So you’ve made it to your end-destination and you think it’s time to relax. If you are changing time zone by more than a few hours, I would say that the next few days are the most challenging. You are probably somewhat sleep deprived the first 24 hours at your destination, so it’s crucial that you sleep when your kids sleep.
You may have to accept alternative methods to get baby to sleep when traveling. My toddler sleeping in a pram.
Sleep at your new destination
My kids are so exhausted from a long trip (to Denmark or to South Africa) that they sleep well the first night (with some wakings). However, night 2-6 are entirely different. They go to bed fairly well at 7.30/8 pm because that coincides with their afternoon nap time at home. But then we are usually awake from 12-2/3 AM until their inner clock tells them it is bed time. On good nights, they are awake simultaneously. On bad nights, the other wakes up once I finally manage to get the first one to go back to sleep. Not cool!
A few tips that help kids transition to sleep in a new location:
Stick to the same bedtime routine and sleep triggers - ALWAYS bring a familiar toy/lovey.
Keep the type of beds similar to the ones at home if possible.
Stay with your little ones (or stay close) the first 1-2 days. They might be terrified of their new surroundings.
Prepare your little ones in advance by telling them about where they will sleep and how their bodies might think it’s time to play when it’s in fact time to sleep. Make your own sleep book if possible that shows the room and/or bed they will be sleeping in (can be done when staying with family who can send pictures in advance).
Keep water and healthy foods/snacks handy so they can eat when waking up hungry without you having to go on a wild hunt for a meal.
Talk to them about the journey you’ve just made and what you will be doing in the days to come.
Stick to the local sleep schedule to quickly teach them when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep. You may have to wake them up from their naps late in the day if it’s getting too close to the their bed time.
Pick your battles carefully. You need sleep as well, so if baby will only sleep next to you and not in his own crib, so be it. But prepare for the battle later then.
Have access to a stroller or a car and a baby carrier to lull your little ones to sleep.
What to do if your kids can’t sleep
As discouraging as this sounds, I don’t think much can be done for this. Think of it as a good time to snuggle and connect with your kids - which is a challenge when you’re screaming for sleep. If they can’t fall asleep, have them go to bed a little later than you prefer.
If they wake up in the middle of the night, keep the activities quiet, make sure they eat something (they will be hungry because their bodies think it’s dinner time), and try to stay positive.
Accept the setbacks. The hardest part on one of our trips was that my otherwise night-weaned baby suddenly demanded milk at night again because he still nursed during the day and had his biggest feed at dinner time. I actually ended up weaning him altogether while away because it controlled his sleep so much that we both ended up being exhausted. But that meant I had to sit up with him for an hour many nights while he fought his best to make me cave in.
What happens when you return home?
The trip home can often be even harder because everyone is exhausted from the vacation. It can be harder for your little ones to sleep because your flights are ‘daytime’ flights, but their new inner clock is telling them it’s bedtime.
Bring lots of snacks and some new toys for the plane and just go with the flow. Our kids slept very little on the way home (a 24 hour journey) but very late (4 AM) once we got back. But they adjusted much quicker back to their normal time zone. We made sure to put them - and ourselves - to bed very early because we knew they would be up early.
Kids and parents are very different. Find out what works for you, but please know that you’ve got this!
You may have to accept alternative methods to get baby to sleep when traveling.