Step 1: Pour yourself a large glass of wine (Expert tip: keep the bottle close!).
Step 2: Wrestle the port-a-cot from the ‘handy’ carry bag, and remove the piece that is wrapped around the main frame (Expert tip: do NOT discard this piece - that is the MATTRESS!).
Step 3: Take a very large sip of wine. Breathe deeply. Repeat.
Step 4: Shake the frame out and attempt to click the sidebars into place. Fail miserably.
Step 6: Try once again to click the sidebars into place. Sip more wine. Breathe deeply. Throw un-clickable fucking port-a-cot frame against the wall.
Step 7: Call the concierge of the hotel you are staying in and request they bring up a pre-assembled cot (at an additional cost of $50 per night).
My first attempt at assembling our port-a-cot went something like this, and attempts number 2, 3 and 4 were very similar. Once I got the bloody thing assembled (erected? tee hee) there was then the issue of packing it away, which usually required another bottle of wine. The whole idea of using the port-a-cot made me feel sick and anxious about going away anywhere.
However, on our recent trip to NZ we stayed in 6 different places over 2.5 weeks, none of which had a concierge, so I had to become pretty efficient at assembling and dissembling this instrument of torture port-a-cot.
Before we went away I even resorted to downloading creepy/awkward YouTube videos of strange men demonstrating how to assemble a port-a-cot, like this one and this one. I had a good giggle, but these guys are probably rolling in cash now.
Here’s how to really assemble a port-a-cot.
N.B. We have a ‘Love N Care’ brand port-a-cot, but most cots have very similar set up instructions.
Step 1: Wrestle the port-a-cot out of the ‘handy’ carry bag. Wine optional.
Step 2: Remove the mattress piece wrapped around the frame and set aside.
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| Unwrap mattress from frame |
Step 3: Pull legs of frame apart slightly, but DON’T be tempted to push down the middle piece. This is the trick to successful port-a-cot assembly!
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| Don't be tempted to push down on the middle bit! Click the sidebars into place first! |
Step 4: Pull the long sidebars up (both sides simultaneously) and click into place, then do the same for the shorter sides.
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| Cot will look something like this once the sidebars are clicked in. You can now press down on the middle part. |
Step 5: Push the middle piece down until it clicks, and twist the ‘safety lock’ handle in the direction of the arrow.
Step 6: Insert ‘mattress’ and secure with Velcro straps.
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| Success! Insert infant. |
Step 7: Insert infant (unfortunately there are no Velcro straps provided to secure infant).
Done!
The irony of it all was that while I became an expert at setting up the bloody port-a-cot, the Stuntman decided that sleeping wasn’t on his itinerary for the holiday, and woke every hour until I brought him into bed with me. Every. Single. Night.
So we co-slept, and the perfectly set up port-a-cot sat there empty. *Sigh*.
Do you find setting up a port-a-cot difficult? Or is it just me??
