Traveling With a Baby: Sleep Tips for Cars, Planes, and Hotels

The thought of taking a baby on a plane is enough to make many parents stay home for 5 years. But traveling with kids is possible—and can even be fun—if you lower your expectations and prep your sleep strategy.

The Golden Rule: The 80/20 Rule

At home, you aim for 100% schedule adherence. On vacation, aim for 80%.

• If naps happen in the stroller? Fine.
• If bedtime is an hour late? Fine.
• If they snack all day? Fine. Just try to protect one solid crib nap a day or an early bedtime to prevent total meltdown.

Plane Travel

• Flight Timing: Try to book a flight during nap time... if your child sleeps in arms/car seats. If they are too distracted to sleep, fly during a wake window so they play on the plane and sleep when you land.
• Ears: Suck/swallow helps pop ears during takeoff/landing. Nurse, bottle-feed, or offer a pacifier.
• The Car Seat: If you can afford a seat for baby, bring their car seat on the plane. It’s safer and they know how to sleep in it.

The Hotel Room Setup

Hotels are exciting! Which means... nobody wants to sleep.

1. Create a "Room": If you are sharing a room, create a visual barrier.
   • Put the crib in the walk-in closet (leave door cracked for air!).
   • Put the crib in the bathroom (large luxury bathrooms only—moved out if someone showers!).
   • Use a "SlumberPod" (blackout privacy tent) over the Pack 'n Play.
2. Mimic Home: Bring the noise machine. Bring the unwashed sleep sack (smells like home). Bring the crib sheet.
3. Light: Hotel curtains often have gaps. Bring 4-5 chip clips or painter's tape to clip the curtains shut.

Time Zones

• Short Trip (<3 days): Stay on home time! If you live in CA and go to NY, put them down at 10 PM NY time (7 PM CA time) and let them sleep until 10 AM NY time.
• Long Trip (3+ days): Adjust immediately. Get them out in sunlight first thing in the morning to reset their circadian rhythm.

Car Travel

• The Motion Nap: Car naps are not as restorative as crib naps, but they count.
• Stops: Stop every 2-3 hours to get them out. Babies should not be in a car seat for longer than that due to positional asphyxiation risks and spine strain.

Coming Home

Expect a "vacation hangover." They might wake up at night or fight naps for 3-4 days after you return. Solution: Get back to strict routine immediately. Don't start new bad habits to "fix" it. Just ride it out. They will remember the routine.