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Ten Tips for Well-Rested Holiday Travel

By Amy Lage of Well Rested Baby November 27, 2015
Who doesn’t love the holiday season? Parties, family gatherings, travel . . . so much fun, but it can be a bit overwhelming for little ones. I come from a large family – my parents have 15 young grandchildren! And my husband’s family lives a four-hour flight away. While the holidays are a blast for us and our kids, they certainly pose a challenge to our sleep routines. So how do I handle the season’s numerous festivities without seeming like our green friend the Grinch? Here are my top tips to protect your child’s great sleep habits, or at least salvage them post-holidays.   

Be It Over the River and Through the Woods or Right Next-Door, Schedules are Key
  • Rule #1 is always "A Rested Child Is a Happy Child": Whether you are flying across the country or just spending the day with cousins, try to keep your child’s schedule intact. Keeping nap times and bedtimes to the norm will help you child better assimilate to the new environment and will ensure you are traveling with a happy child rather than an overtired, cranky one.
  • If Your Plans Include Several Hours of Travel: In order to make sure naps aren’t missed, plan your travel times around nap times. If driving, allow your baby to take his nap on the go, but at the usual time. A few minutes before nap time, do a modified version of your regular soothing routine so your little one understands it’s time to go to sleep. If flying during nap time, most little ones sleep great on the plane (must be that constant humming sound). If taking a long flight or a red eye, call your airline in advance and request a sky cot. (It’s a small travel bed which is installed in front of your seat – most airlines provide these for free.)
  • Schedule Naps into Your Daily Plan: Once at your holiday destination, attempt to put your child down for as many naps as possible while in your guest or hotel room (in a stationary bed or crib). This will help your baby become more familiar with his new sleeping environment, as well as provide him with more restorative sleep. One or two days of naps on the go (in the car or on the plane) will not disrupt your well-rested child, but many days in a row could wreak more havoc than the turkey’s tryptophan can counteract! If hanging around the house or hotel is not in the plans, make sure you have your baby in a car seat, stroller, or carrier in plenty of time to catch a nap on the go. While sleeping in a stationary crib or bed is best, a nap on the go is better than going without.
  • Need to Miss a Nap: If, despite your best efforts, you are up to your eyeballs in wrapping paper and a nap just isn’t possible, don’t sweat it. Instead, opt for a super-early bedtime to make up for that missed sleep. It will help to make sure your little one stays on track and doesn’t become overtired.
  • Manage Expectations: While your nieces and nephews may be left to party along with their parents late into the night, that doesn’t mean your kids have to. A few eyes may roll when you mention that bedtime is 6:30 p.m., but at least everyone will know in advance, and your little one will not be fussing through dinner and keeping everyone from enjoying their holiday feast.
Slumber Party? Be Sure To Recreate Your Child’s Environment
  • Home Away From Home: Bring along all of your baby’s usual sleep time props – sleep sack, lovey, pacifier, white noise, etc. This will help her feel as comfortable as possible while away from her crib.
  • Make Your Phone Do Double Duty: If your white noise isn’t portable, download a white noise app on your smart phone and select a sound option that is similar to one from home. This will not only help keep your baby’s environment similar to your home, but it will also help drown out any post-eggnog caroling.
  • Darker Is Better: Many hotel rooms (or even Aunt Gertrude’s guest room) lack adequate black-out blinds. As your child will get her best sleep in a very dark room, you will want to come prepared for an unexpected bright streetlight or a window facing the rising sun. For a quick, easy and inexpensive fix, try these temporary black out blinds from Redi Shade.
  • A Comfy Crib Is Easier Than You Think: Call ahead and request a crib for your room. Most hotels have quality full-size cribs on hand – you just have to ask! Bring along your baby’s own mattress pad and sheet for peace of mind. Or bring along your own travel crib or pack and play, but invest in a mattress topper (made specifically to safely fit your mattress) so your baby can sleep more comfortably on the go.
When You Get Home, It’s Back to Business as Usual
  • The Best Laid Plans: No matter how well you plan ahead, the holidays bring the unexpected. The key to getting back on track as quickly as possible is easier than you think – just resume your old routine! A great tool to help expedite this process is an early bedtime. If you opt for an early bedtime the first few nights at home, it will be beneficial in helping your child catch up on any missed sleep and getting back to typical sleep habits. With a few days to catch up and with a consistent schedule back in play, you will have your great sleeper back in no time.

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby (www.wellrestedbaby.com). She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Amy, her husband Jeff, their 4-year-old Stella, their 22-month-old Harley, and their two dogs Jackson and Cody, live in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com with any questions. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook for more great sleep tips!