{"id":1604,"date":"2016-11-19T22:18:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-19T22:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/?p=1604"},"modified":"2026-09-11T15:44:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T15:44:27","slug":"sleep-tips-baby-during-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/19\/sleep-tips-baby-during-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Tips for Baby During Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>updated, December 2, 2023 <\/em><\/strong>&#8211; Baby&#8217;s sleep habits and routines are often thrown out the window during travel but they don&#8217;t have to be! Sleep Tips for Baby During Travel can help your newborn, infant and you sleep soundly while visiting family or taking a vacation.  Safe sleep, preparation and keeping your baby&#8217;s schedule consistent will make your trip easy on the whole family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"mom and dad in restaurant smiling while mom holds baby. Staying on baby's time is one of the Sleep Tips for Baby During Travel\" class=\"wp-image-4196\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Sleep-Tips-for-Baby-During-Travel.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Practice at home<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Many times babies are not used to sleeping anywhere except the crib, so you can put baby in a travel bed or pack-n-play&nbsp;for naptime at home in the weeks leading up to the trip. By doing this, the novelty of being in a new sleep environment will wear off. You&#8217;re also controlling the sleep situation, ensuring that your baby is in a safe sleep environment; alone on a firm flat mattress and staying flat on their back. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/30\/10-steps-safe-sleep-baby\/\">10 Steps to Safe Sleep for Baby<\/a> for more info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Keep sleep routine as close to home as possible to help baby feel safe and secure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-regular-font-size\">Dress your baby in the familiar, cozy clothes they&#8217;re accustomed to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-regular-font-size\">If renting a full-sized travel crib from a hotel, bring bedsheets from your baby\u2019s crib at home to recreate familiar sleep environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-regular-font-size\">Sing the same bedtime songs you sing at home and read favorite books.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Once at the destination, do not rely on carseats for safe sleep.While it is tempting to let a sleeping baby spend the night by in carseat or stroller, the only safe sleep spot for newborns and infants up to age 1 is alone, on a firm flat mattress and laying flat on their back. Sleeping alone means the area should also be free of toys and blankets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Try to stay on baby\u2019s time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">If possible, try to keep naptimes and bedtimes as close to the same schedule as at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When traveling across time zones, gradually adjust baby\u2019s bedtime in the days leading up to the trip. This means putting your baby to sleep 10-15 minutes earlier every 2 or 3 days for about 2 weeks if you&#8217;re traveling to a time zone that is earlier. Do the reverse and keep your infant up a little later by 10-15 minutes in the weeks prior to traveling to a time zone where the time is ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Some parents like to travel at night so baby can sleep and wake up in destination refreshed. This can lead to an exhausting first day of the trip for you.  But if you can \u201ctag-team\u201d with your partner by alternating napping and caring for baby during the first day, then traveling at night could be a possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Slow it down.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t expect to have a jam-packed sight seeing schedule. All the new sights, sounds, and experiences are very stimulating and exciting for baby. Baby could get fussy if overstimulated and too exhausted. As OG infant sleep expert Dr. Weissbluth has said, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/marcweissbluth.com\/59-the-weissbluth-method-q-and-a-2-of-2\/\" title=\"sleep begets sleep\">sleep begets sleep<\/a>.<\/em> Keeping baby awake longer than his\/her bodies need may work for one night or one nap, but fighting against baby\u2019s natural rhythms leads to meltdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sleep Tips for Baby During Travel &#8211;  Stay Strong When Well Meaning -or <em>not <\/em>well meaning- Folks Offer Unhelpful Advice!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you&#8217;re a parent or not, visiting family around the holidays can mean hearing lots of unsolicited opinions. Stay strong when these opinions aren&#8217;t helpful or safe! Block it out if you&#8217;re nursing and someone snarkily says, &#8220;She&#8217;s breastfeeding <em>again<\/em>?!&#8221;  And ignore those who say &#8220;All my kids slept on their stomachs and they&#8217;re fine!&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"822\" data-id=\"4198\" src=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bad-holiday-advice.png\" alt=\"unsolicited newborn care opinions over the holidays!\" class=\"wp-image-4198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bad-holiday-advice.png 788w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bad-holiday-advice-288x300.png 288w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bad-holiday-advice-768x801.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 788px) 100vw, 788px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">unsolicited newborn care opinions over the holidays!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"854\" height=\"836\" data-id=\"4197\" src=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/breastfeeding-over-the-holidays.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/breastfeeding-over-the-holidays.png 854w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/breastfeeding-over-the-holidays-300x294.png 300w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/breastfeeding-over-the-holidays-768x752.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">breastfeeding over the holidays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"862\" height=\"840\" data-id=\"4199\" src=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/safe-sleep-for-babies-is-on-their-backs.png\" alt=\"safe sleep for babies is on their backs\" class=\"wp-image-4199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/safe-sleep-for-babies-is-on-their-backs.png 862w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/safe-sleep-for-babies-is-on-their-backs-300x292.png 300w, https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/safe-sleep-for-babies-is-on-their-backs-768x748.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>updated, December 2, 2023 &#8211; Baby&#8217;s sleep habits and routines are often thrown out the window during travel but they don&#8217;t have to be! Sleep Tips for Baby During Travel can help your newborn, infant and you sleep soundly while visiting family or taking a vacation. Safe sleep, preparation and keeping your baby&#8217;s schedule consistent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[269],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-infant-toddler-sleep"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1604"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6679,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604\/revisions\/6679"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}