PART 2 – Vacationing with your family edition
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So the presents have been ripped open, the eggnog is all gone and the Christmas Tree is down for the year… I guess it’s officially January. Whoops, looks like it’s almost February. It seems as though I’ve been working on this blog post for a full month now…
Here in Calgary, I can find January one of our tougher months. Mostly due to the weather. Usually, I’m tolerant of winter until after Christmas and then I’m just OVER it. I don’t think I am alone in this feeling though. I find this is the time when I get the most questions about how to vacation with a baby.
This year our winter has been quite amazing (although our luck is about to change this weekend!! -30 anyone?!) There has been plenty of days in the double digits, where the sun has been shining and the walking paths are clear of snow. A total change from last year where we lived through the most miserable Calgarian winter I can remember. And I am a born and raised Calgarian!! I’ve lived through a few of them.
Anyway, even with this decent weather, I am still flooded with questions on the regular about sleep and travel.
It can be a daunting thing- taking a young child on a trip. A trip where you’re supposed to be having FUN right?! And when you’re stressed about the flight, sleep environment and potential huge schedule disruptions finding the fun can be a hard thing to do.
I am here to help!
Just like my holiday edition, I am have compiled all the most common travel questions I have received recently and answered them all for you! Let’s jump in!
How do I get my baby to adapt to a new time zone?
This really just depends on the situation. If you are traveling for a couple days and the time difference isn’t too much, just keep your baby on your own time. Your babe won’t even notice it if it’s just for a weekend or something. If you are traveling for longer then this, then adapt your babe ASAP onto the new time zone.
Expect to have a couple weird nights where babe might be going down later than normal or waking up earlier for the day. This is totally okay! Make sure to get plenty of sunshine and fresh air in your babe’s eyes and on their skin first thing in the morning. This helps regulate their circadian rhythm. And always value the importance of darkness at night. Dim the lights as nighttime approaches, it helps release melatonin and get your babe ready to sleep for the night. Then, of course, keep the room as dark as possible for all sleep.
Also, it is the best idea to keep the first day or two of your travels pretty lowkey. Don’t overschedule right off the bat. You won’t know how well your babe is going to adapt to the travel and its best to err on the side of caution and just relax the first day or two after you arrive.
How do I get my baby to sleep on the plane?
If I am being totally honest, my kids have never been on an airplane. I can still offer my best advice from working with many families though! For one, I think it’s obvious that the younger your baby is the more likely it is that you’ll get a decent nap from him. We all know how our toddlers all suffer from a serious case of FOMO! This isn’t to say we can’t help our chances though.
So first off, book your flight for early in the morning. Not only are most of our children the most cooperative in the morning but their drive for daytime sleep is at its highest first thing in the morning.
Next, make sure to bring along something familiar from home, like their lovey. Their special stuffed animal or their beloved blanket can go a long way to bring some much-needed comfort.
For your younger infant, letting them sleep on Mom or Dad is totally okay, remember it’s just a one-off and a special circumstance. Don’t worry about creating a “bad” habit. It won’t happen.
For an older toddler with their own seat, first set them up to be as comfy as they can be and then make sure to limit screen time. I know, I know. Easier said than done. Notice I am not saying “no” screen time, just limit it. You may think it is calming your preschooler down, but really it is overstimulating them. Making it much harder to get them to wind down for a nap.
So go ahead and watch your movie and then shut it off. Give your toddler some quiet time with a book or an activity to help wind them down for the best chance of a nap.
It’s worth mentioning that I have heard amazing things about inflatable airplane toddler beds. The Fly Tot is the most popular but it is one of the more expensive options I have found. I, of course, have not personally used one (as I mentioned above my children are deprived haha!) but I have talked to a few families that have, and I have heard nothing but good things. Because of this, I do feel comfortable recommending them! If you’d like to read a full review of the Fly Tot find it here.
What the heck do we do about naps while we are vacationing?
Ah yes. This is a question I get A LOT. Naps can feel fairly annoying while traveling. I do know this. My best advice is first off to not over schedule your children. Respect the fact that your kids need to sleep during the day and that too many naps on the go will not do anyone any good.
It is true that some kids go with the flow more than other children do though. So it can be a little about trial and error until you really find out what kind of child you have. Think of a nap on the go just like a night you spend in your car or on a plane, yes you may sleep, but it will not be like the sleep you would get in your own bed. And you will feel way more tired as a result.
My best advice is to spend the first couple days close to the hotel. Especially if you’re also adapting to a new time zone. So instead of planning an excursion right away, plan for it to be a pool day instead. If possible, book your hotel room on the ground level and close to the pool or beach. This will make everyone’s vacation a little more enjoyable when you’re going back and forth to put baby down. (Also when the kids go down at 7 for the night, your evening is much more enjoyable when you have a nice view from your patio!)
After the first couple days go ahead and book a day away from the hotel! Go book an excursion or a trip into town. By giving your child some consistency and stability in their schedule right off the bat, you will have set them up for success to manage a schedule disruption later on in the trip.
Alright! That’s it for today.
Don’t forget that this is part 2. So if you’ve got other questions regarding travel with your little ones that I didn’t answer here, I may have answered in them in the holiday edition I released last month.
Questions such as:
My baby sleeps in the crib 100% of the time.. will she even sleep in a playpen?
What about the bedtime routine? Does it need to be the same while we are away?
What do I do if my usual peaceful sleeper cries when I put him down?
Head over here for answers to these questions, plus many more!
And as always, please feel free to leave a comment on this post if there are any questions that I didn’t cover.
I know traveling with children can be very stressful!!
I’ll be your reminder to just try to relax, enjoy your vacation and to make memories. That’s what it’s all about right?!
Remember, if sleep all falls apart while you are away you can always go back to your sleep plan when you get home. One of the great benefits of your child having healthy sleep habits is the ease in correcting any bumps or deviations down the road.
Bon Voyage!!
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