Sleep Tips for Traveling

Getting your kiddo to sleep can be a daunting perspective all on its own. Adding the aspect of traveling can seem like an impossibility. However, it is completely achievable to go on a trip or vacation while maintaining your child’s sleep schedule. Here are some tips on how to travel with your baby and keep to your sleep plan.

Routine

Stick to your normal bedtime routine as much as possible. This will cue your baby that it is bedtime, even if they are in a different environment.

Make like home

Try to make the space baby will be sleeping in as much like home as possible. This can mean bringing their sound machine or night light from home and bringing their normal pacifiers, stuffies, and/or blankets if they are old enough to use them safely. If their usual bassinet or crib sheets will fit your travel sleep structure safely, then bring them as well. If your baby is still in a bassinet, then you might consider bringing it with you. If your child is in a crib, it’s worth asking your hotel or Airbnb if they have cribs you can use or rent. If not, a travel sleep structure like a pack 'n' play can work too.

Try to bring all your normal sleep prep paraphernalia, like bath soups and bath toys, lotions and creams, and your child’s normal pajamas (weather permitting). If your child is used to a dark room at home, then you can bring travel blackout curtains with a spring-loaded curtain bar or a dark blanket or sheet and Velcro tape to help keep the room dark.

Baby sleep space

If your baby sleeps in their own room at home, it’s important to try and maintain that same separate sleep space as best you can. If staying in a hotel, try and find one with double rooms or with a separate living area. If you are renting an Airbnb, you can try finding one with an extra room for the baby. This can be a second bedroom, an office, or a living room area. If staying with family or friends, ask ahead of time about a separate sleep space for the baby. In a pinch, a large closet or bathroom can work IF it is properly ventilated and temperature-controlled.

Don’t sidestep baby’s sleep

Try to keep to your usual nap times and bedtime as best you can. A tired baby is an unhappy baby. If on the go, you can use car rides as a time for naps. If you are staying close to your home-away-from-home, plan nap breaks into your schedule and head back to your home base for a nap. If you expect to be out and about all day, a stroller wagon or a stroller that reclines can be made into a nice place for a nap. A stroller white noise machine or travel fan can work as a portable sound machine, and an add-on shade extender or attachable stroller mosquito mesh can keep their space dark and cool.

Time change!

If traveling out of state or country, you might find the need to adjust your baby’s sleep to a different time zone.  There are a few steps you can take to make this transition easier.

Preparing for the time change can start at home. Depending on the time zone deviation, you can slowly adjust your baby's bedtime forward or backward by 15-30 minutes each night until you reach the desired time. Then, once you arrive at your destination, your child will already have adapted to the new time zone. This process can take a few days to a week, depending on the number of hours their normal sleep-wake times are being moved.

If traveling during the day, you can push up or move back your baby’s naps so that they are ready to take naps at their usual time in the new time zone.

Extra naps and longer sleep times can also help the transition to a new time zone. A rested baby is more likely to make the change smoothly than an overly tired baby. 

Traveling with a little one can be hard enough. But with these helpful tips, you can keep your dream vacation from becoming a nightmare.