I have a dilemma..may have to cancel trip

[amarberry]

My son did this one time on a vacation, I actually called his doctor from our hotel, she suggested I give him benedryl. It worked like a charm. It was just enough to relax him and take the edge off. To tell you the truth, we probably would not have survived the trip if that suggestion didn't work. We were not sure if it was all the excitement, being overtired, or just being in a different place to sleep. One point of advise too is POP tends to be louder in different buildings till pretty late at night. This last September, I ended up taking benedryl cause all of the noise was keeping me awake, this time the kids were out like lights. All I know is it worked, I am not big about giving meds for trivial stuff, but It would sure beat cancelling the trip. Anyway, good luck with what ever you decide!

I was going to mention something along the same lines, but was scared that I would be flamed for "drugging my child." Just for the record, I feel that I am very conservative about medication that I give my child.

We travel a fair amount (both for family obligations and for fun). After my DD was about 5 months old, we started having problems when we were away from home. She'd go to sleep fine, but wake up around 1 or 2am and be up for hours (like until 5 or 6am). It was horrible. I talked to two of her doctors (pediatrician and allergist) and both recommended giving her a low dosage of benadryl if she woke up in the middle of the night. They both said that they side effects were minimal. I was so hesitant to do it, but it was a really worked. Usually after a couple of nights away from home, she gets used to her pack and play and the benadryl isn't needed.

Of course, please don't run out and buy a bottle of children's benadryl for your trip just because a couple of people on the disboard mentioned that it helped them. Talk to your child's doctor and see if they think that it's an okay thing to do.

Good luck...I understand your anxiety about this.

 

[Merriwind]

My DD was a wreck sleeping away from home when we tried the crib/pack n play route. Once we started having her sleep with one of us, she slept like a charm and does to this day. Even now, at 7, most nights in a hotel she wants her own bed (or room at the villas). Occasionally, especially if she's tired, she still sleeps better with me.

I would definitely get the two rooms at POP for as long as you can. You and the baby can sleep together and let the boys and dad have the other room. I think it's just very unsettling (more for some babies than others) to wake up in a strange place in the dark. Once they do that and panic, it's all downhill. They are never going to sleep. Even in future days, they remember. Try to stick to her schedule, definitely, but I wouldn't even try putting her down by herself. If she falls asleep and stays asleep with you, everybody wins. And you'll be very well rested. Good luck--I know how stressful sleep issues can be.

 

[Lulu's Mom]

My son did this one time on a vacation, I actually called his doctor from our hotel, she suggested I give him benedryl. It worked like a charm. It was just enough to relax him and take the edge off. To tell you the truth, we probably would not have survived the trip if that suggestion didn't work. We were not sure if it was all the excitement, being overtired, or just being in a different place to sleep. One point of advise too is POP tends to be louder in different buildings till pretty late at night. This last September, I ended up taking benedryl cause all of the noise was keeping me awake, this time the kids were out like lights. All I know is it worked, I am not big about giving meds for trivial stuff, but It would sure beat cancelling the trip. Anyway, good luck with what ever you decide!

Benedryl can do just the opposite though and keep your little one awake for hours, it can make them awake instead of tired. So if you are thinking of doing this I would try it at home first, or go with something lighter like infant tylenol.

 

[tjmw2727]

A few thoughts in addition to the great advice so far. If she dosen't like or hasn't slept much in a Pack N play, either get one now, get her used to it and bring it or consider renting a full size crib from an Orlando rental company and bring your own sheets and bumpers. My sil had a tent that covered the PnP, folded flat to pack and worked wonders for my neice and nephew. If your intersted I will ask her for the details. Either way, I found that the familiar feel and scents of the sheets and surroundings were a great help to my kids. If she dosen't already have one, encourage a lovie or two for sleeping, when they wake a little and roll over if "lovie" is close it can help sooth them.

Don't stress if you have to sleep with her for a night or two - it will likely pass and usualy dosen't carry over after vacation. Our motto on vacation is in the "whatever works" senario.

We also found a full size, fully reclining stroller great for disney. If she is restless at night and the older kids want to swim or hit the arcade, try bathing her and doing a bottle in the stroller with PJ's. Walk until she is tired and then sit by the pool with the older kids. DH and I got many a great evening strolling the resort in the evening while dd's slept in the stroller.

Try not to stress but instead go with the flow and if your toddler is awake take advantage of the time to do other things with your older children. She will eventually sleep - even if you have to co-sleep for a night or two. Also you can split up if need be so one parent can put dd to sleep while the other takes the older kids to fireworks or emh and then vise versa!

Good luck and have a wonderful vacation.
TJ

 

[Nancyg56]

This happened to my oldest when she was 11 mo old....didn't eat, drink or sleep when we were in a hotel. I was a wreck . WE ended up just going home at the time.

However.....next time......I packed her bumper pads from her crib, her crib sheets and brought them and fixed the hotel crib up just like home....GUESS WHAT!!!! She slept. They are creatures of habit and they know when they aren't home. Hope this helpful and good luck. I've been there.


Del

Great idea! My DD and SIL took their little one on a trip and she would not sleep in her Pack and play. My SIL thought that it did not smell and feel the same as her crib. Your little one is able to see what is familiar also.

One other thought, the OP was on a trip with a lot of people. This may have had more impact on the little one that it seemed at the time. I really hope that this works out.

 

[Nancyg56]

I was going to mention something along the same lines, but was scared that I would be flamed for "drugging my child." Just for the record, I feel that I am very conservative about medication that I give my child.

Same here! My DD called her Dr and he suggested a little Motrin before bed. Works like a charm. My DGD needs medication on a daily basis, so my DD will only add to it if the little one is so overtired or over stimulated that her little mind will not shut down. Better to have a little one sleep, though.

I am a bit embarrassed that I needed to see a brave soul come out and share before I did for fear of flames.

 

[wrldpossibility]

We have the same kind of sleeper (he's be just 2 when we go, so it may be different by then). But DH decided after a weekend away at Thanksgiving (with similar results as you) that it's worth the extra $$ to get two rooms. We're a family of 5 too. So we're going to POR and AKL (split stay) and we're getting two room at both. Yes, it's a lot more money. But as DH says, we're ALREADY spending a lot of money, and we plan to sleep at night so we can enjoy spending it! With two rooms, even if DD does scream at night, you and DH can take turns in a room with her, so you get rest at least every other night, and your other kids get sleep. And I bet she'll get used to the arrangement and not do that all 11 nights. Good luck (and wish us luck next year, lol)!

 

[jennifer293]

We thought the same thing we took DD when she was 13 months and we knew she was not gonna sleep but let me tell you...there is so much to see and do and we left our room at like 9 am and did not return until about 10 pm each night and as soon as we would get in the room we gave her a bath and out like a light she was. SHE WAS WORN OUT!!!! She never got crabby at the parks and she took her naps in the double stroller but by 10pm she just couldn't keep those baby blues open...

Nothing more precious than a sleeping baby...especially when you are tired!!!

Don't cancel your trip she will BE FINE!!!!

 

[JodyTG]

One other suggestion is to bring blankets and things like that from home. The familiar scents just may help to make her more comfortable.

 

[disneymom3]

None of my kids have ever done well in a hotel. Well, the youngest is a FAR sight better than his two older sibs but he is not too stellar either. (He wakes up REALLY early!!) Anyway, our best solution has just been to let them sleep with us. Actually, they sleep with mommy because daddy gets too cranky and it just isn't worth it. So, what I do is I put my hand on their back and I take some Sominex. Yep, that is the deal. I cannot sleep in hotel rooms either, so I can relate to their difficulty. Daddy puts in earplugs, somenights everyone had Tylenol before bedtime--got that from a children's hospital nurse!--and we also do bring the white noise machine. Hotels can be loud and if you're not used to it, it's not good.

I would also consider renting a full size crib but that is a big expense if she doesn't sleep in it. www.abbf.com is a great source for baby stuff in Orlando.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Everyone has been so helpful! We have decided to call TA and if she can get us the rest of our stay in the 2 rooms at POP. That's what we'll do soooooo WE"RE GOING!!! I don't think I waould have been brave enough to try it without everyones advice. We were really freaked out and stressed out after the weekend. So hopefully our TA can get us the change. We'll just do the AKL another trip. So here is my list of things to pack for DD in her own suitcase...

Blanket
sheet
baby (hopefully she'll have a fav by then)
sleep machine
benadryl
tylenol

the plan is that she will go to sleep in one room, and the rest of us will come and go, watch tv etc in the other room, then the boys will sneak in and sleep with her. If that dosen't work, I'll just sleep with her. DH is a crank if he gets woken up, and I do better with lack of sleep. If she continues with the night extremes, we'll just make sure that I get to nap every day. So worst case scenario, I sleep with her for 11 nights, best case she does okay!!!

Thanks again for everything!

Maureen

 

[Chris]

I'd go. She was probably just trying to adjust to not being home in her familiar surroundings. I dont' think it would be fair to take the trip away from your sons and I would bet she would adapt. She may have a bad first night or 2 but then could have a blast!

Good luck.

 

[Nancyg56]

Have a great trip! going your way for luck.

 

[jennifer293]

Benedryl can do just the opposite though and keep your little one awake for hours, it can make them awake instead of tired. So if you are thinking of doing this I would try it at home first, or go with something lighter like infant tylenol.

Benedryl does this to my kids.....My daughter also had a really bad cough one time that kept her up at night and the Dr. prescribed her codene, and I was thinking good she will finally get some sleep...NOPE she was up all night and I mean bouncing off the walls. After 5-6 hours of that I was just wishing I had all the energy she did because I was tired!!!!

 

[dbarker]

I was one of those babies that only slept in my own bed. When we traveled, I would not sleep. I still (40+yrs later) don't sleep well in a strange bed. I always take my own pillows with me. That is the closest I can come to having my own bed away from home.

So, I recommend you take familiar bedding with you. Your laundry smells different from hotel laundry. Also, the bed feels different. Does she use a pillow yet? Bring her own pillow.