglist in Ohio and get one near your friends' house. I did that when I traveled to NH, and I also ended up borrowing life jackets and a booster seat from the same people. Amazing how nice some people out there are!

Have a good trip!

I used a really great service called "Baby's Away" when we had the same dilemma traveling to LA. You can rent cribs, highchairs and even toys to be delivered and picked up where you are staying! I'm not sure if they have coverage in Ohio but go ahead and check their site... http://www.babysaway.com/ They were so nice and not too expensive. Happy Travels.

Does your friend know anyone that can loan her a crib for the days that you are there? Plus I think cribs or something that serves as a crib can be rented. Good luck. :)

Get a pack n play....they are great!

A pack-n-play works well for a place for your little one to sleep. It collapses for travel/storage and easily folds out for when it's time for him to sleep. Congrats to you on your baby!

No special equipment needed - I did this many times. You can put him to sleep anywhere, even on the floor, and then what you do is block off the area around the bed with furniture, like chairs etc., so he can't get out or it would be difficult enough that you'd be alerted.

We use a pack and play when we travel (until our daughter was 2!) they are a great investment and some of them even have a diaper changing attachment! good luck-A.

My suggestion would be a pack n play. The one I have works great. It is what my sister-n-law used for all three of kids when they traveled.

Have a great vacation!

There are some great playpens that will work as a safe place for your son to sleep while traveling.
I used a portable playpen with my two kids and it was fine and flexible.
good luck

Pack and play portable playpen. My kids used one for every trip we ever took. Mine had even been on a plane. My youngest is six now and I know there are alot of different models out there but look for one that is light weight with nice high sides. It is an investment worth every cent and they are usually under $100

You need to get if you don't own one already a portable play pen. That way you can just set it up where ever you all are sleeping.

Take a Pack n Play or see if your friend can borrow one for you while you're there. My kids slept in those on vacations until they were over 2. Good luck and have a fun trip!

We always just used a pack and play. It was portable enough to take with and easy to set up. worked great for us! We just wrapped a thick blanket around the "matress" to make it a little more comfortable.

A pack n play. Almost any store that sells baby stuff will have a couple different brands. It is the modern version of a play pen. Your son will not be able to get out. Make sure you also buy the special pack n play sheets that they also sell with crib bedding. The pack n play is a different size than a crib.

Hi K.,
When we traveled with my children we used the Graco Pack and Play Playard. It has a soft mattress pad on the bottom and is strong enough to handle them up to about 30 lbs. It folds up nicely and has its own carrying case. One thing to note, be sure that all the bars are fully locked before you put your son in it. We learned the hard way when ours partially collapsed when we put our son in it. But not to worry, there are no pinch points on the bottom and he was on the pad, so he didn't get hurt - we were just a little surprised. We used it until he was about two years old and then used it again for our second child (it has a changing pad and can also be used as a bassinet). It really is a great product. You can find it at Babies R Us or most other stores.

Hello K....
I'm not sure what you might think of my suggestion, When I travel I like to carry a playpen..My son is 14 months old and the playpen works well for me. It's a little hard at the bottom but I place a blanket on the bottom and use it as a crib when I travel. I don't have to worry about my son crawling onto the floor and he sleeps very peacefully there. I hope it can be of some use to you...

We used a pack and play and it works great. My girl is now over two and still sleeps in one when we travel. Good luck to you.

In a Pack 'N Play portable crib made by Graco and others -- in a bathroom perhaps :))

We used a graco pack and play when we went on vacation last summer my daughter was 10 months then, they pack up pretty small so easy to travel with. It worked pretty well the only thing is it was in the same room we slept in which made it difficult since she is used to sleeping in her own room. But at least he wouldnt be able to get out of it and you wont have to worry about him crawling around in the room at night. Hope this helps.

Hi K.,
I'd say bring along a pack and play- which is the new fancy term for a playpen. Or you might ask your friend if they know of anyone with kids where they live- then you can rent, or borrow from a neighbor and wouldn't have to deal with bringing one. My friend's son slept in one whenever they would travel and it worked great for them. Save travels!
Blessings,
J.

We used the Pack 'n' Play and co-sleeping. The Pack 'n' Play is a great option even if he won't sleep in it, as it's a safe area in which you can place him while you do other things. We found that most nights in a strange environment, he would fall asleep in the Pack 'n' Play but wake up more frequently, and co-sleeping made for more peaceful nights. A combination of the two worked well for us.

I would just suggest having him sleep between you and your husband. It's safe as long as both of you are sober and have 3 separate blankets.

You might want to try your Pack n Play, if your son won't climb out of it. You can buy a sheet for it at BRU. Otherwise, there are the travel cribs - but those can get pricey w/ the mattresses, sheets, etc.

A playpen/pack-n-play. We go out of state several times a year to visit my parents and they work great. My daughter slept in one until near her second birthday. My newphew stayed here last weekend and slept in it, which he has done many times. The base can be a little hard (a soft, thick mattress does not pack up neatly!) so just fold up a blanket of some sort on top of the pack-n-play base and put the crib sheet over that, tucking it under the pack-n-play base/mattress so it mostly stays put. Unless your son probably wont care about being overly comfy, many kids dont. Then just skip all that and have less to pack.

They arent very expensive, and very versatile. When you get to where you are going put all his toys in there and him with them and he should play happily (and safely) for a little while at least, if not a long while.

We've always travelled with a pack and play. It's the same idea as a crib and it's portable.

Hi K. I know you are happy and proud after finally getting this bundle of joy. I am much older and i lost n had miscarriages as well 3 pregnanices before i finally had my ist child which is now 31.,but you may have some luck by going to one of the stores that sales portable cribs or play pens.that you can carry with .I guess it just depends and maybe your friend have some items storage away.

a pack and play is your best bet. I was home in ireland recently with my 9 month old and she did great in pack and play and she is very active.

why not have him in bed with you?

No worries mommy. A sleeping bag. He can't fall out and if he needs you, you're right there....even if dad has to join him to get him asleep. You could even have dad sleep in a bag 1 or 2 times before you go on your trip. Have fun.

Hi, K.. When we traveled with our daughter at 9 months of age, she slept in our Pack-n-Play. Our playpen folded up and fit into a bag with handles. We were able to take it with and she slept great! (After the first night, of course). None of my 3 children loved to be in the play pen, so sleeping in it, on occasion, was the only thing we ever used it for. Be aware, that any change in his normal sleeping arrangements will most likely result in a few sleepless nights, no matter where he is sleeping.

We've always used the pack-n-play. The top part used as a bassinet comes out and you can have your child sleep in the bottom part. We purchased a small mattress to go in it to make it softer. It's worked like a charm!

When we went to visit my dad in LA, I didn't really want to lug a pack-n-play. We had enough to worry about with strollers, car seats, luggage and two kids. So I decided to go the local Walmart when we got there and purchase one for less than $50. When we were done, my dad brought it to his church and they donated it to a local women's shelter. It will serve your purpose while you're there, then you can feel good about the donation. If you save your receipt, you'll also have a tax writeoff.

Hi~
I'm in the same boat as you are with my soon to be 10 month old son! We're traveling to Iowa at the end of the month, we were just going to bring our Graco Pack n Play playpen for lack of better options. Unfortunately, my son is stimulated by the things around him very easily and would rather explore a chair leg than go to sleep, so "enclosing" him in on the floor won't work for us. He's never slept in his playpen yet so I'm hoping it won't be an issue. I bought mine on Amazon, it was cheapest there. It's much roomier than the bassinet type they sell now with changing table attached, there's no room in those things for sleeping once they're past the 1st/2nd month of life. We love ours! Anyway, good luck to you!

J.

Hi K.,
We just traveled to Oregon with our kids, one being a 12 month old, and we ended up using a play pen, since they have padded mats, and we did that with one of our other kids before that, and layered several LONG blankets on top to give some extra squish, but that could be snuggle tucked under so the baby couldn't pull them over it's face. Our daughter slept fine in it and we were there for almost 3 weeks. You could either pack your own (not ideal, but it can be done), or ask your friend if she or anyone she knows has one you can borrow for a few days! Good Luck!

there are some good portable cribs out there. we used to have one that came apart and fit into a carrying bag, similar to a tent! it worked great for traveling. i don't remember the manufacturer of the portable crib, however (my son is now 19).

Try a pack-n-play. We've used them many times for our little ones. They're easy to put up & take down.

A pack and play is what we use.

take a pack-n-play along with you

do you have a pack n play? Otherwise would it work to have him sleep between you and your husband in bed? We are lazy about bringing our pack n play and usually just end up sharing the bed.

Wow...you and I are very similar! I am a 40 year old married mom with a 17 month daughter, who also is a gift from God - two miscarriages in the second tri-mesters before!

I don't know if you have tried to get him used to a Pack 'n Play, but I swear by it. We even traveled to a hotel about a month ago and I was able to put her down and go take a bath and she slept well.

I would suggest bringing a lot of things he is used to from home i.e., teddy bear, blankie, another couple stuffed animals, etc. And then...I brought my "white noise" machine. I had tried the ones that sound like the rain forest and the ocean and they didn't work. I think I spent about $40 from JCPenney and bought a white noise machine. It makes a SHHHHHHHHH sound (supposed to be like the womb) and plugged it in, down on the floor, near her head. Then, any new noises of a hotel, etc. didn't affect her.

Just a couple thoughts. Be blessed! J.

A pack and play would be the most ideal (just make sure it hasn't been on the recall list).

Good luck!

Hi K.,

Try a play pen, or I think they are called pak and play. This is what my sister used when her son was that age.

Hope this helps

we still us a pack and play, she's 17 months and it still works. It was strange getting used to it but I put her pillow, blanket and a toy she normally sleeps with in with her. After a couple days she got used to it.

When we went to Florida, we were in a similiar position. They had a packnplay, but our daughter kept waking up in there and not knowing where she was, she would scream. She was fine during the day in the packnplay, but at night we had her sleep between us. It was the first and only time she's slept with us (she was just short of year old). I felt better about her being with us and I didn't have to worry about the other people in the house waking up because of her screaming. Hope that helps!

I have always used a pack n play for trips like this

Hi - I agree with the Pack & Play idea - we used one for my son when we traveled to Florida to visit my parents.

One thought if you go that route - ship it (UPS Ground?) to your friends house to arrive before you get there. They're designed to compactly fold up so they're easy to ship and your friends can just put the box in a closet or garage until you get there. This way, it's one less thing to lug to the airport!

Good luck -
J.

A pack and play is the best option. It's great to have around for all purposes. Good investment.

When my son was young I would either bring along a pack and play or ask my sister (who lives in Texas and we visited most often) to borrow one. They are great for an impromptu crib. I have also had hotels provide them (which was actually kind of wierd that they only had a pack and plan not a crib!). But if you are going to stay at a hotel and use one then you might consider bringing your own sheets...

Take care,
H.

Hi K.,

If you don't have a pack n play, invest in one. That's what you should take with you for trips. Sleeping away from home can be NO FUN with a child at this age. Ugh. Been there! Bring his favorite blanket and stuffed animal...possibly even his crib sheet to fit on the matt that is placed in the pack n play. It will help sooth him in a strange place, but more importantly...keep him in place! lol. Start reading the same book now, with all of these items in place. Enforce a consistent routine from now until your trip. That routine will be familiar to him and it will help comfort him when you take him out of his environment. Also, keeping it dark - without a nightlight - is helpful. If he is okay with the darkness...not being able to see the strange surroundings at night will help his anxiety. Let me know how this works:)

Try looking for a rental place for a crib...we have done this in the past as well and it wasn't expensive at all.

In December, we took a family trip to Disney and I didn't want to use their cribs. We brought our Pack and Play. She slept in it and never tried climbing out of it. It worked great and we take it everywhere.

We took a vacation to Disney World for one week when my son was just under 8 months old. We used our pack-n-play for him to sleep in at night. It took a night or two for him to adjust but he ended up doing really well. Good luck.

Hi K.,

Pack-n-Play playpens work great! and they fold up into nothing.

When we went to Florida on vacation, we rented a crib. Wasn't very expensive. Maybe your friend can call around and find one at a local rental company...?

Hey there K.,

I too would suggest a pack n play. They fold up for traveling. They are a little awkward, but at least you won't be worried about him waking up and crawling away. :) Either that or have him sleep with you during your vacation.

Good luck to you!

~C.
www.EnhanceYourWayOfLife.com