Sleep Tips for Vacation
It’s summertime and with the way this year has been going, we are dying to get away. But for some families, the thought of vacation and having their children sleep somewhere unfamiliar may strike fear into their hearts, especially if their child isn’t a great sleeper to begin with.
But, I’m here to tell you not to worry! I have a lot of advice, tips and tricks that will help you and will be key to helping your child sleep well while on vacation.
Tip 1: Take into consideration your child’s normal schedule.
Don’t over schedule and try to pack too much into the week. There will of course be days where you may be out and about for most of the day, but I would try to follow a busy day with a low key day to let your child adjust and have naps at home versus out and about. Too many days in a row of on the go or missed naps is a tantrum waiting to happen.
Tip 2: Be consistent with naps and bedtime as much as possible.
This means trying to respect your child’s naptime to avoid overtiredness. For example, if your child takes 2 naps a day, try to let your child take one of them at home and if one has to be on the go (carseat, stroller) at least your child got one nice restful nap.
You may be thinking, we have plans to be out and my child can just sleep in the car. While this is true, motion naps are not as restorative, and your child will be exhausted when bedtime comes. You also may have a child that doesn’t sleep as well on the go (my daughter) and likes sleeping in a quiet, dark room. Avoiding overtiredness is really crucial or a meltdown will be unavoidable.
I would also recommend keeping bedtime around the same time as when you are home, with a late bedtime being the exception, not the norm. Now depending on the age of your child you can be a little more flexible with this. When we go away my 6-year-old gets to stay up later on occasion whereas my 2-year-old sticks with her normal bedtime.
Tip 3: Be patient and give your child time to adjust.
When your child is in a new environment, things will be different for your child as they get used to this new space. So, it makes sense that your child may not sleep perfectly and there may be some disruptions in the first few nights.
In these moments, during the protests, crying and middle of the night wake ups, remember that your child is adjusting to a new sleep space. Respond to them how you would at home. Wait at least 5-10 minutes before responding to give them some comfort and reassurance that they’re okay, but nothing more than that. Any bending of the rules can cause these issues to continue for the length of the trip as well as when you get home.
Tip 4: Bring your child’s comfort items.
In order to make your child more comfortable in this new space you want to try to mimic their sleep environment at home so that they feel safe and secure. Below is my list of travel essentials:
- Something to black out the room: Foil or black trash bags is a cheap and easy solution… even better; I would recommend the Gro-Anywhere blind or the Slumberpod, I have both! (see below for details)- save $10 at checkout when you enter happilyeverafter
- Sound machine and/or clock- anything that’s part of your little one’s routine
- A portable baby monitor if you have one or need one. I use our Nest camera when we travel. It connects to wifi wherever you are and you can see the feed on your phone with their App.
- If they have a pillow, lovey or blanket they use (12 months+)- absolutely bring that! You want your child to have their comforts of home
- Where will your child sleep? Depending on their age a pack and play or portable crib is a great option for your little one.
Tip 5: Have a separate sleep space for your child.
As I mentioned above, have plans for where your child will sleep. If you have not co-slept with your children in the past or if this is something you worked hard to break, don’t go back to this while on vacation. As soon as you let your child in bed, this will become the new norm and your child will not want to go back into the crib or their own bed once you are home.
Depending on where you stay, most hotels will provide a portable crib or pack and play for your convenience. There are also lots of local companies that rent these out and even deliver them to where you are staying! Bringing a pack and play is also an inexpensive option. If you will need to share a room with your child you may be thinking, how do I create a separate sleep space for my child?
There are a few different options. You can try to divide the room by hanging up a sheet (if that’s possible). You can also have the pack and play tucked away in a bathroom or closet (not ideal, I know); this way your baby will have a dark space to sleep and they won’t wake up to see you in the middle of the night.
Above all these suggestions, I highly recommend purchasing a Slumberpod. I just bought one for my toddler and I seriously wish I would have gotten one sooner. It is truly worth the investment and you can use it through toddlerhood.
Not only does it create a dark sleep environment for your child, but it enables you to create a separate sleep space without having to put them in a separate room.
Why I recommend it:
- Created by moms for moms!
- SlumberPod aims to make traveling with little ones less stressful and more restful.
- SlumberPod is a bottomless portable privacy pod that completely encloses standard playards, mini-cribs, and select toddler cots — giving a baby or child their own dark and private sleep space (like at home).
- Parents have called this product a “game-changer” and “lifesaver”— as it gives families the freedom to sleep in the same room and travel with confidence.
- I have one myself and this was a total game changer for our last vacation!
- SlumberPod passes all applicable consumer product safety tests for baby products
- It folds down small enough to fit into carry-on luggage and is easy and quick to assemble
- It has a clear plastic pouch for a baby monitor as well as ventilation panels for additional airflow
Still on the fence? Just think back to your last vacation. If you stressed about being able to make the room dark enough for your child, this will solve that problem. If you worried about having a separate space for your child and what to do if they wake up and see you right next to them, this will solve that problem. Get yours now before your next vacation! Save $10 when you enter happilyeverafter at checkout or click here! They also have a 30 day hassle free returns.
If your child is not a great sleeper or you need to get things back on track, book a sleep solution call with me today! I would love to create a customized sleep plan for your child.