Sleeping away from home
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35596
Printed Date: 26 August 2025 at 12:08pm
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Topic: Sleeping away from home
Posted By: Jaxnz1
Subject: Sleeping away from home
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 4:06pm
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I would appreciate any tips on helping DD to sleep somewhere different.
We went on holiday last month to our bach and she slept perfectly. We then went to a wedding in Tauranga and stayed in a motel and she would not sleep at all. At the bach we used the portacot that stays up there, at Tauranga we used our own one. I just don't understand why she slept so well at the beach, but not at the motel. I would put her in the cot and she would arch her back and scream. I spent most of the night with her in my arms. 
We are due to go down to Hawkes Bay in a couple of weeks and I'm worried she won't sleep there (we're staying at my friend's mum's place). Part of my action plan is to give her a few sleeps at home in her portacot to get her used to it., then when we arrive in HB I'll read to her in the bedroom she sleeps in to get her used to the bedroom. Any other tips you have for getting her to sleep away from home?? TIA  ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 5:29pm
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Did she have her own room both times or?
We recently went away and we stayed 1 night in Taupo, next night in Auckland and night after that in Taupo again and the first 2 nights she was in with her Grandma and she would not sleep but the third night we put her in the lounge part of our motel room and she slept fine (wonder if it is because she normally sleeps alone at home in her room??) anyway it could also have been that she was used to the portacot too! We also stayed the night at MILs the other week and she wouldn't go in the portacot but happily slept in her pram (slept through the night for the first time too!  )
Anyway no real tips other than try keep her bed routine the same if you have one... EG for us we also start with a bath at 6 and get her down by 6.45-7pm for the night. We couldn't have the mobile but she's used to going to bed without it (when batteries run out). If she has any fave things that help her go to sleep, blanket, dummy, nightlight... Teddy maybe then bring those. We're going away at the end of the month to Chch, Dunedin, Picton and Hamner (sp?) for a week, spending a couple of nights at each place visiting family and the plan is to just keep everything the same as best as we can! FX! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Jacobsmumma
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 6:11pm
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I agree with what Lil_Nic9 said regarding the blankets/toys etc. Just take something familiar smelling with you from her cot. Good idea to also put her to bed in the portacot at home for a few days too, that might help. Anyway goodluck and enjoy your holidays ------------- 
(9lbs 6ozs) 
(11lbs 4ozs) |
Posted By: Jaxnz1
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 6:52pm
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Yeh, I took her snuggle bunny and even used the same bedding + safe t sleep. Kept to the same routine.
Both times she slept in her own room which is what she's used to at home. Hmm will have to keep the pram handy 
She also refuses to sleep in a cot at DC. SHe sleeps in the pram there. I'm still confused as to why she slept at the beach though.  -------------
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Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 7:31pm
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We've always had issues with DD sleeping away from home. Every time we've been to friends' places for dinner, and tried to put her down it's just resulted in a nightmare for all involved!
But, she does sleep ok-ish when we've been over to Aussie to visit the IL's. The main difference that I can think of is that at the IL's she had heaps of time during the day to be in the room she was sleeping in, whereas at friend's places we've only put her in there at bedtime. Perhaps not at all useful for you but I do think that for her (she's always been a sensitive soul!), that was something important.-------------  
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 05 September 2010 at 8:21pm
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My boys often sleep better at the bach than they do at other places when we stay away. Mum says that its the salt air that tires then out. Not sure if that is true or not
There could have been other factors that caused the problems at the motel, maybe too noisy or teething or cold or overtired/stimulated from what was going on at holiday Good idea to try the portacot at home first ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: millymollymandy
Date Posted: 06 September 2010 at 10:55am
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Good idea with the portacot for home sleeps. Probably the noise of someone else that disturbed her. We go away every second weekend or so to stay with our families and take:
-comforters -linen -white noise CD -heater, so room is at same temp as home. We have been doing this since she was very small, so is quite adaptable, although day sleeps can sometimes be shorter when away. The gauling thing for us is that she sleeps longer and better at her GP's house in the portacot than at home - go figure |
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 06 September 2010 at 1:10pm
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We've travelled a fair bit with DS since he was 5mo. As he gets older he is far more aware that a new room is not "his" room. One thing we've noticed in particular is that if we arrive somewhere late afternoon and then expect him to go to bed for the night he will get upset and refuse to go down. We keep his routine/bedding etc the same and also take our own portacot a lot of the time (but have also used hotel portacots). If he has his day sleep in a new room he seems to settle fine and then will be completely fine for the night time as well, so as far as possible that's how we try and organise trips at the moment!
Maybe she slept better at the beach because of the white noise of the sea? Can you hear it from the house? C was a lot more unsettled when we came home to NZ on holiday because there is almost NO white noise when you're down a back driveway in a quiet suburb lol. Not like here where there's traffic humming not far away, aircon and all sorts of other noises outside too. Even I find it eerily quiet when we come home now ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 08 September 2010 at 10:18am
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DS is the same too. He doesnt sleep well at my mums in the portacot and I thought it would be the same when he started daycare but he has great sleeps there.
He has never been a great sleeper though! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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