The ultimate guide to your child’s sleep while traveling
Introduction
With summer vacations coming up, we wanted to give you a guide to your child’s sleep while traveling.
Every trip is going to look a little different. You may be anticipating a long car ride, a plane ride, staying in a hotel, a condo, a beach house, or maybe you’re roughin’ it and going tent camping! Whatever your vacation is going to look like, we’ve got tips for your child and their sleep!
The Commute (Planes + Cars)
If you have the ability to plan your drive or flight around your child’s nap, it can be helpful to take their routine or schedule into consideration. If your child isn’t the best on-the-go napper, it might help to plan your drive or flight around their nap if possible, however we know this isn’t always an option.
Our biggest piece of advice when it comes to the actual commuting part of traveling and your child’s sleep is to be flexible.
Do as much of your normal routine as you can with the situation that you’re in, but know that things are not going to be normal or go exactly as planned and that’s ok. That’s the beauty of having a great sleeper on a consistent routine. Our clients tell us all the time how much of a relief it is that they can have an “off day” and jump right back into their normal routine the next day.
Tips for long car rides and naps
The biggest thing we see parents worry about when it comes to long car rides and plane rides is the fact that their child’s naps end up all over the place (i.e. not sleeping at all or sleeping when they’re not “supposed” to).
This is ok! We’ve got a few suggestions and tips you can try, but ultimately we hope you can just relax and go with the flow of whatever happens during your travels.
Some kids nap a LOT during car/plane rides and it makes parents worry that they’re sleeping too much. Don’t worry! Naps on the go (especially in the car) are never as restorative. Chances are, the stimulation from the long travel day combined with the fact that naps on the go are never as restorative will most likely mean your child will still be good and tired by bedtime.
Some kids don’t nap at ALL during car rides. This is ok too! It might make for a more lively trip, but ultimately you can’t MAKE your child sleep. All you can do is set them up for the best possible chance to sleep. If they fall asleep, great!! If they don’t, try to arrange for an early bedtime once you get to your destination.
Car Nap Hacks:
If you can, work pit stops and potty breaks around naps. If you stop right before nap time, this is a great opportunity to do some of your child’s sleep routine right before you put them back into their carseat.
If your child uses a lovey or other comfort item, offer it to them now.
Bring a portable sound machine that can be used in the backseat next to your child’s car seat during nap time. We love this one and this one for naps on the go (please note: these won’t work well for camping as they have to be charged via USB cable and in our experience they only hold a charge for about one night).
Remember: you can’t make your child sleep, all you can do is offer them the opportunity. No need to stress if they don’t fall asleep. You’ve done what you can and the rest is up to them.
Plane Nap Hacks:
At your child’s normal nap time, do as much of their sleep routine as you can (diaper / potty, nurse/bottle, song/book etc).
If your child uses a lovey or other comfort item, offer it to them now.
Turn off the overhead lights and close the window-shade if possible.
If your young child sleeps better in their carseat, you may consider bringing it to make naps easier (however you’ll have to pay for a seat for your child if you opt for this. Some airlines have discounted prices when the seat is for a car seat / infant).
Remember: you can’t make your child sleep, all you can do is offer them the opportunity. No need to stress if they don’t fall asleep. You’ve done what you can and the rest is up to them.
Click HERE to get your child’s perfect daily schedule!
Once you get to your destination:
Maybe your child didn’t sleep a wink while you were in the car or on the plane. If at all possible, opt for an early bedtime (30-60 minutes early). They’ll fall asleep easier and sleep better if they can get in bed a little earlier. Even if they did take naps, an early bedtime is a great idea (on-the-go naps are never as restorative).
Keep reading or watch the video below for some of our favorite tips for sleep while on vacation:
Recreate your child’s sleep environment:
This is the key to traveling and maintaining your child’s sleep. Bring what you can to make their sleep environment feel normal and comfortable to them.
Blackout their room: Light and dark play a huge role in your child’s sleep. Light sends a signal to your child’s brain that it’s time to be awake, so you want their sleep environment to be completely blacked out (we understand this may not be possible if your vacation involves tent camping, and that’s ok!). Here are a few travel blackout options:
Aluminum foil + painter’s tape on the windows
Travel blackout curtains like THESE.
Slumberpod. We LOVE our Slumberpod. Jess uses theirs multiple times every day even while they’re at home (once for her toddler’s nap and at night for their 10 month old). The Slumberpod is basically a tent that can go over a pack-n-play or a toddler cot / floor mattress. It works as a barrier and completely blacks out their sleep space. It’s one of the best products we’ve ever used and we will never stop singing its praises. It can be used in a completely lit room (think shared hotel room where parents may not be ready for bed as early as baby is) or in a bright environment (think naps on the beach!) Use code GOODNIGHTHOUSE for $20 off.
Sound Machine: Bring your child’s sound machine or ok-to-wake clock (we love the Hatch Rest) or pack a portable sound machine (HERE or HERE).
If you’re camping, THIS sound machine can be battery powered and will last much longer than a “USB rechargeable” portable sound machine.
Stick to your child’s normal sleep / bedtime routine
Did you know the steps you do in your baby’s bedtime routine signal to their brain that it’s time for sleep? Each step is a cue that tells your child it’s almost time to go to sleep. Check out THIS POST for our favorite bedtime routine you can start from day one. Continuing to do your child’s normal bedtime routine while on vacation will be huge for helping them sleep.
Tips for nighttime + room sharing (or camping)
If you’re sharing a room with your child (or multiple children), if possible, create a barrier between them and you. This is one reason why we love the Slumberpod.
Here are a few ideas if you don’t have a Slumberpod:
Many hotels have little hallways leading into the bathroom that house the vanity and the sink. If you room is set up like this, you can set up the pack n play in there. If it doesn’t have a door, consider bringing your own blackout curtains from home or purchase an inexpensive blackout shower curtain like THIS. Use masking tape to hang the curtain over the bathroom hallway opening to blackout the space.
Does your hotel room have a closet? Putting even half of the pack n play in the closet is a better barrier than nothing (always make sure there’s plenty of airflow wherever you decide to put the pack-n-play).
You can call ahead to find out if your pack-n-play will fit in the bathroom or the closet.
Bring thumb-tacks and tack a few flat sheets up to the ceiling to create a “room” for your child.
If you’re camping, you can string a sheet or blanket up to create a barrier between you and your little one.
It’s good practice for our kids to sleep in a variety of spaces. Some kids won’t need barriers, especially if they’ve had a lot of practice sleeping in different environments. Some kids will absolutely benefit from a barrier. Do what’s best for your family.
If your child has outgrown their pack-n-play, a toddler cot is a great alternative. They can still fit into smaller spaces and they’re easier to create barriers around. Here is a standard toddler cot and an extra long toddler cot.
Tips for naps during vacation
Stick to your child’s normal routine when you can, but also know it’s ok to be flexible.
There’s a balance between being fair to your child and their needs and also being willing to have fun and break the rules. Ultimately you’re a parent who chose to bring their child on a vacation. You’ll have to prioritize and protect your child’s sleep if you want to be fair to their needs. The trip will also be 10x harder if your child is super tired all day everyday. Think about how you feel when you don’t get the sleep you need. That being said, it’s ok to be flexible and have days where naps and sleep aren’t the main focus.
We would encourage you to prioritize naps whenever you can, but definitely aim for one good nap a day (i.e. back at your hotel room where they can sleep in a quiet / dark environment). Consider switching off with your spouse for nap times each day.
If baby is on a 2 nap schedule and you know it’s going to be a packed day, prioritize their morning nap. They’ll be more likely to nap on the go (carseat / stroller / carrier etc) if they start the day well-rested.
What do we do when we get back home?
You just had an amazing family vacation, but the trip is over and you’re back home. Jump right back into your normal routine! Your child may have had more in-arms naps or you may have done what you needed to do to make sleep work, but now it’s time to go back to your normal routine (for your sake, but more importantly for their sake).
In a few nights, everything should be back to normal.
This is the amazing benefit of having a great sleeper and a consistent routine: you can go on vacation and continue to have an amazing sleeper while you’re there and when you get back home. Vacations and traveling don’t have to derail sleep for your family.
If your child struggles with sleep, please know there is hope! Our mission at the Goodnight House is to equip parents with the tools necessary to help their babies and toddlers get the sleep they need and experience more rest, peace, and joy in parenting.
If you have a newborn 0-12 weeks and you’re wanting to help establish great sleep habits from the very beginning, our online Newborn Class is for you! This class lays the foundation for great sleep from day one (no “Cry it Out” involved).
If you have an older baby or toddler, we offer 1:1 Personalized Sleep Plans to help get your child (4+ months) sleeping 10-12 hours per night.