Travelling the world with your baby can be a beautiful experience that bonds you when being a family is still brand new! You may even have heard friends say that—once you’ve got passports, visas, and vaccinations in order—it's much easier than taking trips with a toddler, so hurry up and book before the terrible twos! However, one thing that can result in a cranky, needy baby when you travel is a disrupted sleep schedule, so Unii’s put together some top tips for sustaining your baby’s peaceful slumber (and your own) while you're away from home.

How important is it to maintain my baby’s sleep schedule while we’re travelling?

Ideally, you’d stick rigidly to your baby’s sleeping schedule no matter where you are or what you’re doing. However, in real life and on real holidays, you may have to be more flexible. Just like mum and dad, babies can get jet lag; they need to adjust to time differences, and they have to get used to an unfamiliar sleep environment. Try mimicking what your baby’s awake windows are at home (i.e., use the same hour gaps you would between naps and sleep to time when you put them down in their new location) to stabilise their sleep while you’re away. Keep an eye on how much they sleep to ensure they don’t become depleted. There’s no need to get neurotic about this—you are on holiday, after all—but your baby is less likely to keep you up all night if they’re getting roughly the same amount of sleep as usual in the daytime.

How can I encourage my baby to sleep on an airplane?

Some airlines have airline bassinetes, or “sky cots,” for babies under six months. Some will also let you have a child under two sit on your lap in the air, but the American Association of Pediatrics recommends against this, advising you to put a carseat on the plane seat next to you and strap your baby in as normal. You can usually find out if your car seat is airplane-compliant from the manufacturer’s website. Try to put your baby in the middle or window seat rather than the aisle seat, as it’s easy for flight attendants to bump into the aisle seat armrest during in-flight service. It also saves you having to pass hot food or drinks over your baby's car seat during the flight.

How can I encourage my baby to sleep in a car?

Give your baby a break from the car seat every two hours to support their physical comfort and never leave them alone in the car. Dress them in the layers you normally would; it’s very easy for them to become overheated.

How do I create the best sleep environment for my baby in my hotel, AirBnB, or other holiday accommodation?

Safety first! No matter where you’re staying, your baby’s cot or crib needs to be compliant with safety regulations. Check to make sure no pieces were left out when it was put together that might cause it to collapse later. Carseats are not meant for babies to sleep in when they’re not sitting in their base, so try to bring alternatives, such as your own crib mattress, if you feel you’ll need a backup for the crib at your accommodation. Travel cots are also generally very compact; it’s really just a matter of whether you want to spend the money.
As recommended by the Lullaby Trust, keep the room temperature between 16 and 20 °C (roughly 61 and 68 °F).
Keep the crib away from doors, windows, ceiling vents, air conditioning, or anything through which they may be exposed to noise or blasts of air.
Always ensure that your accommodation is entirely non-smoking (remember that smoke can travel into non-smoking rooms through vents and fans).
One top tip is to bring a tight-fitting sheet for the cot or crib mattress that isn’t freshly washed, so it smells like home! Cot mattresses are a standard size, so this should work whether you use the hotel’s equipment or your own. You could also consider bringing a sleeping bag your baby would use at home for extra comfort and a familiar scent.
Make sure there are no cords your baby can grab within three feet of the crib or cot.
When you’re sure the environment is safe, consider that, as when you’re at home, the room should be dark. Hotels are usually good about curtains that help you create this effect, but there are also portable window covers and blackout blinds you can pack for holidays.
A travel white noise machine could be helpful to parents who use white noise at home. It probably won’t help you to start experimenting with them just because you’re away. Music and other sounds your baby can usually hear while falling asleep at home could also help, though it is important to keep the volume to a maximum of 50 decibels, and, as music can be intellectually stimulating for a baby, try to play it before you turn out the lights and see how your little one responds.

What are some other smells that encourage my baby to sleep when we're travelling?

As with white noise, if it isn’t a familiar smell your baby will associate with sleep from home, it probably won’t be effective. Remember, too, that a newborn’s sense of smell is more sensitive than an older baby, and aromatherapy-like smells may cause lung irritation in babies under three months. However, smells can be a lovely way of creating ritualistic sleep reminders at home. If your baby is older than three months, your paediatrician has approved chamomile, rosemary, or some other lovely scent, and you're confident your baby is used to smelling it around their cot at home, you should definitely give a sleep smell a try on holiday.

What if my baby just won’t sleep when we’re travelling?

If you’re not confident the tips above will work, consider making sure you have a well-established sleep routine before you go away and practice that whenever you want to take them somewhere overnight. This relaxing half hour before bed could involve a particular babygro, a favourite lullaby or story, a warm bath, a baby massage with consistent use of the same oil or lotion, and quality time with mum or dad.

For more advice on helping your baby get their best sleep, watch Unii’s Baby Sleep Video Journey with award-winning sleep practitioner Sam Sadighi.

What are some sleeping tips for travelling with my baby?