How to Preserve Your Child’s Sleep Schedule During the Holidays
The holiday season, while typically a time to look forward to, can strike fear into a tired new parent’s heart. You’re envisioning trying to get your little one to sleep in a pack & play at a relative’s house, or having your baby passed around by 20 relatives until they eventually start screaming.
I have already gotten a few messages from my sleep coaching clients, nervously asking “how do we survive Christmas?”
Honestly? You don’t have to let stress about your child’s schedule steal your joy. These are some of my thoughts…
Try to stick to your child’s usual routine as much as possible
Even if you’re traveling or having relatives stay at your home, you should still attempt to preserve that normalcy of routine for your baby or child. If they usually nap at 9 and 1, they can still nap at or around 9 and 1 wherever they are. Bring along a pack & play as well as a couple familiar necessities from home such as their sound machine and blanket and take them into a quiet corner or guest room to prepare for sleep.
2. Help your child avoid overstimulation
Gifts, decorations, rowdy cousins, lights, music, and different foods are all things outside of the “norm” for your child’s daily routine and can lead to overstimulation. Nobody suffers from an overstimulated child’s screams quite as much as their parents do ;) so try to protect your child by taking breaks to spend quiet moments together in a calm environment.
3. Plan meals and get togethers around your child’s schedule
Can your grandma serve dinner at 6 instead of 8? Can you go look at Christmas lights at dusk instead of 7:30? Could you have the big gift opening gathering after breakfast instead of during afternoon naptime?
4. Don’t stress
Your child will pick up on your stress, so try not to worry too much. Kids are super adaptable. When you already have your child in a great routine at home, it’s really not too difficult for them to slip back into it once the festivities are over. Just like you don’t mind letting them have a few holiday treats since 90% of their diet at home is healthy food, it’s okay to let them stay up for a holiday event for one or two nights and then get back into the routine once it’s all over.
I hope you all have a Christmas that is low on stress and high on delicious foods, rich with good conversation with loved ones, and that your baby breaks a minimal number of ornaments. :)
Not sure what your baby’s daily nap schedule should actually be? Click the image below to get a free schedule according to your child’s age.
