Baby just hates pack n plays

[Anonymous]

We travel a lot and my 7 month old just HATES pack n plays. At home he sleeps 6:30-7 am. When we travel he is up 4-7x a night. It's miserable and hellish. We've tried putting him in his own room, using a crib (my parents have a crib), using a pack n play, white noise, same pjs, everything. He just doesn't sleep. I get such little sleep that I feel like a zombie. Is there some reason for this? My older kid wasn't like this at all. We just returned from a trip and he didn't sleep at all there, but first night in his own bed and he was sleeping 13 hours again.

Can I just say no to trips to visit family because my baby doesn't sleep? My mom even told me I should lower my sleep requirements for myself and get over it.

[Anonymous]

I would curtail the trips. Not all babies adapt well to travel.
Family can come to you for a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We travel a lot and my 7 month old just HATES pack n plays. At home he sleeps 6:30-7 am. When we travel he is up 4-7x a night. It's miserable and hellish. We've tried putting him in his own room, using a crib (my parents have a crib), using a pack n play, white noise, same pjs, everything. He just doesn't sleep. I get such little sleep that I feel like a zombie. Is there some reason for this? My older kid wasn't like this at all. We just returned from a trip and he didn't sleep at all there, but first night in his own bed and he was sleeping 13 hours again.

Can I just say no to trips to visit family because my baby doesn't sleep? My mom even told me I should lower my sleep requirements for myself and get over it.

I never understand these questions. Of COURSE you *can* say no to travelling. You’re an adult, and you get to make your own choices for what’s right for your family.

What you can’t do is become p*ssy if those choices have consequences that you don’t like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We travel a lot and my 7 month old just HATES pack n plays. At home he sleeps 6:30-7 am. When we travel he is up 4-7x a night. It's miserable and hellish. We've tried putting him in his own room, using a crib (my parents have a crib), using a pack n play, white noise, same pjs, everything. He just doesn't sleep. I get such little sleep that I feel like a zombie. Is there some reason for this? My older kid wasn't like this at all. We just returned from a trip and he didn't sleep at all there, but first night in his own bed and he was sleeping 13 hours again.

Can I just say no to trips to visit family because my baby doesn't sleep? My mom even told me I should lower my sleep requirements for myself and get over it.

Oh, fun!

I would just be a combination of "too busy" to take this vacation that require travel for the next year AND trying to establish "new traditions"

Christmas?......We are staying at home this year for the kids to have Xmas at home and not be traveling. Want to come for xmas at our house this year?

But you ALWAYS go to the beach house every summer with the whole family, it's a tradition..... I know, but this year we just can't take that time given our work commitments.

But you ALWAYS travel to us on baby's first birthday, OMIGOD, I can't even imagine him turning 2 year old (or older turning 3 years old) without having a family bday party! .... I know but that won't work for us this year, you are welcome to come and stay that weekend so we can celebrate as a family (while rolling your eyes)


You do NOT need to travel anywhere - you could even just do a Staycation if you want to take a week off - take the kids to cool places like museums, etc that are a drive away, spend time in pjs. having relaxed pancake breakfasts and picnic dinners, more time for family at the playground, just having a slow and relaxed week! Nothing wrong with that!

[Anonymous]

I would limit my travel until baby is older. Family should understand

[Anonymous]

My baby doesn’t like to sleep in the pack and play either and we use it just as a place to safely leave the baby to take a shower or something like that.

[Anonymous]

If you have tried a crib at your parents’ house then why do you think the PnP is the problem? Sounds like all travel is.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried putting the baby in bed with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried putting the baby in bed with you?

This is what we have been doing with our DD, works out great. No way I would give up traveling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried putting the baby in bed with you?

This is what we have been doing with our DD, works out great. No way I would give up traveling.

PP here, I'm not sure where that evil face came from, must have hit it by accident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried putting the baby in bed with you?

This is what we have been doing with our DD, works out great. No way I would give up traveling.

OP here. Cosleeping doesn't work for any of us. But yes, we tried. He just kept nursing all night long and slept even less. He was thrilled with cosleeping though and felt like he was at the all you can eat buffet (he hasn't needed to nurse at night since 12 weeks!). Still cried. He's noisy and kept dh and I up even when he was sleeping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My baby doesn’t like to sleep in the pack and play either and we use it just as a place to safely leave the baby to take a shower or something like that.

-+1

[Anonymous]

My DD has this issue too - it's not the PnP, it's pretty much anything related to traveling. It was truly hellish when she was younger. We tried it all - real cribs, variety of travel cribs, sleeping in bed with us, etc. She would not nap or sleep.

Once she turned 3 and was in a regular bed it actually got so much better for some reason. Instead of bringing a travel crib she would happily sleep on an air mattress, twin bed, etc right next to us, and sleep well.

Interestingly, once she was old enough to really express herself she told us she hates sleeping in new places by herself, it's too scary. She is 6 now and still won't sleep alone even at her grandparents, so we all just stay in the same room (again, she is usually on an air mattress or in a sleeping bag) and she actually sleeps longer/better than when at home.

So there is hope for the future! But yes - limit travel for now if it isn't working for you.

[Anonymous]

Mine started hating the Pack and Play around 9 months. We started cosleeping at that point, and everything was fine, but I formula fed, so he didn’t see me as a source of food.

Could you put him in the bed with your husband, and you sleep somewhere else? We would usually book hotel rooms with two beds: DH would sleep in one, and DS and I would sleep in the other (it was just too much to have all three of us in one bed).