You are not crazy, this is a realistic fear.
Between the travel, excitement, constant attention and then travel all over again, the holidays are the single easiest way to throw all of your hard work out with the wrapping paper and turkey bones.
But I’m going to tell you, it doesn’t have to be that way! With some strategic planning and an iron will, you can keep that carefully orchestrated routine running just the way you did at home.
There are two major obstacles to your little one’s sleep over the holidays. One is travel and the other is family and friends, so I want to tackle both of those topics individually.
First off, travel.
If you’re thinking about starting sleep training, but you’ve planned a trip in a couple weeks, my suggestion is to wait until you get back. (Although, if you’re looking for an excuse to cancel your trip, not wanting to throw your baby’s sleep schedule out of whack is a pretty good one. Just sayin’!)
If you’ve already started, not to worry. Taking a trip typically won’t help your little one sleep better, but if you are able maintain some semblance of normalcy until the end of your trip, you and your baby should be ready to get back to business as soon as you return home.
If you’re driving to your destination, a clever trick is to schedule your driving time during your child’s naps, not at bedtime. Car naps aren’t ideal, but compared to broken, motion sleep over night, they’re the lesser of two evils by a mile. So, if at all possible, get on the road right around the time that baby/toddler would normally be taking their first nap.
Even better, you might look for some parks, tourist attractions, or other outdoor activities that are on your route where you can stop when your child wakes up. It’s a great chance to get out into the sunshine and fresh air, which will make that next nap that much easier.
If you’re flying, well, my heart goes out to you.
It’s no secret that planes and babies, especially toddlers, just don’t seem to like each other, so I suggest (and this is the only time you’ll hear me say this) that you do whatever gets you through the flight with a minimum amount of fuss. Hand out snacks, let them play with your phone or let them do whatever keeps them calm (and is safe.)
The truth is, if they don’t want to sleep on the plane, they’re not going to, so don’t try to force it. It will just result in a lot of frustration for both of you.
All right! You’ve arrived, and hopefully managed to maintain some degree of sanity. Now, comes the hardest part.
While in the car or on the plane, everybody is on your side, right? Keeping baby quiet and relaxed, and hopefully asleep, is just what everyone is rooting for.
But now that you’re at Grandma and Grandpa’s place, it’s just the opposite. Everyone wants baby awake so they can see them, play with them, take a thousand pictures, and get them ridiculously overstimulated. And it’s exceptionally difficult to tell all of these friends and family members that you’re putting an end to the fun because baby needs to get to sleep.
If you need permission to be the bad guy, I’m giving it to you! Don’t negotiate, don’t make exceptions, and don’t feel bad about it. Firmly explain to anyone who’s giving you the “I’ll just sneak a quick peek” routine, that your child’s sleep is a priority and you’re not taking any chances of them waking up. Let them know when baby will be getting up and tell them to hang around, come back, or catch-up the next time. Or better yet, tell people in advance when to expect some baby time, based on their sleep schedule.
I know it sounds harsh, but the alternative is an almost immediate backslide right back into day one. Baby misses a nap, gets all fired up because of all the new faces and activity, then overtiredness kicks in, cortisol production goes up, and the next nap is ruined, which results in more overtiredness which derails nighttime sleep, and before you know it, you’re headed home and it seems like baby did nothing but cry the entire trip.
I’m not even slightly exaggerating. It happens that quickly.
So OK, you’ve steeled your nerves and let everyone know that you’re not budging on your child’s schedule. She took her naps at the right times, and now it’s time for bed. The only catch is that, with all of the company staying at the house, there’s only one room for you and baby.
No problem, right? Bed sharing for a few nights isn’t the end of the world, after all.
I wish I could make it that easy for you, but again, you want to make this as little of a deviation from the normal routine as possible. Not only can babies develop a real affinity for sleeping in the same bed with you in as little as one night, but the risk of suffocation/injury from overlay or falling off isn’t worth it.
This may sound a little unorthodox, but if you’re sharing a room, what I suggest is simple.
Make it into two rooms.
You don’t need to bust out the lumber and drywall, but I do suggest hanging a blanket, setting up a dressing screen, or, yes, I’m going to go ahead and say it, put baby in the closet.
A decent sized closet is a great place for your child to sleep in a Pack ‘N Play. It’s dark, it’s quiet, she won’t be distracted by being able to see you, and people accidentally walking in and out of the room are much less likely to distract her.
And while we’re on the subject of “no exceptions,” that rule extends to all other sleep props. You might be tempted to slip baby a pacifier or rock her to sleep if she’s disturbing the rest of the house, but baby is going to latch on to that really, really quickly, and chances are you’ll be waking up every hour or two, rocking baby back to sleep or putting her pacifier back in, which is going to end up disturbing everyone a lot worse than a half hour of crying at 7:00 at night.
Now, on a serious note, I find the biggest reason that parents give in on these points is, quite simply, because they’re embarrassed. There’s a house full of eyes and they’re all focused on the baby, and by association, the parents.
The feeling that everyone is making judgments about how you’re parenting is nearly overwhelming in these family gatherings, but in those moments, remember what’s really important here.
Your child, your family, and their health and well-being.
There may well be a few people who feel a bit jaded because you put baby to bed just when they got in the door, and your mother might tell you that putting your baby in the closet for the night is ridiculous, but remember you’re doing this for a very noble cause. Perhaps the most noble cause there is. A restful sleep = a more joyous occasion.
So, stand tall and remember that you’re a superhero, defending sleep for those who are too small to defend it for themselves. If you want to wear a cape and give yourself a cool superhero name, you go right ahead, Super Sleep Defender. Just remember that, like any superhero, you may be misunderstood by the masses.
Ignore them. You’re on a mission. You got this!
Feel like you need more confidence in order to keep your baby or toddler sleeping well during your trip? I’ve got your back! I will create a custom sleep survival plan, based on your travel plans, for a well-rested child and confident parents this holiday. Don’t hesitate, book your call here to start: Free Sleep Evaluation.
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