With the holidays quickly approaching, parents who have recently gotten their babies, of any age, sleeping on a schedule are often worried that their little ones'  sleep will regress over the Holidays.

I can assure you that those fears could not be more real.

Many families struggle with severe sleep deprivation for a very long time due to the "blessing" of having a child (or two like I was) that lacks healthy independent sleep strategies.

So, finally getting your whole family into a routine that works. Finally moving from being severely sleep deprived into a family that is becoming well rested.  Trust me everyone inside that little family unit wants to protect their new found sleep including the little one who is finally able to sleep.
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When little ones finally FEEL what it feels like to have the sleep that is needed for healthy growth and development they don't want their schedule messed with either. 

Between the travel, excitement, and constant attention of family and friends, holidays are the easiest way to throw all of your hard work out with the wrapping paper.

But fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way! With some strategic planning and an iron will, you can keep that carefully orchestrated routine running right on schedule.

There are two major impediments to maintaining your kiddos routine over the holidays. One is travel, and the other is family and friends, so I want to tackle both of those topics individually.

First, we will cover the travel portion...

If you have a trip planned sometime in the next few weeks, and were planning on beginning sleep training , I suggest putting it off until you get back (On the flip side, if you are looking for an excuse to cancel your trip, keeping your baby's sleep schedule is a pretty good one. Just sayin’! 🤷🏼‍♀️)

If you've already started working on a routine, no worries! If you can maintain some semblance of normalcy on your trip, you should be able to fall right back into it once back home.

If you plan on driving to your destination, a great tip is to schedule your driving time over baby's naps. Car naps aren't always ideal but are definitely better than no naps at all, and they're the lesser of two evils by a mile. If at all possible, hit the road right around the time that baby would usually be taking their first nap of the day.
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If you're really committed to your kiddo's sleep schedule, you might even look for some parks, tourist attractions, or other outdoor activities on your route for quick stops when baby wakes from their nap. These stops are an excellent opportunity for the whole family to get out into the sunshine and fresh air, making that next nap that much easier.

If you plan to fly, well, my heart goes out to you.

It's no secret that planes and babies aren't always the best match, so I suggest (and this is the only time you'll hear me say this) to do whatever you can to get you through the flight with minimum fuss. Let them play with your phone, dole out snack, whatever you need to do to keep baby happy.

Don't try to force naps; if they don't want to sleep on the plane, they won't. It will only result in unnecessary frustration for both of you. (And, most likely, the passengers around you.)

Alright! So you've arrived, and hopefully, you've managed to maintain some degree of sanity. Now, I'm sorry to say, comes the hard part.

When you're in the car or on the plane, everyone is rooting for you, keeping baby quiet and relaxed; and hopefully asleep.

But now that you're at the Grandparents and it's just the opposite.

Everyone wants to play with and hold the baby and get them ridiculously overstimulated. It's exceptionally difficult to tell all of these friends and family members that you're putting an end to the fun because the baby needs to get to sleep.

So, here and now,  I am giving you permission to be the bad guy. Don't negotiate, or make exceptions, and do not feel bad about it. Firmly explain to anyone giving you the "I'll just sneak in a take a quick peek,"  that baby's in the middle of sleep training, and you're not taking any chances waking them up.

Let them know that they can hang around until baby gets up, or can catch them another time. Or better yet, let people know in advance when to expect some baby time based on baby's routine.

I know it sounds harsh, but the alternative is an almost immediate backslide right back into day one.

Your little one misses a nap, gets all fired up because of all the new faces and activity, then gets overtired, cortisol production goes up, and voila the next nap is ruined, which results in more overtiredness derailing nighttime sleep.

Before you know it, you're headed on your way home, and it feels like all baby did was cry for the entire trip. I’m not even slightly exaggerating. It happens that quickly.

So you've steeled your nerves and let everyone know that you're not budging on baby's schedule. She took her naps at the right times, and now it's time for bed. The only catch is that, with all of the company staying at the house, there's only one room for you and baby.

No problem, right? Bed-sharing for a few nights isn't the end of the world.

I wish it were that easy, but it simply is not! 

I don't know of any parent that wants to UNDO all of the amazing sleep skills that their child has just developed and is beginning to master. No one wants to go back to waking up every few hours for the little one to cry more unnecessary tears, for someone to come and soothe them back to sleep.

So, you want to make both their sleeping arrangements and their scheduling as little of a deviation from the regular routines as possible. Plus babies and toddler can develop a real affinity for co-sleeping, or any other external sleep prop that comes back into the scenario, in as little as one night! 

You have worked hard to help your kiddo develop his own sleep strategies and now he's finally getting the sleep you both need and you don't want to mess with it!
 
So this may sound a little unorthodox, but if you're sharing a room, what I suggest is simple...

Make one room into two.

I'm not saying you need to call in a construction crew, but I do suggest hanging a blanket, setting up a dressing screen, or, yes, I'm going to go ahead and say it, put baby in the closet.

I know that sounds crazy, but a decent-sized closet is an excellent place for baby to sleep in a pinch. It's dark; it's quiet, she won't be distracted by being able to see you, and won't be disturbed by people walking in and out of the room.

SlumberPod is another excellent option for creating your baby's own blacked out sleeping space while sharing a room. It's a patented blackout tent that fits perfectly over your pack n' play or travel crib. It has pockets for a fan, monitor and white noise machine. Use the Discount Code: tothemoonsleep to get your special deal.  

While we're on the subject of "no exceptions," that rule extends to all other sleep props. You may be tempted to slip baby a pacifier or rock her to sleep if she's disturbing the rest of the house, but baby is going to latch on to that really, really quickly, and chances are you'll be waking up every hour or two, rocking baby back to sleep or putting her pacifier back in, which in the end will disturb the house much more than a bit of crying at 7:00 at night.

I find the biggest reason that parents give in is, quite simply, because they're embarrassed. There's a house full of eyes, and they're all focused on the new baby, and by association, the new parent.

The feeling that everyone is making judgments about how you're parenting is very real, and overwhelming in these family gatherings, but in those moments, remember what's really important here;

Your baby, your family, and their health and well-being.

There may well be a few people who feel a bit jaded because you put the baby to bed just when they got in the door, and your mother might tell you that putting your baby in the closet for the night is ridiculous, but remember you're doing this for a very noble cause. Perhaps the noblest cause there is, allowing your child to get the sleep that is required 

So stand tall and remember that you’re a superhero, defending sleep for those who are too small to defend it for themselves. If you want to wear a cape and give yourself a cool superhero name, you go right ahead. WonderMom, UberMama, The Somnum Inducere, if you’re feeling really fancy. Just remember that, like any superhero, you may be misunderstood by the masses.

Ignore them. You’re on a mission to the best quality sleep possible for your child and your family as a whole. Getting the sleep that is required in-order to function as  the best versions of yourselves is absolutely worth the journey.

Quite simply, "it's life changing". 

Happy Holidays & Happy Sleeping
Erin

For more sleep training tips while on holidays get our Expert Travel & Sleep Guide.

Check out this brilliant idea from Walking on Travels! 
How to build a sleeping tent on a plane.
This is a great way to help your littles ones get the #sleep they need while travelling on a plane!!! 
White noise and darkness are key elements to helping your child fall asleep!

"As we watched our boys fall asleep in their tents, my husband and I looked around at our fellow passengers.
OK, so maybe they didn’t applaud. In fact, I probably would have shushed them all if they had."

Remember to put this little tip in your pocket for your next adventure,
everyone including your children will thank you that they are well rested.

Erin Neri

 If your little one has had a great schedule leading up to the trip, he/she should slide into the new time zone without too much trouble.
It is best to adjust to the new time zone as quickly as you can.
 
If you really feel like your little one needs an extra nap to catch up a bit, try to limit it to 45 minutes.
Try not to let him/her nap too close to bedtime. If it’s a choice between a strangely timed dinner hour nap or an earlier bedtime,
I suggest you go with the slightly earlier bedtime.
 
Sunlight is a useful tool in helping both you and your little one adjust to the new time zone, since light is the
most powerful time cue our bodies have. Try to plan meals and socializing around the new time zone as well,
and get an hour or two of fresh air in the early afternoon.
 
Make sure you do just the opposite when evening rolls around.
Use the blackout blinds, and keep light to a minimum a couple of hours before you want your little one to go to bed.
This will help stimulate melatonin production, making him/her sleepier.
 
In spite of their best efforts, many parents find themselves reverting back to old, familiar sleep props with their children when
they travel. If you find that it’s all fallen apart in just a week or two, the good news is that it’s just as easy to get back on track
within a week or two, too! So as soon as you get home, start your plan over, speeding it up by two nights at each step –
and hold tight to the memory that your child is capable of doing this! He just needs a push in the right direction from you!
 
Happy Travels! 

Need help getting your child's sleep back on track?
Book your Free 20 Minute Evaluation and I can help!
For a DIY approach get your copy of the Travel & Sleep Guide!

​Erin Neri

Tip 1: Don’t over-schedule

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is to try to pack in all the fun and adventure they might have had back in their “child-free” days.

The fact is, when you travel with a baby you can’t plan to go bungee-jumping in the morning, swim with dolphins in the early afternoon, go parasailing in the late afternoon, and go on a dinner cruise in the evening.

It’s better to slow down the pace and make sure you schedule regular naps and early bedtimes, just like you would at home.

Tip 2: Be consistent with naps and bedtime

An occasional nap in the car seat or a later-than-usual bedtime probably won't do too much harm. Still, if your baby's naps are all over the place and she goes to bed much later than usual several days in a row, your baby will become so overtired and cranky that a complete meltdown will be inevitable.

Tip 3: Be patient as your baby acclimatized to the new environment

Even if your baby is the best little sleeper in the world at home, when you're in a strange environment, things might be very different. It's normal for babies and toddlers to test boundaries around sleep when they're someone new.

Just because you have specific rules at home, they won't automatically understand that the same rules apply to Grandma's house.

In a strange place, your baby might cry for a while at bedtime or wake up at odd times during the night. The best way to handle this kind of behaviour is to react the same way you would at home.

Go into the room every five minutes or so. Offer a bit of reassurance, but other than that, don't bend your rules. If you hang on tight to your consistency, within the first night or two, your child will be used to the new environment and will be sleeping well again.

Tip 4. Make sure you bring your child’s sleeping toy and/or blanket

If your child has a treasured comfort item (their Lovey), it will go a long way to helping him feel safe and secure enough to fall asleep in a strange environment.
Forget it at your peril! 

It is also a great idea to bring their Sleepsack. Packing light with the thoughts that you will purchase a new Sleepsack when you arrive can make sense.

But I don't advise it!
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Sleeping in his or her Sleepsack from home can be one of the things that can stay familiar for them in a new environment. After all, it feels like home, and perhaps, more importantly, it smells like home!

So bring the one from home, it can be a huge help with making baby feel comfortable in a new place. 

Tip 5. Remember to think about the environment where baby will be sleeping.

You have heard me say it before, many times, we ALL sleep better when it's dark in the room. Blackout dark! So it only makes sense to think about where you and your little ones will be sleeping and if they will have appropriate window coverings to make sure that it's going to be dark enough for sleep when the sun is still up at 10 PM or rises at 4 AM. 

It's best just to pack a few Large Black Garbage Bags and some painters tape in case you need to blackout some windows. Or invest in a permanent traveling blackout solution like SleepOut Portable Blackout Curtains (Discount code: tothemoonsleep10) or SlumberPod patented blackout tent that fits perfectly over your pack n' play, travel crib or SlumberTot Inflatable Toddler Bed (discount code: tothemoonsleep). 

Another thing that you need to consider is environmental noise. If you are going to be sharing a room and you want to be able to move about a little more freely.
I would bring your child's white noise machine. Your baby is used to having his or her white noise machine blocking out environmental noises in your home, and it works like a charm.

Plus, all of the other health benefits that come with using a white noise machine. It will allow you to move about and not wake her. It will make sure that the loud 1 AM crowd that sings down the hallway will not disturb your sleeping bundle! 

​Bring the machine or get one of the many travel white noise options!! 

Tip 6. If you’re not a co-sleeping family, don’t start now!
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Another big mistake parents make is to start sharing a bed with their baby or toddler while travelling. Even if it's only for a few nights, if your baby decides this is her new preferred way to sleep, you could find yourself dealing with a big problem when you get home and try and put her back in her crib.

The good news is; most hotels have a crib you can use or rent.
You could also take your portable playpen along and use that as a crib.

You will also want to make sure that you can create some kind of barrier between you and your little one(s). Your kiddos sleep in their own room at home and part of the reason for this being so helpful is because when they wake-up (which we all do periodically throughout the night), they are not stimulated by seeing their favourite people in the world.

Seeing you leads to them wanting your attention, aka crying or calling out for you to come and get them. 

It's best if they can be in a separate room while travelling. Or maybe a large walk-in closet or ensuite. 

When in doubt, bring along a very dark bed sheet and several tacks.
Tack that bad boy to the roof between your bed and your littles playpen or crib. 
Seriously, I know it sounds a little crazy!

But it actually makes a HUGE difference! It makes them feel more secure being in a space with clear boundaries. It will make it easier for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

So there you have it!  Traveling with a little one unfortunately isn't about you. Just like everything else in life since you've had kids; it's all about them! Plus we all know that a tired child is a messy bundle of emotions that turns into tears and tantrums.  

You will have a much better time if you let them sleep.

Interested in even more travel sleep trips to make your family vacation a success while not compromising your child's sleep? Check out our Travel & Sleep Guide for all your sleep and travel needs. 

Happy sleeping will lead to happy travels!

Erin Neri