Sleep Tips for Traveling with Baby
It’s that time of year! Mariah Carey has officially thawed and holiday travel is in full swing. And whether your travel is a car ride or plane trip away, you’re probably dreading the thought of that travel disrupting your baby’s sleep.
I’m not going to lie, it can definitely happen. But that doesn’t mean you should cancel your trip or spend the days leading up to it in agonizing stress. You’ll be ok, and so will baby’s sleep!
So, how do you keep baby’s sleep on track (and avoid a cranky baby) while on a trip? Here are 5 ways to help your baby sleep while traveling…
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1. Start with a well-rested baby
In the days and weeks leading up to your trip, protect your baby’s sleep routines, so your little is well-rested and ready to start off on the right foot. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of holiday and travel preparation.
2. Schedule travel around nap times
Whether you’re flying or driving, if you can leave at a time when baby can also take a nap, this is ideal. (I know that with traffic and flight times, this can be tricky.) Even if naps are shorter or not as restful, they’ll be much better than no nap at all.
3. If flying, nurse as much as possible
I always recommend nursing/feeding your baby (or giving them a pacifier) during take off and descent, since it helps their ears clear as the plane changes altitudes. It also keeps their bellies full, so they’re more likely to get a good rest. Maybe even fall asleep on take-off!
4. Recreate your little’s sleep environment
Once you arrive at your destination, whether it's your family’s home, a home rental, or hotel, try your best to recreate your little one’s sleep environment.
Bring their crib sheet right off their crib (same smell) and their comfort items (including sound machine, sleep sack, pacifier, lovey, travel blackout shades, etc.) to ensure optimal sleep conditions.
Set up the space first and give your little one time to adjust to the new sleeping arrangements and play around in the space.
5. Stick to your routine
Our little ones thrive on routine. Obviously, you're going on vacation, so you’ve got to go with the flow to some extent, but the more your little one’s schedule is thrown off, the crankier your little one is going to get and the more you're likely to see nighttime wakings.
No matter what your new travel routine may be, aim to get one good nap in each day (other naps can be “on the go” or slightly shifted if need be). It’s all about balance.
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DEALING WITH
TIME ZONE CHANGE
Quite often, travel means traveling to a different time zone. And if you’ve ever traveled cross-country, then you know that jet lag is real – and it really can affect your little too.
Good news if you’re traveling west to east: it’s much easier because you won’t have to deal with the super early morning!
If you’re traveling east to west, the best thing to do is get as close to the first nap time in the new time zone as you can. And if it needs to be a contact or stroller nap, that’s completely ok.
Wherever you’re heading, if you are only going for 3-4 days, I would recommend keeping your little one on your normal schedule.
If it's a week or more, it’ll take baby about 3 to 4 days for baby to naturally start adjusting to the new time, thanks to their circadian rhythms.
Make sure baby gets some sunshine during the day and things are nice, dark, and quiet at night to help get baby’s sleep on track too.
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START WITH A SOLID SLEEP FOUNDATION
Something to keep in mind… If baby isn’t sleeping well before travels, we can’t expect travel to make sleep magically better. So if you have a trip coming up and want baby’s sleep on track for vacay; sleep can come together in as little as 10 days or less!
Get the Healthy Little Sleeper’s Blueprint now and get age-specific sleep help for your little one. You’ll learn about comforting sleep training methods, get insights on how to handle sleep challenges (like travel! and teething, and illness), and get real-time support from the HLS team!
It’s everything you need to get baby’s sleep on track before you head out on your trip and keep baby’s sleep together once you’re back home too.
You can also schedule an initial call first, and we can talk about other options to make this happen - we have one-on-one consults too!
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