Keep your little ones sleeping like dreamboats and have that relaxing holiday 🎉

If you’re one of the lucky ones jetting off to the slopes at Easter with your little ones, or even swanning off for some sun, you’ve probably got a little worry at the back of your mind about how they’re going to sleep. After all, even holidays on the piste are supposed to involve a little bit of relaxing.

It’s true that a good sleeper at home will be a good sleeper when away, but even the most solid snoozer will need a little bit of a support when dealing with timezone shifts or unfamiliar environments. Follow my simple tips to keep everything running smoothly.

❄️ TAKE FAMILIARITIES – week-old bedsheets, a drooly bunny and a snotty sleep sack may not be your idea of holiday packing, but your little one will relish things that smell like home when they’re in a new room. Likewise, pack their nightlight and whitenoise. It’s all about creating the familiar, which leads me to …

❄️ STICK TO YOUR ROUTINES – use the exact same bed and nap routine as you do at home. Take the same bubbles and bathtoys too. Your timings may wobble but if the routine stays the same, the cues won’t shift and it’ll make your return home much simpler.

❄️ DEAL WITH JETLAG – if you’re leaping time-zones, manage jet-lag by dealing with middle-of-the-night wake-ups the same way you would at home: dim lights, soft voices, nothing too exciting. Make the most of all that lovely daylight in the morning and then dimmer lights as you move towards bedtime – this is all about getting the right messages to the brain at the right time.

❄️ BE A SMART SHARER – if you’re all sharing a room and you don’t usually at home, get creative about giving your older baby or toddler her space: some parents hang a sheet between their bed and the cot to help minimise disturbances. It’s also where white noise comes into its own – you may be used to someone’s snoring, but is everyone???

❄️ KEEP UP THE NAPS – naptimes are the things that tend to get knocked around on holidays but do all you can to keep to a schedule to minimise any over tiredness: an overtired child comes with night wakings and a lovely early morning rise – the perfect holiday fun. Use naptime for YOU too: hang out on the balcony with your book and a mug of something soothing. Or catch up on some sleep too – you never know, you could come back looking refreshed.

❄️ PACK A PORTABLE BLACK OUT BLIND – lots of hotels and lodges go for flimsy curtains which can spell disaster for even the most settled of sleepers. The Gro Company do a great travel shade that’ll cover huge windows. You can also get buggy black out shades for on-the-go naps.

Taking a little one on holiday – or even more than one – comes with its own challenges but if you can keep them sleeping well, it’ll be so much easier to cherish those moments you really want to remember.

Struggling with your little one’s sleep? Get in touch to see how I can help.