Sunday, June 26, 2011
Filed under: Travel
My family and I spend a good portion of our summer camping. We took our first camping trip with our now 3 kids back in April, when I put together a series of tips on how you too can go camping with your infants. In follow-up to that, I was interviewed by The Globe and Mail's Dakshana Bascaramurty about "How to camp with a baby."
As the article states, there is a new generation afoot about living life with baby - not stopping life entirely because of baby. We take our children on trips, we take them camping, and we take them outdoors. But taking baby requires a few extra steps, and a few concessions to comfort, as the article details.
As I detail in page 2 of the article, our 'camping' is with an RV, with allows us to mimic Hendrix's home environment where there is little light at night and a white noise machine. If you opt for a tent, you should do whatever you can to mimic your home environment, whether that be bringing along home sheets for the playpen, using the sleep sac, or having a battery-operated white noise machine.
| Posted by Cheeky Chops at 3:55PM |
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Filed under: Travel
As you know, I have been one of the experts selected to contribute to the Spring Fling running from May 15th through May 31st. This is part of the Positive Parenting Network where other selected experts have shared or will be sharing their wisdom to empower parents to raise happy, healthy and vibrant children.
Well today, its my turn to make a contribution SO, happy reading!!
Believe it or not, summer is nearly here! If you, like many familes put off travel due to your children's sleeping habit's or go away for a much deserved rest, only to return with bags under your eyes larger than the suitcase you carried, you may wonder how to set up a suitable sleeping arrangment for your family, during trips both abroad and locally.
As a sleep consultant, I often get asked the following questions frequently prior to summer:
- Where should my child sleep whilst away?
- How can I maintain a bedtime whilst on holiday in a hotel?
- How do I adjust my child to the time change?
Of course, if you have a child who does not sleep well at home before you leave, then it's very likely they will not sleep well whilst on holiday; in which case you should work on modifying your child's sleep behaviour's in good time, before you leave. If you don't know how - then feel free to contact me to see how I can help you, through my one on one coaching services.
If you have a child who is a great sleeper at home, but you are afraid to go away incase it unravels, then test out these tips and feel free to add a comment on what has and has not worked for you below.
Here is a list of my favourite tips to help you turn your helliday into a holiday - so sit back - slap on the sunscreen and enjoy!
Plan ahead.
- Have realistic expectations.
Planning Ahead: First and foremost before you go, think about the anticpated space that you will be staying in and all the things that you child use's at home, for sleeping. Make sure that you take it with you or you have an equivelant that will work in your destination, think about the climate that you are going too, also.
Sleep environment: When possible take a pack n play or your item of choice from home if you have one. You can actually set it up before you leave and have your child sleep in it at home for a few nights. If you don't have one, then check ahead to make sure that the hotel can provide you with something suitable. Try to set the crib / pack n play up, in it's own space if/when possible. Take a look at the room when you first get there and move furntiture around if you need too.
Bedding: Take your baby/child's bedding; directly off their bed so that it smells familar to them - crib sheet - sleep sac/blanket and favourite lovey. Use this in the crib/pack n play and have it set up, as you would at home. Put your child in the enviroment awake to play, whilst you unpack and potter around the room when you first get there. If your budget will stretch, it's even better to get a one bedroomed suite so that you can have a seperate room for your child to sleep in and then you too can relax once bubs is asleep. No more locking yourself out on the balcony or tip toeing around whilst your child settles.
Routine: Stick to your normal routine whenever possible - if you do a bath before bed at home, then also do this whilst away. Don't feel completely obliged to stick with a rigid bedtime - whilst on holiday it's not always easy to have an earlier bedtime, like you would at home. If you know that you will be having a later night, adjust the naps in the day to allow a longer awake window in the evening before bed, regardless of bedtime still stick with a pre bedtime routine/wind down - so that your child will know, that bedtime is next.
Enroute: Whether driving or flying, its hard to be able to have a structured plan in place as you never know whats going to happen. You may have a hassle free journey or be stuck in a 10 mile jam or have a flight delay/unexpected stop. It once took me 48 hours to get back to England from Thailand on a journey that should have been just 16 hours, I am so thankful that I was young and sans children on this particular journey as if I were travelling with my pack of 4, I would not have much hair left on landing. Flying will have its pros and cons, children and babies can be more free in the cabin than strapped crying in a carseat whilst you drive stressed (nothing stresses me out more than driving with an upset baby) but you can't stop and get out for some clean fresh air (instead you have to sit and inhale everyone elses germs). If you are a nursing mum - nurse on both take off and landing, if you are bottle feeding them let your child suck on a bottle to help their delicate, thin ear tubes adapt to the changes in cabin pressure.
Have realistic expecations: If your travel will entail a large time difference - expect that your baby/child/partner will be off for a few days. Nobody can instantly switch to a different time zone. Exposure to daylight is very important when travelling across several time zones. It will help your natural biological clock that ticks away inside of us all to regulate. Flights that land in the afternoon at your destination are always easier to handle and ajust too. Once in a new time zone, work on real time as soon as you can. Usually time changes under 3 hours either way are easier on the body. If you would like to do a personal calculation to see when you should expose yourself to daylight then click here.
If your child is putting up a fuss on the first night at your new destiation, this is to be expected. Children do not have the same cognitive skills as us - As the parent, you would have known the trip was coming and will have prepared for the holiday in a variety of ways, your infant however, will have not. They will suddenly just find themselve's there - this can sometimes make them a little anxious, which in turn can make them feel vunerable, hence , falling asleep becomes more difficult.
Think about how you would sleep is you were unsure or anxious. If you are met with some resistance at bedtime, then make sure you give your child lots of reassurance, remind them that they are okay and continue to encourage them to fall asleep - even if it means sitting with them until they are asleep rubbing their back and saying shhh - however dont go back to phsyically putting them to sleep yourself (rocking for example). If push came to shove and things really derail - its nothing that can not be changed once you are home.
Usually within a few days of being in your new enviroment - everything will have settled down and you child will be more comfortable and confident in their new surroundings.
Relax: Last but not least - you have come away to spend some quality with your family - if everything falls apart in your childs sleep department - it can soon be fixed once you are home - so instead of stressing about it and making yourself crazy, go with the flow and just enjoy getting away from it all.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
| Posted by Dawnn Whittaker at 2:30PM |
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Comments
John
Posted 11 months ago
Great post, and great ideas about the kids!
If you are looking for fun things to do around B.C come check out our Community events calendar here : http://timetravelbc.com/events
Thanks for your great post!
Sara
Posted 5 months ago
These tips are very helpful. Do you have any tips for darkening a room when you're travelling? Thanks.
The Gro company make a travel black out blind, I have not personally used it but clients have.