Skip to main content

Summer Sleep and Travel Tips

Summer is coming and keeping your little one on a schedule is a challenge.  With vacations and long summer days the routines are bound to be disrupted.

As a general rule it is a good idea to return to your normal routine as soon as you can. 

Some children return to their normal sleep patterns without much fuss.  With others you need to do some sleep training, but it falls into place much faster then the first time.  

When you return from vacation try to keep the schedule clear for a few days so you can make sleep and returning to your normal routine a priority.  I hope these tips below help you and your family have a fun, but sleep filled, summer vacation.

Packing List


For your packing check list, here are a few items you should not leave home without:

  • Travel crib, sheets, pillowcases                                        
  • Crib blankie, sleep sack, security object
  • Sound machine and/or white noise app on your phone
  • Bedtime books
  • Night light  with a small 4 watt bulb
  • Garbage bags or black flat sheets (from Wal-Mart) to cover windows             
  • Pushpins, electrical tape and/or binder clips

MSD Baby Sleep Coach Tip: Wal-Mart sells flat sheets very inexpensively in black.  I never traveled with my girls without our black sheets and binder clips (to hang them), just in case the room wasn't dark enough for naps or nighttime.


Sleeping Environment


Young children thrive off routines and predictability. Set up your child's sleeping environment to mimic the home environment as much as possible.

  • Bring familiar objects from home and set them up around the room.
  • Bring bedding from home that your child has already slept on rather than a freshly washed sheets. The familiar smell will help your child feel more at home.
  • If your child will be sleeping in a travel bed from home, have him get used to the bed by sleeping in it at home for a few days ahead of time.


Adjusting to the New Space



While you set up your child's sleeping room, have them in the room with you.  This will help your child get accustomed to the new sleeping environment.  Give him some play time in the playpen or crib when you arrive at your new destination, before you actually put him down for sleep. 



MSD Baby Sleep Coach Tip:  Crib or room acclimation activities before sleep are great ways to help your child create a positive association with this new place.  While he is in the new crib, play games with him like peek-a-boo, read books or toss a soft toy back and forth. You can also both get down on the floor and allow him to explore the space together.



Sleep Routines


When possible keep your bedtime routine the same as it is at home. E.g. If your child always has a bath then reads a book before bed, try to do this while on vacation as much as possible.  Respect your child's need to sleep while on vacation.  Avoid keeping your children up past their bedtime or skipping naps. Try to stick to your at-home daily sleep schedule if you can. 

Depending on what type of vacation you are on, here are a few tips for preserving your child's sleep routine:
  • Plan out your days so that you are able to get back to your "home base" for nap times.
  • Bring a playpen and set it up in a dark quiet room at guest's houses.
  • Time car trips so that your child can have their nap in the car.
  • Have your child nap in the stroller by finding a quiet location to go for a walk.
Sleeping in the car or stroller is not as restorative as sleeping in a bed and should not become a regular routine, but it is much better than skipping naps altogether.

Your child may need a little bit of extra comforting the first few nights while he/she adjusts to the new sleeping arrangements. It is ok to provide some extra soothing if needed, just avoid reverting to old sleep crutches. E.g. If you have eliminated nursing to sleep at home don't start this again while away.

MSD Baby Sleep Coach Tip: If you have a method of sleep training that you used successful at home, you can re-visit this method to help your child settle in their new sleeping space without starting new habits that you don't want to keep when you get home.


Time Zones


Changing time zones can be difficult for both adults and children. Here are a few tips to help your child (and yourself) adjust to the time change.
  • Try to switch your child's eating and sleeping schedule onto the real time of the location you are in as quickly as possible.  Ideally within 24 hours from when you arrive. This may mean getting your child up from naps early so he doesn't nap too late in the day or waking him up in the morning even if he went to bed late the night before.
  • Exposure to daylight during proper wake times will help your child's body adjust to the time change more quickly.
  • Flights that land in the afternoon at the destination and time changes of less than three hours usually make for an easier adjustment.

Be Flexible


Have realistic expectations and be flexible.  Planning ahead is essential, however, even the best laid out plans will always have snags!  Even if things get thrown off for your child, don't let yourself become so stressed that you don't enjoy your vacation. Once you are home you should get back to your 'normal' routine within 1-2 days so you can get your child's sleep back on track asap.

Don't forget to enjoy yourself!!!!! It is easy to get so caught up in managing our child's sleep and routines that we forget the reason we took a vacation! So go ahead, relax and have fun!

Written By: Michelle S. Donaghy 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sleep and doTERRA Essential Oils for Children

As some of you may know I love doTERRA essential oils and I recently achieved a huge goal that I set for myself and achieved the rank of Silver. I  fell in love with doTERRA just over 4 years ago when I discovered the powerful ways in which doTERRA essential oils could support my desire to take charge of my family's health in a more natural way.   It was a logical transition to then share my love of doTERRA with my clients. When tired families find me, sleep is usually their number one concern.  When the topic of essential oils and sleep is discussed, I always point out that essential oils can help the body and mind relax but they do not replace a child learning independent sleeping skills.  Most children over the age of 6 months are ready and able to learn the skill of independent sleep. If your new to doTERRA and essential oils maybe you have concerns about the safety of essential oils for children, how to use them and which oils are best for aiding in a most res

Spring Forward - Top 10 tips for you and your family

     In the US on Sunday, March 14th we “spring forward”! Be sure and turn your clocks forward 1 hour, before bed on Saturday night.  I always think that losing sleep is a bummer, even if it's just 1 hour!   If you have kids this change may help you sleep later.  Here's how - If you/your child(ren) typically wake at 6am, then they will likely wake 7 AM on the new clock ... if 6 AM was their usual wake up time.  If you like this change then YAY!  This is a great fix for an early riser.  See more tips below.   Grown-ups and teens may have difficulty with this change as most go to bed too late as it is and to properly adjust to this time change we should go to bed earlier and on Monday we have to get up an hour earlier too.   Here are 10 tips to help with the transition: 1. Do nothing to fix early rising If you/your child(ren) typically wake at 6am, then they will likely wake 7am.  If you like this change then YAY!  This is a great fix for an early riser. Keep meals, naps, and

Time Change - Fall Back 2018

Summer is officially over and we are in the midst of the fall time change. Sunday, Nov 4th at 2:00 AM clock fall back by one hour. Spring forward...Fall back.... I love fall! Cooler weather, leaves changing colors, holidays around the corner and I get an extra hour of sleep. As a parent, I dread my kids waking up too early and having to adjust their sleep patterns. Do you? If so, here are some options to help you and your family through the transition when we set our clocks backwards one hour on Sunday November 4th. Gradual Approach:  The gradual approach is usually recommended for younger children (3 and under) or those who do not adjust well to rapid changes in their schedules. Start the week before the time change and slowly shift your baby's sleep schedule later.  For example: move bedtime, morning wake up time and nap times later by 10-15 minutes. Keep moving the entire schedule later every few days but ensure your child doesn't get overtired.  By the t