I love to travel with my kids. Harper's first plane ride was at 9 weeks old and first road trip was 6 hours long at 2.5 weeks old. Our family lives 6 hours away and I was a bridesmaid is 3 weddings the summer she was born so we were on the move very quickly after I had her. Because I just knew it was happening, and it was for the best reasons I didn't think twice, we just went. Maybe it's luck, but I do think early practice for all of us helped mold the great little travelers our kids are.
I don't think sitting in car seats, eating in restaurants or sleeping in hotels comes natural to kids but I do think with practice and patience they can get good at it and it is just so fun for everyone. I do recommend setting yourself up for success though. Keeping sleep on the priority list helps because overtired kids are rarely our friends. If naps are going to be on the back burner because the days will be busy, keep bedtime on schedule or even a little early. Or if you know you are going to be up late, make sure that nap is a good one.
Bring blankies or stuffed animals from home to try to keep some consistency. If the white noise machine is portable, bring it! Have you seen these portable ones? They are great for being hooked to the stroller when you are on the go. The Baby Footprint has a few options.
A roll of tinfoil and some painters tape is all you need to take a room from broad daylight to complete darkness. 10/10 recommend keeping it dark to encourage good sleep. The slumber pod is another AMAZING option so if you travel regularly, give it a look.
(How cute are my tiny travelers? This was going to Palm Springs when they were 2 and 4.)
My most important tip for travel with kids is to not sweat the small stuff. If you are having a great time but all the sleep schedules have been pushed aside, who cares. You can get back on track as soon as you're home, don't delay once you are back, get right back to your normal.
Always remember that if you need some sleep solutions related to baby sleep or sleep training or if you just need to ask a quick question, shoot me a message, I'm happy to help.
Happy Sleeping, your friendly sleep coach,
Corie
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