Sleeping problems in pack n play while traveling

littlemurphy2912 · May 2014

So DH, DD, and myself went to Raleigh, NC this past weekend to visit with some family of mine. When it came time to put DD down for bed (which was around the time I usually put her down when we are at home), I followed our usual bed time routine. I had her tell everyone good night, we brushed her teeth, and they had a glider so I was able to use that to rock her to sleep how I do when we are at home. I sang to her till she was asleep and then when I got up to go put her down she opened her eyes and wouldn't close them. I sat back down and rocked her till I felt like she was just about asleep and then went to go put her in the pack n play and she jumped up in my arms and had a death grip on my neck and wouldn't let go of my neck or me and kept saying "don't want it, don't want it". So I sat back down and talked to her about it being bed time and we need to go nite nite and everything is okay but she wouldn't budge. So my DH said to just put her in it and let her cry for a bit well right when we put her in it she was going crazy and trying to climb so hard out of it and she was crying so hard she started coughing and then partially threw up but it didn't get anywhere. Him and I were so exhausted at this point with me trying to get her to go to sleep and calming her down. I'm not sure why she is deathly scared of it but we ended up having her sleep in the bed with us because we were done trying to get her to go to sleep in it. In the past she has done much better with sleeping or napping in the pack n play than what she did this past weekend and we are going to be going on vacations next month and are trying to figure out what we are going to do to get her to sleep in her pack n play. Anyone deal with this before? Have any suggestions? It's been roughly 6 months since she last slept in her pack n play and since then she has been so used to sleeping in her crib and doing the routine we usually do.

mb314 · May 2014

That sounds like separation anxiety to me. It's not necessarily a fear of the pack-n-play so much as a fear of being left alone in an new environment.

A weekend trip probably isn't long enough for your DD to get used to the new environment. On a longer vacations, she will probably realize that you'll be there when she wakes up and the environment may not be as new after a while. What if you stayed with her until she fell asleep? Or let her fall asleep in your bed and then transfer her to the pack n play.

Also, maybe spend more time in the room where the pack n play is to get her used to the room and to see it as a nurturing environment.

littlemurphy2912 · May 2014

@mb314 I did think to myself once she was asleep on me to try and move her and put her in her pack n play but I was so exhausted I just decided to have her stay in bed and let her get some sleep. It very well could be separation anxiety because she is a big momma's girl and we think transitioning her from one thing to another really helps. That is a good idea to let her play in a room where she will be sleeping and get her more familiar with the pack n play and let her know it's not so bad after all. @Nicb13‌ I completely agree with you! DH and I on the way home yesterday were talking and I was just telling him she has no idea where she is at, if it's a safe place, doesn't want to be left alone, and may not even be that tired just yet with being stimulated but being out of her comfort zone. I also told him that the same way with us if we are not at home in our own bed sleeping and in another bed that may not be as comfortable or like the bed we are used to it takes us a bit to get comfortable and to rest easily. I never thought of putting familiar toys in it with her but that's a good idea. DH and I talked about the idea of setting up the pack n play upstairs in our house and letting her see it and know what it is and mess with it if she wanted to so she would know what it is when we go on vacations?

LisaLisa1980 · May 2014

I'd let her just sleep in your bed

littlemurphy2912 · May 2014

@Nicb13‌ I was hoping no one would say that to me although deep down I already knew that! Oh well what can you do but just go with the flow and deal! @LisaLisa1980‌ the only problem I run into with that thought of having her lay in bed with me is I don't want her to be sleeping in the bed alone when it nap time and be worrying that she could roll off the bed and get hurt. I'll be honest DH and I aren't sure how much sleep we really got Sat night because DD was all over the bed and in between us and we kept repositioning ourselves with her throughout the whole night.

ashiscute · May 2014

How old is she? I would lay down with her in the bed and then get up when she's asleep. Can't you just put a bunch of pillows on each side of her? That's what I did with both of my kids when they protested the pack n play. I would take it and try it first though. Can you put the pack n play in the same room that you will be sleeping in so if she wakes up she at least sees you? And bring a nightlight and whatever lovies she has from home. good luck

littlemurphy2912 · May 2014

@ashiscute‌ she is 21 months old. Whenever we go on vacations or trips away from home and have the pack and play for her to sleep in we are always sleeping in the same room that she will be sleeping in. I might try and take some stuffed animals that she likes with us and take her nightlight too. I would put pillows all around her but she is all over the bed and sleeps in very crazy positions and spots in her crib so I am not sure how letting her nap in bed alone would work. When she was sleeping between my DH and I on Saturday night I woke up many times realizing that if I wasn't right next to her that she could have fell off the bed because I was that close to falling myself with her sleeping that close to me. I moved her quite a few times throughout the night.

=Lee=B · May 2014

Make a floor bed. Either bring something to use as a mattress (even the pack and play pad) or just put down a couple blankets. Then lie with her until she is asleep and then get up and go. At night you can be in your bed with her on the floor next to the bed. If she wakes talk/shhh her from your bed and if needed get up and join her. This prevents you having to worry about her falling off the bed, provides you and your husband with your own space and allows you to snuggle her until she's asleep.

emberlee3 · May 2014

My DD is weird and actually does better in her own room than with us. I bring her sleep sack, pacis, favorite toys, sound machine and nightlight. DS sleeps better with one of us or at least in the same room. We usually bring a twin air bed for him.

littlemurphy2912 · May 2014

@emberlee3‌ what kind of sound machine do you have for DD? We have a humidifier that DD has used since she was 5 months old and it has a noise to it that DH and I think helps her sleep well and it also helps block out other noises in the house to an extent. It's kind of a lot though to carry it around when we travel though.

emberlee3 · May 2014

It's an old iPod touch with a white noise app. Very portable.

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