You’ve worked hard to get your baby on a schedule. You’ve been consistent, and your baby is napping 2-ish times a day with a consistent, no-fight bedtime. You’ve got a great bedtime routine in place. But now you’re going on a vacation, and you’re wondering how to keep your baby on their sleep schedule while traveling.
Whether you are flying with a baby or driving in a car, baby sleep while traveling is a concern!
I know these tips will help you get you to your destination and help you have an amazing vacation!
The key to baby sleep while traveling
And it’s not what you think. The key to keeping your baby on schedule while traveling is a slower pace and lower expectations.
To travel with a baby successfully, you can do a few things to minimize temper tantrums and make the transition back to your schedule at the end, a little bit easier.
You want to stay on schedule while traveling to avoid unnecessary temper tantrums and frustration by all.
But you HAVE to be flexible too.
Don’t expect to do EVERYTHING you’d be able to do if you didn’t have a baby with you.
This season of small babes who need their naps and food on time won’t last forever.
I’ve had vacations where we planned too much and had to cut back near the end because we were all overly stimulated.
And I’ve had vacations where I felt frustrated by our lack of DOING.
So my recommendation to you, mama, is while you’re in this remarkable season of motherhood, embrace a slightly slower pace.
Whether you are visiting family for the holidays or enjoying Disney Land, practice some patience. And maybe take a nap yourself, mama!
Okay, okay, on to the tips to “somewhat” stay on schedule while traveling!
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How to keep baby on schedule while traveling
1. Plan around eating breaks
The biggest scheduling challenge for babies under 6-months is the need to eat every 3-4 hours. You either have to stop driving to nurse the baby or you have to sit long enough to feed them a bottle. Either way, be ready with everything else prior to feeding your baby. If you have everything packed, you can get up and go as soon as your little one is done eating. This maximizes time to travel or do things in between feedings.
If you haven’t invested in a good nursing cover yet, this is my all time favorite*. Also, I recommend reading my article with tips for breastfeeding in public.
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2. Get a minimum of one nap per day
If your baby is still young enough to take multiple naps a day, then you definitely need to commit to at least one solid nap each day while on vacation.
If your little one only takes one nap a day normally, you can consider skipping nap once or twice, but I don’t recommend skipping any more than that.
While baby naps on the go are manageable, if you skip too many you will experience a “lack of sleep – the world is falling apart” tantrums… which are pretty much the worst in case you are luck enough to not experience it..
If you really need to be on the go during nap time, consider investing in a comfortable baby carrier* or stroller. And you can also bring a travel white noise machine along to help them sleep longer.
We love the Ergo* because it is both safe for baby’s hips as well as ergonomically designed to provide the best comfort for mom and dad. I can wear the Ergo* for several hours with minimum pain afterward.
My lower back feels it a little after I take off the Ergo, but that’s about it. Plus, there’s a newborn insert*, options for hotter temperatures, and the option for the baby to face forward.
We joke that our babies are called “ergobabies” because all you see of our babies in most pictures is the Ergo when they are young!
3. Respect bedtime
While you will be tempted to stay out late to maximize your vacation time, I recommend respecting bedtime in order to keep your baby on a schedule.
Bring board games to play at night or if you’re really desperate, higher a babysitter to watch the kids while you go out at night. Personally, I don’t recommend this since I think there’s plenty of family/friend activities you can do from the comfort of your hotel or friend’s home.
4. Be prepared with an age-appropriate travel bed
As I mentioned before, I definitely recommend the Ergo baby carrier while traveling. Not only is it great for traveling through an airport, but it’s also great for sightseeing.
In order to keep baby on their sleep schedule, consider different baby travel sleep options.
Invest in an easy to bring bed the baby knows is theirs
Ideas would be a Pack’n’Play, baby travel tent*, or a Dock’a’Tot.
I reallllllyyy want one of these baby travel tents*. I saw a lady with one at a local hiking spot and immediately started planning all the places I could use one… the beach, the park, to replace a pack’n’play….. maybe for Christmas… haha.
Ask the hotel or someone at your destination
If you’re staying at a hotel, ask if they have any portable cribs available to bring to your room that way you can travel as light as possible.
Rent baby equipment
Or you can try renting baby equipment to be delivered to the location you’ll be staying (check availability).
Also, be prepared for variable temperatures when you arrive at your destination. If the room will be over 75* where you are sleeping, consider a lightweight onesie for bed. If the room will be below 70*, consider a sleep sack* or swaddle.
5. Capitalize on the time change
Don’t be afraid to capitalize on the time change if you’re traveling across the country.
We live in the Central time zone, so when we travel to the East Coast, we don’t mind having the kids stay up an extra hour “past bedtime.”
Plus, if you will only be gone a few days, you don’t want them to completely change their schedules to the new time zone, otherwise, you’ll just have to transition again once you get home.
Will vacation make it difficult to transition back to a schedule?
Yes, probably. But vacation is still worth it and I still think you should take trips with your little one. Don’t let becoming a mom or dad tie you to your home.
Go out to dinner. Visit family in other states. And teach your kids how to travel young!
How to get baby back on schedule after traveling
Is your baby cranky after traveling? If your baby or toddler is still adjusting their sleep schedule after traveling, here are a few tips for a smoother transition back into a schedule:
1. Give it a week
Incrementally make changes to sleep and eating times. Sometimes if you try putting the kids down too early, it will be just a fight until the end.
2. Start a new bedtime routine.
If you can’t get the kids to bed early yet, here are a few ideas to add to your bedtime routine:
- Add in a few extra books and cuddles to bedtime routine.
- Play some music or a low-key board game.
- Go for a short walk in that comfortable baby carrier* I was talking about above.
- Take an extra long bath to help your little one calm down sooner.
I don’t recommend watching TV or playing a tablet because this will activate their brain – not turn it off!
3. Re-engage with your little one
While you were traveling your schedule might have been a little bit busier than normal.
Try to do some activities that show your little one you are connecting with them.
Give them one-on-one attention and show them they are loved.
4. Hold on and breathe
Take a deep breath and make sure you enlist the help of others. The transition will eventually get better.
I recommend trading out with a partner so that you can have a break! (I hear husbands are great at helping when breastfeeding too…hehe)
Okay, whew! If you made it to the end of the blog, congratulations! Thanks for reading. I really hope you enjoy your vacation and that your little one travels well. When you get back, take the time to get 15 minutes to yourself to rest and breathe and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
You can do this, mama. You’re strong!
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