From the expert: Navigating your child's sleep while travelling

From our 2023 scholar Alana Metallo, a certified sleep consultant and founder of MetaSleep Consulting

Planning a family vacation can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are so many moving parts involved when taking your little ones away from their familiar surroundings. Managing your child’s sleep while travelling can make your trip more enjoyable. We all know that an overtired child is not fun for anyone to be around.

Does this mean you have to plan your whole trip around your child’s sleep? No, it doesn’t. However, taking the following into consideration will help to make your vacation run more smoothly.

As a sleep consultant, I work with many families to help them prepare and sustain their children’s sleep while travelling. This allows them to fully enjoy all parts of their vacation. Here are some tips that will help you make travelling with your children more enjoyable.

A new sleep space

Both adults and children feel most comfortable with familiar sleep environments. Travelling changes things, and it may cause disruptions to everyone’s sleep. Sleeping in an unfamiliar place can be scary. Below are a couple of suggestions to feel safe and secure in this new sleep space.

Make it as familiar as possible:

• Bring their lovey and/or favourite blanket.
• Pack the sound machine.
• Bring their sleep sack.
• Create a dark room.
• Follow the same nap/bedtime routine as at home.

Create a separate sleep space:

•  If possible, create their own sleep space (large closet, bathroom, hanging sheets)
• Invest in a Slumberpod for children who are still in a crib/pack-and-play. They can also be used with a toddler mattress. A Slumberpod creates a dark sleep space for your little one with easy setup and take down.

Practice makes progress:

• If you’re using a pack-and-play or Slumberpod, I suggest practicing a few times before leaving for vacation. This allows your child to become familiar with this new sleep space.

Routines:

•  Consistency is key! Follow the same routines for naps and bedtime as you do at home. This will allow your child to feel more comfortable in the new sleep environment.
• If your child falls asleep independently at home, allow them to do the same while you travel. If they are struggling, you can provide extra support as needed.

Sleeping on an airplane

As a mom of three, I know how challenging it can be to have my children sleep on an airplane. I'm sure you've witnessed those babies that are upset the entire flight. It can be very stressful for the parents and the child when the expectation is that your child should be sleeping at a certain time. It is important to remember to be flexible and give yourself grace. Here are a couple of things you can do to try and get your child some sleep during your flight.

Baby sleep:

• Do whatever you need to do to get them to sleep (feed, rock, hold, bounce, etc.) Remember this is short term and will help to maintain your mental health on the flight.
• Bring the sound machine and sleep sack.
• Pack toys to keep them entertained during their wake times.

Toddler sleep:

• Bring familiar items from home, such as their favourite blanket, lovey or pillow.
• Toddlers can stay awake longer and may not be able to rest due to the exciting and stimulating environment.
• Bring snacks, toys, iPad/tablets, colouring, playdough, books, stickers, etc., to keep them occupied.

 
Try not to stress if your little one didn’t sleep on the plane. It is very common for them not to sleep. This might have your child feeling overtired when you get to your destination, so keep this in mind when they become irrational. They will benefit from an earlier bedtime, if possible, to allow them to recoup lost sleep. Set up your child’s sleep space with them. They will love to be a part of the process!

Time zones

I suggest hopping right into the new time zone. You might need to offer a cat nap to get you to bedtime. You can help adjust to the new time zone by getting outside and soaking up the sunlight. Natural light signals our bodies that we should be awake. This will help to build sleep pressure (your body's drive for sleep).

Overall, manage your expectations

Travelling with young children can be a lot to juggle. I can promise that if you manage your expectations ahead of time, things will feel less stressful. You will enjoy your children and your vacation much more if you expect the following:

• It can take a couple of days to adjust to a new sleep environment.
• Night wakings may occur, even if they don’t at home. This is common.
• You may need to support your child to sleep at the beginning. Try to avoid introducing new sleep associations that you do not want to continue going forward.
• Pack all the familiar items to make your child feel safe and secure in their new sleep space.
• Follow the same routines for naps and bedtime as you do at home. This helps to maintain a predictable and consistent routine.

Planning your next trip and want some one-on-one support? Book a 30-minute call with MetaSleep Consulting and we will guide you on how to manage sleep on your next trip so you can enjoy your vacation to the fullest. 

www.metasleepco.com