Need Advice on 1St Beach Trip with 15 Month Old

L.:
You may try to travel at night so he can sleep in the car. I prefer to do that even though my son is 9 yrs old. Makes it much easier.

Good luck
A.

I have always found when I take my child to the beach (who is also very picky about sleeping) she has so much fun and is so tired that she will fall asleep sitting up with a shovel in her hand and a wave hitting her in the leg. My advice would be have fun!!!!!

Hi L.. Last October was our first trip to the beach with our then 22 month old daughter. Like your son, she is very set in her bedtime ways. We began our 8-9 hour trip at about 10:15pm so that she could sleep and within 45 minutes of riding, she was out. Some suggestions for you...

We bought those wristbands that are used for car/sea sickness. I got them at Rite Aid (I'm sure Walmart and other stores have them) and they are brightly colored and she loved to wear them. She fell right to sleep soon after we put them on her.

Another thing I would do (like many other moms suggested) is start introducing him back to the pack 'n play now so that when it comes time for him to sleep there on vacation, it won't be something "new" to him. We were lucky enough to have two beds in our bedroom and the bed that was against the wall was her bed. We piled blankets and pillows around her and she slept in the big bed by herself (most nights).

My last suggestion is to have PLENTY of things for him to do in the car just in case he does not sleep long. Take some of his favorites that won't take up too much room. My daughter LOVED crayons and coloring books, reading stories, and other small toys that I fit into a little travel backpack for her. I don't know how long of a drive you have ahead of you, but this will keep him occupied for a little while. Let him help pack things in there that he may like to play with.

On our way home, we ended up splitting up our trip. We stayed overnight in a small town where a Festival was being held. This helped because we weren't traveling at night this time and we were able to go halfway, spend the night, then get up and finish the trip the next morning. We will probably do the same with our trip this coming Sept/Oct.

Good Luck, L. and I hope these suggestions helped in some way! Travel safely!

S.

Hi L.,
We took my son on his first beach vacation when he was around 15 mos. He was, and still is, a very determined little thing! I was amazed at how well he ended up sleeping in the pack and play. We just did the normal bedtime routine on vacation and I think that helped a lot. I also took all his favorite stuffed animals and blankie to give him a sense of home. Also if you can, try putting him in the pack and play for a few naps at home in different rooms so that he begins to associate it with sleep. He may not like it, but at least he will know what it is for when vacation time comes.
I will say that on vacation he was a little unsettled that first night, so we ended up changing the pack and play around to a place in the room that suited him better. We also brought a nightlight to put by his bed which I think helped. The good thing is that he will be so active during the day with all the beach fun that he will be exhausted at night. Good luck and I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

Many places have a crib that you can use or rent. Our children would not sleep in a pack and play either but when we used their crib, they slept better. We usually put it right next to our bed in the hotel but you might have a better time putting him in the next room. We also brought a noise machine/or fan for noise to keep them sleeping while we stayed awake. At times our kids did not want to go to sleep so I would sit in the chair and hold them until they fell asleep and then lay them down. If they woke up, I would rub their back and shhhh them. Worst case if they just would not sleep in the crib, I would block one side of the hotel bed with the crib or chairs so they did not fall out of the bed and lay down with them until they fell asleep. I slept with our daughter on one bed and and my husband slept with our son in the other bed. Try the best way and from there if it doesn't work, try other ways. He will evenutally fall asleep. It is better to travel early and get him used to it. Have fun!

We just got back from the beach. It was our first trip there with our seven month old. She also hates to sleep anywhere but her crib. We took her pack and play and she actually did fine. We were going so much that by the time we got back to the hotel she was to exhausted to care where she fell asleep.

I hope you can come up with something that helps. Good luck.

Hello L.,
I have been there..ha ha ha I have a 2 yr old little girl,but we have traveled alot since she was born,but sleeping in the pack and play was miserable - we just recently went to Myrtle Beach,S.C. and she slept most of the way down there .So when bed time came we just let her stay up with us cause well it's vacation and we also did indulge her we let her sleep between us in the giantic Hotel bed and I don't think she's slept 11 hours straight thru since birth...lol..we gave her her own cover under the comforter cause we'll she won't sleep without it,but we let her have her own pillow and watch TV til she just konked out.........best vacation we've had so far..lol!!!!!!

A family I used to nanny for went through the same thing with their little boy's sleep. (Older sis would sleep anywhere, anytime.) They traveled a few times per year and would always start putting him down for naps and bed in the pack and play in his room about a week befor leaving on a trip. They would have a rough few days and nights, but he would get the hang of it by the time they went on vacation. He did not sleep as well as he would at home in his crib, but much better than when they did not prep this way. They did not do this ONE time when he got a little older and he slept horribly on their vacation. Hope this helps and HAVE a BLAST at the beach!

If you are going to the Wilmington, NC (Wrightsville/Carolina/Kure beaches) area send me a private message and I will respond with a TON of kid friendly things to do/ places to see. That is where I nannied for 10 years.

I would start getting him used to napping in the pack in play now. Also, does he have anything that he sleeps with (a blanket or a stuffed animal)? When you put him in the pack n' play, put that in with him. Good luck and don't forget the sunscreen.

Instead of using a pack n play, you may want to consider renting a crib. Around the beach, there are usually plenty of baby gear rental places, or the place you are staying may even have one. I found that my babies slept sounder in a crib than in a pack n play. (And mine are very into sleeping in their own beds as well!)

Another option would be since you have a little bit of time before your trip, you could get him used to sleeping in the pack n play before you leave. Lay him down for a nap once a day in the pack n play. Then you can win the battle of the pack n play before you get on your vacation. Maybe it won't throw him off as much.

Good luck! We have three kiddos ages 3 and under, and we have always traveled with them. It CAN BE done!!!

Hi, L.! I have gone to the beach numerous times with little ones. It is an adjustment, but I think when they are tired enough, they'll sleep anywhere. Children are pretty resilient. If you want, you can try to put him in the pack n play for naps for a couple of weeks to get him use to it. also, is there a blanket or toy that he sleeps with that will bring comfort to him? I know that it is always a hard adjustment going new places with a little one, but just enjoy your time together. If you're not anxious about it and try to just be "normal" about naps and bedtimes, I think it is reassuring to him. I know my kids can sense when I'm anxious or frustrated. I hope that helps! Have a great and relaxing time on your trip!

Now that my kids are older, we live at the beach. When they were younger, we'd vacation at the beach every year.
My strongest recommendation is to take several baby gates with you.
I agree to start him sleeping in the pack 'n play now.
I used to bring some of each kids' pillows, bedding, stuffed toys, and other toys. They'd be clustered in and around the kids' sleeping areas
Of course, you'll bring lots of sunscreen. Don't forget that water reflects the sun.
Solarcaine is not only good for burns, but since it is a local numbing medication, it is also good for scrapes, splinters, and other minor boo-boos that hurt to be washed.
I learned (the hard way) that if I took a thermometer, Tylenol, ibuprofen, cough syrup, bacitracin ointment, bandaids, etc., then I wouldn't need them. (lol)
Take plenty of photos and have a wonderful time!!

My daughter is almost two and hates to sleep any where but her bed. We went on a family vacation when she was 15 months old and the only place for her to sleep was the pack and play and she was miserable. Keeping a schedule on vacation just didn't work for me. My suggestion is to either decide to let him sleep when he's super tired (so he won't care that he's in the wrong bed) or if you have time start naps in the pack and play at home so he can get used to the idea in an environment that he's comfortable in. Good luck on your trip and I hope your whole family has a wonderful time.

My 16 year old was exactly like your baby when he was little. As a matter of fact he is still that way. I'm not sure just how "set in his ways" a 14 month old can be. We always described our son as "stubborn", either way they do like things a certain way. When our son was 9 months we took him on his first beach trip. It was great and we all had a lot of fun. It was important for him that we try to stay on the schedule that worked best for him. If we veered from it, he would MELT down fast!! My only advise is to try a couple of naps in the pack-n-play at home before your trip. It might be a disaster, but it will help ease him into it for the trip. (I think) Take a sheet and blanket that he would normally sleep with at home. The thing that has been the biggest pay-off for ours, is that we took his need to be "stubborn" or "set in his ways" seriously. Nurture and enjoy his personality, he will most likely grow to be an extremely productive teen!!! Seriously, very few babies can nap only 5 min.(regardless of the place he is napping) and then get up and play for another 4 hours!! I wish I could do that.

Hi, L.-

I am very interested in the responses to your request because we will be traveling to Mexico with family and friends when my son will be 15 months old. He is a great sleeper but like your child, very attached to his crib. I do plan to have him nap in his Pack-N-Play to get used to it before the trip. One additional thing I plan to do is buy an egg crate mattress pad and cut it to fit underneath the Pack-N-Play mattress. My son has not slept well in it previously because the mattress is so thin. I think this will help him feel more comfy and sleep through the night. You can buy a twin-sized egg crate at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for about $15. Hope this helps - would love to know how things turn out!

Hi L.:
I totally understand! That fear of the unknown is so unnerving! I would set up the packnplay now in his room and let that become his bed until the trip. THere will probably be a few days of "resistance" to get through, but at least you tried your best to acclimate him to it. That way, on the trip he is already familiar with it. Also, where you are staying, try to have the room similar to his room at home when he has to sleep. For instance, do you pull a shade or darken the room at home, then see that you can do the same where you are staying. Have a nightlight at home? Do the same while away.

Hope this helps and hope you have a great trip!
A. F.