The holidays are here and that can wreak havoc on a good sleep routine! From traveling, plans that aren’t conducive to good naps, and well-intentioned family members or friends that may want to keep your little one awake well past their nap or bedtime.
That can lead to an overtired mess which means a lot of interrupted sleep for everyone-- but it doesn’t have to!
Here are top 5 tips for enjoying the holidays with a well-rested little one.
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Try to work on sleep habits prior to the holidays if you know you’re going to be busy. Little ones typically sleep best at home anyway, so improving their sleep habits there and keeping them well rested at home will go a long way in maintaining those habits when you’re not home.
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Recreate your sleep environment and routines as best as you can. Using things like a slumberpod, white noise, and your Kyte BABY sleep bag just like you do at home helps them accept sleep more in a new environment. Keeping the same routines around sleep keeps things predictable and also helps!
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Familiarize them with their sleep environment prior to having them sleep there the first time. Even if it means you’re a little late on a nap time or bedtime; it’s better for them to know the room prior to sleeping in there!
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If you’re traveling or have plans, try to have the first nap of the day happen at home, in their own sleep space. Otherwise, try to maintain a *mostly* normal nap schedule while traveling or staying in a new place-- we all know an overtired child is not going to go to sleep as easily or stay asleep as easily as one who is better rested!
- If all else fails, lower your expectations a little bit. Sometimes the loss of sleep is worth the extra time you have and the memories you’re making with friends or family. You can get back on track whenever you’re home!
Some extra tips to help you keep your sanity with sleep during the holidays:
If you’re traveling to a new time zone, try to jump right into the new time when you get there. Lots of natural light will help them adjust to the time as it resets their circadian rhythm!
If they’re going to be around unfamiliar people, make sure to give them some extra 1:1 time during their routines, away from people they don’t know; so start their routine 10-15 minutes earlier to help with this!
Give everyone a heads up if needed about when naps happen, how you handle sleep or protest around sleep, and if needed, a little bit of humor helps like a sign that says, “wake the sleeping baby and you can stay up with the cranky baby!”
And finally, jump right back into the normal routine whenever you get home; no 1 or 2 days of adjustment.. Right into the routine. That’s the quickest way to hit the reset button!
Author Bio: Ashley Olson is a certified pediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep, and passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, desperate and sleep-deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 3 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one on one support in changing sleep practices!
