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!
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First nap is most important; protect it
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Do rescue naps as needed
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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.
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Right back to business as usual
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Don’t ease into sleep and schedules at home
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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!