How to Keep Baby's Sleep Schedule During the Holidays

The holidays are a time to be with family, celebrate together and make new memories! Holidays can be overwhelming for adults, now think about how overwhelming it can be for a baby! Between car or air travel, new people, loud noises, different schedules - it can be a doozy! A baby being overstimulated at the holidays is an age-old issue, and can be tough for new parents and babies to work through together. From keeping your baby sleep routine on holiday just right, even to your baby sleeping more on holiday, many aspects of this busy time can throw your little one off. Help prepare your baby for the upcoming holiday with these tips!

Plan naps accordingly

Make sure you plan your child’s naps around the time you’re going to sit down for dinner! If you need to leave the house at 1:30pm and your child usually naps from 12 - 2pm, wake your child up 30 minutes earlier that morning and put them down for their nap 30 minutes before their usual nap time. This should work for most children, but if it doesn’t, wake your child up when you need to leave and, if possible, put them to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal! Understanding and adapting to the new sleep schedule can be difficult with more people, more travel, and more changes in plans– so trying to make it work throughout each week can lead to many switches in rhythm. Remember to try your best to keep your baby holiday sleep routine feeling the same each day– at least to your little snoozer.

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If you are traveling, plan for naps during travel time

It is best to plan ahead and do whatever you need to do to keep your child comfortable and occupied during your traveling journey. Car seat naps are better than no naps, and naps in your arms when flying are perfectly fine! If baby isn't sleeping on holiday, lulling them to dreamland with soft, static noise may do just the trick. If you are traveling by car, I highly recommend using a travel white noise machine. This can help your baby fall asleep– and stay asleep– so every minute counts! 

If you are traveling by air, the plane is a natural source of white noise which is great. However, if baby is overstimulated at holidays, planes can be a big source of stress, too. Traveling can be distracting for babies and children. Consider using a baby carrier which can help extend naps and give you use of your arms– what a luxury! If you need your baby to focus on feeding, try bringing them into a family bathroom where there won’t be a lot of people or loud noises. When you are on the plane, try to put a swaddle blanket over you while your baby is feeding to drown out some of the distractions. Baby sleep on Holiday is all about knowing when, where, and how to get your little one some extra rest– but remember not to change their schedule up too much, or it can lead to you both missing some important overnight Zzz’s!

Don't forget the essentials 

If you are planning to have your child nap at your Thanksgiving destination, bring your child’s blanket, stuffed animal or lovey, crib sheet from home, sleepsuit and white noise machine. If baby is sleeping badly on holiday, it could also be because of the place you’re trying to get them to rest in. Try to set up a sleep space that is dark and separate from you.

If you are going to be at your Thanksgiving dinner late and it will coincide with bedtime, make sure you pack pajamas! Before you leave, bring your baby into a quiet room and change into their pajamas, make sure to wipe your child down before putting them in pajamas since you won’t have time for a full bath. That way, no matter where you are, you can stick to your baby sleep routine on holiday.  If they fall asleep in the car, do your best to transfer them to their sleep space when you get home.

Sleep Schedule

Part of baby sleeping badly during the holidays can largely be due to the chaotic schedule that comes along with the holidays. Respect your child’s sleep needs and do not over-schedule. Try to limit Thanksgiving plans to one house if possible, Plan for some down time before you leave for your Thanksgiving meal or before your guests arrive so that your child can rest and not get overstimulated. 

If you need help with assessing your baby's sleep space or have any sleep questions, please reach out to me, molly@sleepshore.com.  

   Baby Brezza is proud to partner with sleep coach Molly Leighton. She can help you get your your baby on a solid schedule and achieve your goals. Contact Molly at molly@sleepshore.com, visit her website at www.sleepshore.com or follow her on Instagram (@sleep.shore) or Facebook (@sleepshore)