Five tips for best sleep when traveling with baby and children
The summer is nearly here, thank goodness. Are you planning on travelling? Did you know travelling is one of my top three things which can mess up your child’s sleep?
Here are five tips on making sleep when travelling with baby a little easier for you all.
Tip #1
Keep your child’s nap and night routines similar to your routines at home. If the routine continues to be predictable, your child will find that predictability relaxing. This, in turn, will make it easier for your child to fall asleep.
Tip #2
Take the bottom sheet of your child’s crib with you. Put this on the crib at your destination. If the bed smells familiar, your child will feel more comfortable in their new sleeping space.
You can also take the pyjamas your child wore the night before. If they have a pillow, you may want to take that with you and anything else your child has in their bed or part of their routine (books, etc.).
Tip #3
Make sure that your child gets used to their sleep space before bedtime. Have as much time playing in the sleep space as time allows. The more used your child is to the space, the easier it will be for them to sleep in it.
Tip #4
Deal with jet lag slowly. Travelling from East to West is the easiest! Staying up later is easier than going to bed earlier.
You can work on gradually adjusting your child’s sleep schedule before you go. Adjust their bedtime by 10 or 15 minutes every other night. Make sure you adjust the wake-up and nap times the following day.
If you’re just travelling through one or two time zones, I wouldn’t worry about changing your child’s sleep schedule. It may be easier to stay on the same time zone.
Tip #5
Give your child the extra help they need during your trip. They may need help at the beginning of the night and during the night. Remember you are on a relaxing vacation; if you are not sleeping well, your trip will not be very relaxing. As long as you work on getting back on track, as soon as you return home, you’ll get there quicker. If you are away for around a week, it usually takes a night or two to get back on track. If you are away for up to two weeks, it usually takes two and four nights to get back on track. The longer you are out of good habits, the longer it will take you to get back to good habits.
