While it is still a little ways from the dreaded “Holiday Season” it can’t hurt to start mentally preparing now. While traveling with your infants and/or toddlers can be a daunting thought and undertaking, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. There are things that you can start preparing for now in the planning phase that will help you be better equipped to handle whatever comes your way during the actual travel time. And remember, not everything is going to go according to plan, you just have to roll with the punches and push through it the best you can. With a little patience and luck, you will be sailing through this holiday travel season with your young ones in tow with ease.
Keep Your Holiday Plans Simple
It’s so easy to get carried away with your holiday plans. It’s tempting to block out each hour of each day with a new adventure or exciting activity. But, the reality is that infants just don’t care that much about your schedule. They have their own priorities and it is a losing battle to try to pack too many activities into your holiday outings. Keep your plans simple. Make room in your schedule for deviations on everything from feedings to naps to wake up times. Definitely still plan a few fun outings and activities while you are traveling this season to go visit family, but narrow it down to one or two main activities each day and prioritize the ones that are your favorite first.
Schedule Drive And Travel Times During Or Close To Regular Nap Times
This one’s pretty simple in theory but can be difficult in practice. Whether you’re driving or flying (yikes!) this holiday season, it will be a good idea to plan your major travel periods during crucial nap times. This works especially well if driving because you can control how long they sleep and how long you’re on the road. This will definitely help your children get more and better sleep and will help stop them from getting overtired through constant travel and missed naps.
Prioritize Sleep For Your Child
Generally, the easiest way to maintain sleep is to prioritize sleep for your child. Definitely make it part of the master schedule each day. Wherever you’re staying, make sure to make plans with the relative (if you’re staying at their home) or hotel to ensure that you will have access to a quiet, dark room that you can use as your home base for napping. Make sure there is a good sleep environment wherever the child will be expected to sleep. This will go a long way to keeping them on the same schedule which is important. The exception being if you are traveling far enough away that there is a significant time difference, then you may need to adjust their schedule accordingly, especially if you are staying a week or more.
In Conclusion
Traveling with your children can definitely have its ups and downs. We are here to help and want to make the process as easy as possible. We hope these tips have helped you along your journey. If you have any questions about helping your baby to sleep better, finding adequate and professional newborn care help, or about your baby in general, please reach out to us HERE. We are experts in all things baby and sleep and would love to help!
If you have questions about your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would love to help. Please reach out to us here! We look forward to hearing from you.
