*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy and disclosure statement for more information.

 

Looking for holiday sleep tips for baby? You've come to the right place! Holiday season is upon us and I know sleep can be so triggering for many moms because you never know what to expect and how baby will handle the disruptions.

 

Below I'm sharing some sleep tips for the holidays but first- here's the reminder I needed as a mom to little ones:

 

Your child's sleep WILL get messed up over the holidays. That's just life with kids and it's going to be okay. Don't let the off days steal your joy.

 

Yes, you can try all the tips and tricks for sleep. And they may very well help... BUT if they don't help, know that that's completely okay. In fact, that's normal.

Holidays are crazy with travel, wonky schedules, over-stimulation, extra sugar, noise, etc. We can't expect our children to sleep like they do at home on a normal day. And when we do expect that, we often set ourselves up for failure. Which adds extra stress and a dread of the holidays.

Don't let your holidays be dampened by sleep stress. Your child will get back on track after the holidays. I promise, it will be okay. 🫶

There's absolutely a place for planning and holiday sleep tips but first, let's set our expectations realistically. Sound like a plan? Ok, let's get to the sleep tips now!

 

Get it dark

SlumberPods are great for travel sleep. They set up over the pack n play or toddler mattress and provide some separation and darkness to your child's environment (save 10% with code: ALLTHESLEEPS).

But if you don't have a SlumberPod- you can still make this work! Grab some aluminum foil or garbage bags and tape them over the windows to block out the extra light instead. Works like a charm!

 

Bring white noise

Bring your white noise from home so you can use it while traveling. Forgot it? Use and extra phone or table and download a free white noise app.

If your family festivities are especially rowdy, place a sound machine in the room with your child, a towel under their door, and then an extra device in the hallway as well. My all-time favorite sound machine is the Lectrofan Micro2 and it's so small and portable that it's perfect for travel sleep!

 

Familiar smells

Don't go crazy washing the sleep sack or the pack n play sheets before you travel. Instead, keep them smelling like your child and their sleep space so they have that familiarity in the new environment. If you haven't used your pack n play sheets recently (or ever!) I recommend sleeping with it in YOUR bed for a night before you travel so it smells like you.

 

Follow usual routines

Don't skimp: I know it's tempting to skimp on your bedtime and naptime routines- but don't!

Try to do everything just like your child is used to at home. Take the stuffies, take the bedtime books, don't forget that sleep sack, and anything else you need to complete the steps of your routine.

 

Prioritize nap 1

When possible, prioritize that first nap of the day. This is typically the longest and most restorative nap.

If you can ensure your child gets a good nap 1, that can help the rest of the day go smoother. After that, do whatever contact or on-the-go naps that you need to do!

 

Early bedtime

If doable, offer an early bedtime. This can help make up for over-stimulation from the day or crappy naps.

It it's not possible, don't fret! You can get back on track the next day and it will be fine.

 

 

Lastly, remember my advice...

Your child's sleep WILL get messed up over the holidays. That's just life with kids and it's going to be okay. Don't let the off days steal your joy.

Have a wonderful holiday celebrating with family and loved ones!

 

Are your sleep issues bigger than just the holidays?

If you feel like you might be ready to start making sustainable sleep changes in everyday life, you've come to the right place! Here is a link to my scheduler so we can talk through your situation and see if we'd make a good fit to work together.

 

 

It can be tricky figuring out sleep while traveling with a toddler! In this episode we take you behind the scenes of my cohost Kayla's recent trip and we talk through everything she plans for ahead of time. Then, in the second half of the episode, you get to hear an update from Kayla on how her trip traveling with a 2.5 year old went and how everyone actually slept!

 

Toddler/Preschooler sized pack n plays mentioned in the episode (affiliate links):

Joovy Room2- https://amzn.to/380CyzW

Guava Lotus Travel Crib- https://amzn.to/3ye2SRJ

Click here for a quick link to your desired podcast app

Traveling with little ones can be HARD. But if you're factoring in time changes while traveling, that's a whole other bag of worms. Anyone else's brain hurt when thinking about time changes? This is a question I come across a lot so I took some to put together my top tips for you!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy and disclosure statement for more information.

We will be discussing several different types of time changes so you can skim through to the one that fits your situation the best:

Traveling from west to east

Traveling from east to west

Other travel basics

1-2 hour time differences

time changes during travel

Traveling from west to east

If you're traveling from west to east and will have a time difference of 3 hours or more, you're in the right spot!

We will use traveling from California to New York as our example, that would be 3 hours of time difference but you could also use the same general framework when traveling from New York to France (a 6 hour time difference) for example.

If your child's bedtime is usually around 7pm in California, that means when you arrive in New York, the clock may say 7pm but your child's body won't feel like it's bedtime until 10pm. We are going to use that to our advantage.

1. Try to keep your child up until 10pm NY time (which will feel like 7pm CA time). This shouldn't be too hard, given how our bodies are wired but it will feel counterintuitive.
2. Then you're going to let them sleep in the next morning as long as they'd like. They may sleep all the way until 10am and get 12 hours or they may be up earlier. Either way is okay.
3. Shift bedtime each day accordingly. So if they slept in until 10am, you're going to have a later bedtime again. If they naturally shifted and woke up earlier, you'll shift bedtime a little earlier too.
4. They will not continue to wake up at 10am day after day while you're there. This wake up will naturally shift earlier and earlier which is why I suggest taking it slowly. That way they are regulating how much sleep they need/want rather than us forcing them into a new schedule.

Traveling from east to west

If you are traveling from east to west with a minimum 3 hour time difference, keep reading...

Again we'll use the example of traveling from New York to California but you can use this same framework for longer time differences like England to New York for example.

If your child's bedtime is usually around 7pm in New York, that means when you arrive in California, your child will actually feel ready for bedtime as early as 4pm. This means we will need to be stretching them to stay up later.

1. Try to keep your child up until what would be their usual bedtime on the clock. So even though they will want to treat 4pm as bedtime, you want to hold off bedtime until as close to 7pm as you can. This will take work.
2. Then you're going to keep their room pitch black until 11-12 hours after they go down for the night. If you did bedtime at 7pm, then they need to stay in darkness until 6-7am, even if they start waking at 4am. If they wake earlier, respond how you usually would at home (leaving them be, nursing, rocking back to sleep, etc).
3. It's very very important that we avoid outside stimulation and light until 11-12 hours after they fell asleep. This is where the adjusting happens!

time changes during travel

Other travel basics

I cannot stress the importance of light and darkness as you deal with time changes. Your circadian rhythm is highly sensitive to light and darkness and tells your body when to produce melatonin and when to stop. If you are adjusting to a big time change, use light and darkness to your advantage.

+Expose your child to natural light during the daytime wherever you are.

+Get your child's sleep space pitch dark when you want them to be sleeping. This will be harder at bedtime or early morning depending on which way you are traveling. Adjusting to different time zones is hard and it won't be totally smooth sailing but using light and darkness will help tremendously.

+I can't recommend the SlumberPod enough if you are a frequent traveler. It is perfect for achieving that ideal sleep environment on the go (and also for room sharing in a hotel- which is never easy)! Save 10% off your purchase with my code: ALLTHESLEEPS

+Be sure to see my separate blog with all my Travel & Sleep tips to make your trip more enjoyable for everyone involved.

 

1-2 hour time differences

If you are changing time zones but only by 1 or 2 hours, I recommend keeping things simple and not making any adjustments. I'd just keep your usual schedule if possible.

But also, understand that depending on how long your stay is, your child will naturally adjust to the current time zone- especially if any bit of light is coming into their room at bedtime or early morning.

For example, if you are traveling from CST to EST, your child's bedtime is usually 7pm CST which will feel like 8pm EST. I wouldn't change anything schedule wise and just follow their body clock. So I'd offer an 8pm bedtime and expect morning wake up to be about 1 hour later than usual rather than trying to stick to their schedule from home.

 

time changes during travel

I know you've all been patiently waiting for this list! I'm about to dish on all the products that you could ever possibly buy to improve your baby's sleep. You might be surprised by how FEW items are on my NEED list and which items I advice you not to waste your hard earned money on!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy and disclosure statement for more information.

1. Velcro Swaddle

The velcro makes it adjustable to size and helps keep your baby from breaking out. These are often sold at Babies R Us, Walmart, Target, and Amazon for $34.99 (3 Pack). Does it get much easier than that?

2. White Noise

One of my favorites is the LectroFan Micro. In fact, I personally own 2! They are small, portable, hold a charge for 12+ hours and pack a lot of sound for their size. But honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the Lectrofan sound machines. Check them out here.

3. Crib

4. Dark Room

Ok, so this one isn't really a product  BUT I'll give you some examples of products that you can use to achieve this dark room. Again, this is a MUST people! That's why it's on the NEED list. Get your baby's sleep space DARK! Whether that is your room because you are room-sharing or your baby's own separate room, this is non-negotiable.

I often want to laugh (is that mean?) when I see beautiful nursery pictures with translucent flowy curtains. I'm sorry, but that is not reality and sooner or later those nursery aesthetics are going to be crushed with black out shades. Getting your windows blacked out doesn't have to make your nursery ugly, but it may cramp your style.

I highly recommend using BlackOut EZ Window Covers. We used them in my house, and I've even written up this lovely review and how-to HERE. We cover them with some beautiful faux wood blinds (which you'll see in the review) and the room looks amazing- and more importantly- it's pitch black.

You can also go the aluminum foil and duct tape route if that's more your style.

Okay! That's it for the NEED section. Told you it was short! Make these top 4 items a priority!

1. Video Monitor

My own personal video monitor is no longer sold, but I'm all about saving money when you can and this VTech Video Baby Monitor is a great option that gets the job done without breaking the bank.

A more expensive option is the Infant Optics video monitor. From everyone I know that's used it, I've heard nothing but amazing things! It's got night vision, room temperature display, remote pan/tilt/zoom, portable, expands up to 4 cameras, sound activated LED, and 2 way talk.

2. Pack 'N Play

If you are a family that travels often and stays with friends and family, you'll most definitely want to invest in a Pack 'N Play so your child can have their own sleep space while traveling. Most hotels keep Pack 'N Plays or cribs on hand so be sure to ask if you are staying in a hotel.

As mentioned above, many Pack 'N Plays come with bassinet attachments so you could absolutely skip the crib and go with a Pack 'N Play for the first several years of your baby's life. I see a lot of families do this when funds are tight or space is limited.

3. Sleep Sacks

I love sleep sacks for their many uses but I'll be honest, I've never used a sleep sack with my own children! They are great as a wearable blanket for colder climates, as a deterrent to climbing out the climb, and solving the issue of baby's legs getting caught in the slats of the crib. Definitely a good idea but this falls under the WANT category simply because I've survived 5 years with good sleepers and no sleep sacks! However, please remember that blankets are a no-no for at least the first year!

4. Snooze Shade

This is a WANT for the baby who will be forced to take some naps on the go due to older siblings schedules, errands that can't be rearranged, etc. The Snooze Shade can be used with your car seat to make their environment pitch black and ventilated to help them sleep on the go. Use this link to take 10% off your purchase!

5. Slumber Pod

This is a portable tent that can enclose your Pack 'N Play while traveling to give your baby that very dark environment they need in hotel rooms! Definitely recommend this for families that do lots of hotel traveling with little ones.

*Use the code ALLTHESLEEPS to take 10% off your purchase!

 

Below are my top 3 tips for surviving your next trip with your independent little sleepers!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy and disclosure statement for more information.

Recreate the Routine and Environment

I am not ashamed to admit that we have used many different setups when it comes to recreating the routine and environment while traveling. We have put pack 'n plays in walk-in-closets and bathrooms (we got some weird looks from friends on those) in order to achieve that total darkness at hotels and houses.

When we stay with in-laws, they have many rooms so each of the boys get to stay in their own room. We’ve also put Cam in his pack n play and made Ethan a little bed on the floor in hotels recently. My point is, do the best you can with the location you will be staying. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box a little!

Take your white noise and possibly extra with you to block out the sounds of others. Be sure to bring any loveys, special blankets, pajamas, sleep sacks, or pillows. Many hotels provide pack n plays or cribs, so give them a call and ask if you aren’t sure. Taking a roll of aluminum foil and some tape with you is a super easy way to darken any window that you need to.

Use your usual bedtime and naptime routines to signal to your child that it’s time to sleep. Basically, do what you can to get them comfortable and get them their own sleep space similar to what they have at home.

• Take your white noise, pack n play, loveys, etc

• Take a pack n play for your child to sleep in

• Get that sleep space DARK! SlumberPod and Snooze Shade are my favs for this! (Save 10% off your SlumberPod purchase with my code: allthesleeps & save 10% off your Snooze Shade purchase with my code: allthesleeps10)

• Naptime and bedtime routine

Respect Naps

I want to start this by saying that while it’s totally possible to travel well with a baby or toddler, we have to have our expectations straight. Yes, you can take your baby on a vacation and have a good time. No, it probably won’t be as fun or relaxing as it would have been pre-baby.

If you’re not prepared to respect your baby’s sleep while on your trip, you should be prepared for your baby to be a total cranky pants for the duration of the trip.

Each baby is different and some babies handle change better than others. But if you want to have a happy baby on your trip, don’t deprive them of their sleep! Having a baby can cramp your style on vacation but hey, that’s having a baby!

If your child is on 2 or more naps a day and you must skip naps or be on-the-go during naps, do it during the afternoon. The morning nap is the most restorative nap and sets the tone for the day. That first nap is also an extension of night sleep (melatonin is still circulating in their system) so it makes it the easiest one for your baby to fall asleep for in an unusual environment. Don’t skip this first nap of the day!

Use rescue naps in the car, stroller, or baby-wearing if you need to. Even getting a little cat nap in is better than no nap at all.

On the other hand, if it’s in your child’s best interest to NOT nap in the car, keep them awake! An example would be on your drive home from the trip, if you will be arriving home close to bedtime or naptime but you are worried that your baby will fall asleep in the car and then not go down for bed, don’t let them nap in the car. Sit next to them and talk or read books.

A trick we use with my boys is watching something on the iPad. They don’t get to do this often so it is a big treat, and they are determined not to fall asleep during this special activity.

Lastly, if naps have been a disaster all day, go for the early bedtime.  It might cramp your evening dinner plans, but if you’ve got a baby that has barely napped all day, I’m guessing you don’t want to take them to a restaurant anyways.

I know my kids would be a total disaster, and I’d spend the whole meal stressing about keeping them happy and scarfing my food down as quickly as possible. Order in instead and you will thank me!

• First nap is most important; protect it

• Do rescue naps as needed

• Don’t be afraid of an early bedtime

Getting Back On Track

When you return home, it’s back to business as usual. Your little sleeper was previously sleeping independently and there’s no reason to take steps backwards now that you are back home. Maybe you fell into some bad habits while you were away (and that’s ok!) but returning home is the reset button.

The biggest mistake I see parents make is starting to introduce bad habits at home when they previously had really good sleep habits set up. Your baby has not un-learned how to fall asleep independently.

They may struggle with what the boundaries and expectations are now that you are back home. That’s why it’s so important to jump right back in rather than easing them into it and blurring the lines. You’ll just prolong the confusion and distress by going that route.

• Right back to business as usual

• Don’t ease into sleep and schedules at home

• You already know they can fall asleep independently so don’t baby them

Traveling with kids is all about striking a balance between having a good time and keeping the itinerary age appropriate. I don't want you to go on vacation and feel like total hermits but I also want you to have realistic expectations about what vacation with kids looks like. As always, if you return home and are struggling with sleep, you know where to find me!