How Can You Manage A Baby's Sleep Schedule While Travelling?

It is that time of the year again – winter is around the corner, and the festive season is knocking at the door. If you have a family vacation coming up, chances are you’ve figured your itinerary out and have made all the bookings. You may also be almost done with your packing. But worrying about your baby’s sleep schedule while travelling can put a damper on your excitement and travel plans.

Travelling with an infant is a challenging ordeal, especially because the little ones crave a fixed routine – whether it’s their meals or their sleep, any unplanned or sudden deviation from their fixed routines can have adverse effects on your baby’s well-being and health. Back home, you may have figured out a sleep routine that works best for your child after multiple tries. Removing your baby from their comfort zone into an unfamiliar territory and even new time zones can affect their sleep schedule. Travelling with your baby will not become painful and stressful if you plan in advance and follow a few simple tricks and strategies to ensure their sleep schedule is on track. A well-rested baby is, after all, a happy baby. This article will explore a few ways in which you can manage a baby's sleep schedule while travelling.  

Benefits of Maintaining a Fixed Sleep Schedule for Your Baby

Typically, infants need about twelve to fourteen hours of sleep every night. For babies aged less than one, a few hours of sleep during the day is required as well. In all, babies need about sixteen hours of sleep a day.

The idea of a fixed sleep schedule often meets with opposing reactions. While some parents swear by it, others consider it impractical. Actually, babies thrive on a fixed routine. They love consistency, just as much as adults. Every individual has an internal clock, and as babies, this clock is not matured yet. It develops as we grow up. A sleep schedule that is in line with your baby’s circadian rhythm will not only improve their quality of sleep but also prevent some health issues that arise with poor sleep – like digestive problems.

Maintaining a sleep schedule helps parents too, especially if both parents are working. Keeping a more or less fixed routine will help you predict in advance when your baby is likely to be awake, when they might feel tired and need a nap or even when they’ll be taking their meals. It allows you to plan your day in advance. The period when your baby is awake, in between naps and sleeping at night, is called a “wake window.”

Of course, it would be impractical to think that the exact same routine would work each day. Some days are more unpredictable than others, but your baby is more flexible and adaptable than you think.

How Can Travel Affect Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule?

We’ve established that babies prefer consistency. But what exactly do we mean by that? Consistency in their case refers to familiar spaces, sounds and smells that are part of their bedtime routines. All babies and their caretakers have certain bedtime rituals that they abide by – these act as cues which signal that it is time to rest and sleep.

Now, when you are travelling, your baby is suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar environment – with lots of new sounds, food and a completely unknown ambience. A newborn probably would be more adaptable than an infant who is a few months old and already aware of the surroundings. The new environment can be stimulating for your baby’s nervous system, and it may take longer than usual for them to shut their brains down and sleep. Not just babies, even adults have a hard time adjusting to new environments! Similarly, babies respond differently to different modes of travel and the time of the day during which you are travelling also plays a crucial role.

Managing Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule While Travelling

Your baby is much more resilient than you can imagine and managing the baby's sleep schedule while travelling is not going to be too difficult if you plan in advance. You also need to set realistic expectations and understand that your baby may need time to adjust to the new environment. They will, however, doze off when they are tired even if it’s not as per the routine and that should give you time to prepare for the next wake window.

If you are travelling to a different time zone, you must account for jet lag. Jet lags can affect the baby’s circadian rhythm, thus affecting their sleep patterns. One way of dealing with this is by exposing your baby to daylight and creating a calm, dimly lit ambience at night when it is time to sleep. As mentioned earlier, your baby will have certain cues which symbolize bed time – it could be a lullaby you sing, or a bedtime skin care ritual you follow for your baby or a particular toy that they like to cuddle with and sleep. Staying consistent with these bedtime rituals will make it easier for your baby to adjust to the change in time zone. On the contrary, if you are travelling only for a short period and do not want to tamper with your baby’s sleep schedule for the long haul, then you can try to induce the same sleeping rituals by doing some basic math to figure out your baby’s sleeping and wake windows. For instance, if your baby usually wakes up around 7 AM, and currently you are one hour ahead, then you need to plan in such a way that your baby’s waking time remains unchanged.  

If you’re on vacation, chances are you may have multiple activities and events planned throughout the trip. Do remember that what works for older kids and adults may not work for infants. They do need some amount of rest in between. There’s a common notion that keeping your baby engaged throughout the day will tire them enough and they’ll sleep well at night. But over stimulation throughout the day may do more harm than good; it could take longer for them to unwind and rest. You should also be planning transportation and travel around the baby’s nap timings. For instance, if your baby prefers to sleep for a couple of hours in the morning, you could plan your train or flight timings accordingly so that your baby can get a nap en route.

Remember, babies are like sponges, and they are constantly absorbing new sounds, new feelings and sensations, new colours and textures, new scents and so on. Can you imagine the impact on their tiny brains? While this could be an enriching experience for your baby, one that they too will cherish as they grow up, it could be tiring for them too. Hence, they may need longer and more frequent naps than they do at home. There’s no reason to be alarmed if they appear to be sleeping more than usual.

Quick Tips to Regularise Your Baby’s Sleep While on Vacation

Here are a few tips that can help you manage baby’s sleep schedule while travelling:

Make sure you create a checklist and pack the items you need for your baby’s sleep. This could be their favourite blanket or cuddly toy and some skin care items that you usually incorporate in their sleep routine.

Irrespective of whether you’re staying at a hotel or a relative’s house, set up a separate, designated sleep space. This would help bring some consistency to your baby’s sleep schedule.

As a parent, you should try to rest and sleep while your baby sleeps. That way, you will be better prepared to deal with your baby’s wake windows.

Do not over schedule activities while travelling with your baby. They need adequate rest throughout the day as well.

Pay attention to your baby’s needs and mood. A well-rested baby is likely to be cheerful and jolly. A baby who isn’t getting adequate sleep may be cranky and even cry more than usual. These could be signs that your baby is having a tough time adjusting to new routines.

Travelling with a baby, especially if this is your first time, can be tricky. While you plan your itinerary and make elaborate travel plans, ensure that you pay attention to your baby’s needs. Your baby may need a bit of time to adjust to new surroundings which could in turn affect their sleep patterns. But following some basic strategies could help make this transition a bit easier and help you manage baby’s sleep schedule while travelling.

FAQs

#1. Is a sleep routine for babies mandatory?

No, it is not mandatory for you to have a fixed sleep routine. But it certainly helps, because babies like routines and consistency.

#2. Will travel affect your baby’s sleep patterns?

Yes, travelling can have an impact on your baby’s sleep schedule and habits because they will be in new surroundings. This is all the more important if you are travelling to a different time zone.

#3. How can you manage your baby’s sleep schedule while travelling?

You can follow simple strategies like sticking to old bedtime rituals, syncing with local time and creating sleep spaces for the baby.

Sources

Sleep Foundation, Newborn Sleep Schedule | Sleep Foundation

HealthLine, Happy, Healthy Baby Sleep Schedule By Age: Newborn through 1 Year

Michi, R. (2020). The Baby Sleep Plan: Sleep Train Your Way to a Happy and Healthy Baby. Sourcebooks, Inc.

Nelms, B. C. (2006). Vacations: Helping Families Travel Safely. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 20(3), 155-157.

Jones, S., & Brennan, M. J. (2010). Great Expectations: Baby Sleep Guide. Union Square & Co..