Unhappy Homecoming: My Baby’s Having Sleep Problems Since We Returned Home From Traveling

If you’ve spent some time traveling with your baby and making some unforgettable memories, you may now be experiencing a downside: your little one’s having sleep problems. It may not make you feel any less tired but be assured that this is a common issue. A baby’s sleep routine can easily be disrupted, especially if later bedtimes or changing time zones have been in the mix. Happily, there are some easy steps you can take to get things back on track.

And if you’ve got an upcoming trip with your little one? There are plenty of tips below, too, to help keep your baby in their usual sleep routine while you’re away.

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Gradually Revert to a Normal Sleep Schedule

Trying to simply put your baby to bed at their pre-holiday bedtime – unless you’re very lucky – may well not work. Instead of instantly instigating normal bedtime, if it’s gotten seriously out of whack while away, try moving it forward by around fifteen minutes a day, until it’s back on track.

You may also want to use blackout blinds (if you don’t already) to promote a better sleeping environment and convince your baby it is time to drift off!

Stick with Your Regular Home Bedtime Routine

As soon as you’re home, it’s a good idea to revert to your baby’s normal bed and naptime routine, even if the timings are a little off. Reinstate regular bathtime, storytime, and milk time: whatever routine your baby has, get it going again. It’s understandably tempting, in the wake of a mountain of unpacking and laundry to get through, to allow things to stay in ‘holiday’ mode. However, doing so could set you up for an even more difficult struggle in getting things back on track later.

Avoid Overtiredness

It may sound counterintuitive, but overtiredness can be a significant cause of sleep problems in babies and young toddlers. If you’ve arrived home and your baby seems wide awake at bed or nap time, this could be deceiving. Rather than skipping the nap or pushing back bedtime by an hour, your baby could require more sleep.

For this reason, it’s more important than ever, after all the excitement of your trip, to ensure that your little one is getting the sleep they need. Babies between three and six months old should typically have three naps a day and ten to eleven hours of sleep at night, while little ones between six and nine naps will still require two or three naps a day, and around eleven hours of sleep at night.

Could it be a Sleep Regression?

It’s also worth considering whether the sleep problems you’re experiencing could have to do with a sleep regression. These regressions happen periodically as a baby grows, and are linked to brain and physical development. The 4 month sleep regression, for example, tends to happen as – ironically – a result of babies transitioning from newborn sleep patterns into a more regular cycle of sleep, with daytime naps potentially shortening and longer time spent sleeping at night.

If the current issues are the result of a sleep regression, then rest assured that it should be a temporary situation. Your baby is likely to be back in a great sleep routine within a relatively short time.

Tips for Keeping a Sleep Schedule for Your Baby While Traveling

Prevention is always better than cure, so taking some steps to keep your baby’s sleep routine as intact as possible while you’re traveling could pay dividends. Try these tips:

As far as possible, plan travel, such as flight times, during periods when your baby would normally be sleeping or napping.
Build sufficient downtime into your itinerary, spent at the accommodation, to allow your baby to rest or sleep.
Keep a familiar, loved item to hand for your baby’s sleep, such as a soft toy or blanket they normally nap with.
Consider investing in a breathable stroller cover, so that it’s easier for your baby to nap on the go. They’re great for blocking out distractions as well as the light!
Think about getting a white noise machine for your trip. These devices can be an effective means of blocking out unfamiliar noises that could otherwise prevent your baby from sleeping.
If you can, incorporate as many familiar elements of their home bedtime routine as possible, even if this is just the story you read or the song you sing before settling them in their cot.

Happy Homecomings: Helping Your Baby Sleep After Returning from a Trip

However hard we try to keep our baby’s sleep routine intact while we’re away, it’s usual for things to slip a little – or a lot! Try not to stress about this: taking some simple steps once you return home is generally all that’s needed to get things back on track, and everyone sleeping through the night again.

If your baby continues to be unsettled at night, however, trust your instincts, and speak to your healthcare provider to check there’s not an underlying issue causing the problem.

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