The holiday season is almost here! That time of year when everything is so exciting and yet so exhausting at the same time! I’m a bit of an introvert myself, so the thought of all the parties and socializing is a little overwhelming. With that being said, I still absolutely love the holidays. The lights, the traditions, the food, the joy of giving gifts…it’s all so special.
My family’s last couple of Christmases have been quiet due to the pandemic, but this year is a whole different ball game.
When you have a little one involved, the thought of trying to keep up a sleep schedule on top of everything else can be very overwhelming.
First and foremost…Don’t stress!
Try not to stress about your baby’s sleep to the point that you aren’t enjoying yourself anymore! When it comes to visitors or travelling, a child’s sleep will almost always get a bit wonky. When you combine travel, Christmas treats, more noise, more people…this will inevitably lead to over-stimulation. If you expect your child to sleep perfectly through all of this, you are probably just setting yourself up for failure. I know it’s hard, but try not to add extra stress about sleep on top of everything else that’s going on! That’s just how it goes with kids; the schedule can’t always be perfect. And this is completely okay! Embrace it, and make the most of the holidays. Your little one will be just fine and they will get back to normal after all the craziness is over.
Now, despite everything I just said, if you want to keep your baby on a rigid schedule, do it! Don’t let anyone guilt you into keeping baby up later than you want to. This is YOUR baby, and you (and your partner) should be the ones deciding what’s best for your baby.
Personally, I’m going to try to follow a schedule the best I can with my little one, but if it doesn’t work perfectly, I’ll just deal with it and do what I can to keep her happy. I know she will be just fine, and she’ll get back on track when the holidays are over.
Now, here are some more tips to help with sleep while you travel:
We want that room DARK
Whatever room your little one is sleeping in, darkness is important, especially for naps. A lot of people recommend SlumberPods…I’m going to be the outlier here. I do not recommend these. Not because they don’t work, but because they can be a safety issue – there is a risk of entrapment. The way I see it, why take the risk? It’s just as effective (and way cheaper) to tape up some black garbage bags or aluminum foil on the windows to block out light.
White noise
This can be extremely handy while travelling (especially during naps), even if you don’t use it at home. Depending on where you’re staying, there might be a lot of extra noise that your baby isn’t accustomed to. If you don’t have a white noise machine, just use YouTube or download a free white noise app. Either will work just as well to prevent your baby from being disturbed. If the house is especially noisy, you can take extra precautions by putting a towel under the door (this will also block extra light in the day) and putting another sound machine in the hallway.
Just a note about white noise – the general recommendation is no louder than 45 decibels, and place it about 6 feet away from the crib. You can download a free decibel app to make sure it isn’t too loud.
Bring things that remind them of home!
Bring their favourite sleep sack and pyjamas. Anything that smells familiar and reminds them of their home sleeping environment will help them get to sleep in their new surroundings. Bring their favourite books for the bedtime routine, their bath toys, and any stuffies they like the cuddle with before bed.
Stick to those nap/bedtime routines as closely as possible
Even if their schedule gets a bit wonky, stick to those routines. Sure, you will probably end up doing some on-the-go naps, and that’s fine. But nothing will help ease your child into sleeping in a new environment better than a familiar bedtime routine.
You may have to do an early bedtime
If your little one is over-stimulated or they didn’t have a great nap day, try to move bedtime earlier if possible. This can really help to prevent the dreaded state of overtiredness. If you can’t make that work, that’s fine too. Prepare for some crankiness, and try to give them a chance for a nice long nap(s) the following day.
And there you have it, these are all my tips for surviving the holidays. Just remember what I said before…try not to stress. Enjoy your time, cherish those special moments, and do what feels right to get your baby through it. Sleep is important, but so is living your life and having fun! Try to find some balance between the two and you and your little one will be just fine.
Do you have sleep issues with your little one even when it’s not the holidays? Book a call here; I’d be happy to chat with you and see if we can find a solution that works for your family!