Plenty of couples love to travel. Indeed, many couples even met that way. But, what happens once a newborn comes along?
After all, babies need plenty of rest and sleep. This doesn’t exactly seem compatible with travel.
According to the Sleep Foundation, babies from 0-3 months will sleep for up to 17 hours a day. This sleep is essential for their cognitive and physical development.
Poor sleep can result in problems for babies as they grow up into adults. Consequently, it is important to uncover ways for your baby to rest regardless of where you are.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tips you can use in this regard. Here are five of them.
1. Stick to your regular schedules
It is essential to get a baby on a sleep schedule as quickly as possible. It is then just as important to stick to it.
As babies grow their need for sleep decreases, and their patterns will change. Teething and such will affect their sleep too.
For as much as you can though, especially in their early months, stick to their regular sleep schedule. This means even if you are on a plane or going cross-country in a camper truck.
2. Create a personal sleep habitat for them
There are plenty of travel cribs and travel beds on the market for babies and toddlers now. These can be handy items to take with you when you go away.
It may be an idea to try them out at home first to see if your little one can become comfortable with them. Many people recommend using these once your baby is accustomed to sleeping in different locations.
In fact, getting your baby used to sleeping in different places such as at a friend’s home while you have a coffee, or in the stroller on a walk, will help in general.
Creating a private area can help too. A baby sleep tent makes a dark space to help a baby get off to sleep. This UpsideDad’s SlumberPod review shows how the adults can keep the light on, while the baby sleeps undisturbed.
3. Create familiarity
It is important to get a baby used to being around other people and in different environments. Nevertheless, familiarity is also comforting and reassuring.
Taking along some of your baby’s favorite soft toys or blankets can help them to feel comfortable and safe. They will be aware that they are not at home, so these small things can make them feel more secure.
4. Sleeping en-route isn’t necessarily the best option
This goes against the advice above which says let them sleep on the move. However, it refers to sleeping outside of the baby’s sleep schedule.
You are reading this perhaps because you are going on a trip soon. You want to know how to make your family’s next road trip more enjoyable. So letting your baby sleep and giving you peace and quiet on the road is a great idea right?
If you are using a car seat then your baby will have poor quality sleep while moving. A travel crib may be better in this situation.
While it cannot always be avoided, sleeping this way could disrupt the baby’s normal sleep schedule. They may also start to associate the car seat with nap time.
5. Ensure that you find time to play
When you are at home, your child is getting lots of attention. When you visit the grandparents, no doubt your little one is getting plenty of fuss too.
When families go on vacation though, it can be another matter. Adults need time too, and in different surroundings, it is very possible to forget to make time to play.
One of the things to remember when traveling with kids is that they still expect to get their regular playtime. Stimulation and interaction are important to the child’s growth, but they will also tire them out.
Setting aside a little time each day to keep to this normal activity will help them sleep at night.
Other considerations when you travel
If you are going to be staying in rented accommodation, do some research first. Look for baby-friendly hotels for instance. Or, rent privately so you will have no disturbances from other guests.
Try to stick to your normal bedtime routines such as nursery rhymes and such. This also means keeping separate bedrooms if that is what you do at home.
Try traveling in the morning. Babies and toddlers are more alert then, and this will make your journeys more enjoyable also.
Summary
There are proven links between sleep and a child’s development. The NCBI reports on the link between cognition, growth, and infant sleep.
Proper, regular sleep helps motor development as well as mental growth. Using a few of these tips to help your child sleep will mean you are helping them on the path to a healthy future.
However, don’t panic too much. A vacation is supposed to be relaxing. If your toddler’s sleep habits slip during the time away, don’t worry. Once you are home everything can head back to normal with no damage done.
