Travelling with a baby is often an adventure in itself, with little ones sometimes requiring as much packing (travel cot, car seat, baby bath, nappies and more nappies) as the rest of the family put together.
You may be planning some deep relaxation and lazy lounging around, or the holiday schedule may be packed with days out, beach games, wandering around galleries or visiting a theme park.
Either way, getting enough sleep is essential to enjoying a real break, and that can mean some preparation in advance to make sure babies get sufficient rest – because the happiness of everyone else may depend on it!
Don’t forget travel insurance for the peace of mind of knowing that if anything goes wrong, you should be covered for loss or damage to belongings, medical emergencies and travel delays.
Here are some top tips for helping a baby sleep on holiday:
- A darkened room is important so take a portable blackout blind or dark material to hang over the curtains/window. Babies are more likely to settle back to sleep if they wake during a nap or in the night if the room is dimly lit.
- Having familiar things around will help a baby associate a new bed or different environment with safety and security: pack some items of bedding from home, special toys or a cuddly toy that usually sits in the cot.
- Try to use holiday time to recharge your own batteries if there are friends or family around who can help with day-to-day tasks.The odd siesta or lie-in will make you more relaxed and your baby will sense it.
You’re on holiday, but it’s good to avoid too many late nights for adults as well as children – because everyone will suffer from lack of sleep!
Tips from travel firm Content&Calm and baby sleep specialist Vicki Scott RM.