TRAVEL GUIDE TO KIDS SLEEP. Sofie Petts Sabine THE SLEEP GENIE

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1 TRAVEL GUIDE TO SLEEP KIDS Sofie Petts Sabine THE SLEEP GENIE

2 The ShutEye Travel Guide to Kids Sleep Travel and holidays, whether for a few nights or a few weeks have the ability to wreck the sleep routine of any child. Jet lag, strange new environments (and people) and the heat takes it toll on us as adults, so there is no wonder that our little ones can find the adjustment hard going. That said, there will always be times where your child does have to sleep somewhere else; an overnight stay at Granny & Granddad s, a villa on a sunny two week beach holiday or visiting friends and we should encourage children to be flexible whilst also taking their needs into account. We all know that if the kids are happy then generally, we re happy too, so this guide is intended to help you prepare yourself and your child for time away from home so that everybody gets the chance to enjoy themselves and relax. Have a great trip! Sofie x 2016 Sofie Petts-Sabine, ShutEye Child Sleep Solutions ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

3 Sleep Environment The first night in a strange bed or home can make us all feel out of sorts but especially children. Separation anxiety is really common whilst they are getting use to the new temporary home but unless you want to to be sitting holding their little hand for hours whilst they fall asleep or fancy sharing your bed for the trip then following these tips is going to help make the transition easier for them (and you). I'm a huge fan of blackout whenever and wherever little ones are sleeping. Make the room as dark as you can so that they're not distracted by strange shapes or anxious over unfamiliar objects. It's also going to help with sticking to your usual sleep schedule. Sunny, summer holidays mean bright early mornings and gorgeous sunsets but these can also leave you with wake up's at the crack of dawn and resisted bedtimes unless you block out that light!

4 Sleep Environment Recreate their sleeping space As far as possible, make their new sleeping environment as similar to their bedroom as you can. Take your own cot sheets or bedding if possible so there is a recognisable scent, this is especially comforting for babies. Pack their favourite toys, the special comforter as well as their favourite books to read at bedtime. Routine and familiarity make children feel safe and secure and a secure child will sleep adapt to his new environment quicker and easier.

5 Schedule If you re travelling long haul then adjust the whole family to the new time zone straight away. The quickest way to adjust your body is with exposure to daylight during the waking hours of your destination. As soon as it is time to wake up in the morning, get outside in the sunlight and then when it is time for your child to nap (if they re still taking one) get them into a dark environment (more on this later). If the time difference is just a couple of hours and you're only away for a few days or a week then it might be worth just sticking to the same time and schedule that you have at home. Younger children who still take a nap will probably be able to cope with the time difference adjustment easier than their parents as they are able to compensate for any lost night sleep by taking a longer nap or an earlier nap.

6 Schedule Expect for the whole family to take a few days to fully adjust so it might be wise to hold off on the day trips and excursions on the first few days. Take a little more time on the bedtime routine Help ease any strange place anxiety your little ones might have by not rushing the bedtime routine. Take more time with the bedtime stories and a few extra cuddles will help them to relax. Make the bedtime routine exactly the same as at home - Bath books bed etc.whatever you do at home, do whilst you're away too. Familiarity will help ease the transition into the new environment. If you re holidaying within the same time zone then keep the actual bedtime the same as home for the majority of the trip. Of course there will be times when bedtime will be later as you will be eating out or visiting places and people, just try not to make it every night.

7 Travel Products & solutions Travelling light with children is just impossible and so I recommend that if you have the space or can make the space, taking these essential items is going to be worth it! Travel or temporary blackout blinds are AMAZING. I personally use the Gro Anywhere Blind. If you don t have one or forget, aluminium foil or black bin liners stuck up with masking tape make a quick and inexpensive fix and they also do the job with smaller windows. White noise whether you use white noise at home or not, introducing it for a holiday can be really beneficial in masking noises from a the new environment, or where siblings/family members are now sharing a room. You'll children are more than likely going to be hitting the sack earlier than you and you don't want to be creeping around every evening for fear of waking them up. The sound of a fan or the whirr of the Air. Con are perfect. Make sure the fan isn t too near the sleeping area and there isn t a direct breeze on to the cot/bed. If these aren t available and you can spare a smartphone or ipad, then download a white noise app to play. I can recommend Sound Sleeper using the fan noise option.

8 Travel Products & solutions Travelling light with children is just impossible and so I recommend that if you have the space or can make the space, taking these essential items is going to be worth it! White noise is an absolute essential if your baby or child is going to be sharing your room. It helps to drown out any noises from you, the TV or toilet flushes that may disturb and wake them. Have it play all night (don t worry, it won t keep you awake I promise!) Snooze shade. This is a fantastic pram shade and it keeps the sun off of your baby whilst they re in the pram but also helps them zone out from their surroundings when you want them to have a lunchtime snooze. Just ensure that there is a good circulation of air getting underneath the cover especially on hot days. Drawing pins and a spare sheet from home or the hotel. If you'll be sharing a room with your child and don't fancy waking up at the crack of dawn, then it can be really useful to section off their sleep area by pinning a sheet to the ceiling. This way they can t see you if/when they wake up in the night and are less likely to be stimulated by their surroundings and will go back to sleep.

9 Naps Naps are a blessing and a curse! They take one when we want them awake and they point blank refuse when we desperately need a break. Here's how to have happy, harmonious, holiday naps. I know that your days will be spent on the beach, visiting tourist attractions or friends and family and that naps will not be your number one priority and that s ok to a point. If your child is of an age where they still take naps then you should continue to encourage and plan for them on holiday. Of course it won t always be possible for them to nap in a cot or bed but make sure that at least on some of the days your child has a chance to have a fully restorative nap in their bed instead of being on the move in the buggy or car. Take shifts with your partner or family members on who goes back to the room so it s not left to the same person each time.

10 Naps Naps are a blessing and a curse! They take one when we want them awake and they point blank refuse when we desperately need a break. Here's how to have happy, harmonious, holiday naps. When you re out all day and the nap will be on the move, try and stick to the same naptime as normal. Time an afternoon walk with the buggy or the car ride when your child would usually be napping rather than just letting them crash and burn whenever. If your child sleeps in the car or buggy and you re in a hot climate, make sure that they re in the shade and not direct sunlight and that they have plenty of ventilation. As I mentioned, shade covers for the buggy are a great idea but they can make it extremely hot for your little one inside so make sure that they have plenty or air and that you keep an eye on them.

11 Travel Sleep Checklist Travelling light with children is just impossible and so I recommend that if you have the space or can make room, taking these essential items is going to be worth it! Favourite toys Comfort toy/blanket Favourite bedtime books Bedding/Sleep sack White noise machine Monitor Blackout Blind Masking tape Foil/Bin liners Travel cot SnoozeShade ipad/tablet fully charged with with films/programmes downloaded Child safe earphones Snacks & drinks Colouring pens & books Teething powders/gels Thermometer

12 General Sleep Survival Hints & Tip 1. Tell older children that any special treats are just for the holiday and will not carry on at home. It s then your job to stick to that when you get home otherwise you will have made a very heavy rod for your own back. 2. Avoid use of tablets and phones just before sleep, allow a minimum of one hour from the last screen time to bed so that the 'blue light' doesn t interfere with sleep. 3. It might be tempting to hit the beach, the pool or the cocktails straight away but taking 10 minutes to set up the children s sleep area as soon as you arrive is going to be so worth it. Once you ve slipped into relax mode you won t feel like it later and will be rummaging around to find everything you need from a dozen suitcases and bedtime will take longer and more stressful - the opposite of what you want on holiday. 4. If you have a baby or younger toddler and you re going to be using a travel cot for them to sleep in whilst your away, it can often help to get them used to sleeping in it for a couple of days whilst they are at home. Set it up in their bedroom and let them check out their new sleep surroundings.

13 General Sleep Survival Hints & Tip 5. If your staying in a hotel room then it's going to be difficult to get some space when the children have gone to sleep at night as you ll be sharing the sleeping space. If you can book a suite or a family room so that you have some extra space it's going to make things so much easier. If that isn t possible then a balcony is great as it means you can sit outside and have an evening drink and read without disturbing the little ones. 6. What goes on tour, stays on tour! Going away on holiday should be a fun and happy time of making memories. Don t be a slave to the routine and enjoy yourself. It doesn t matter if there are skipped naps, late bedtimes or a bit of I can t be bothered, let s just let him sleep in our bed. But make sure that whatever holiday habits you ve slipped into, stay on holiday. As soon as you get home you should be back to the old routine straight away, no easing them in gently unless you want the adjustment to take weeks! This is by far the most important part and you'll be doing yourself a massive favour if you stick to your word. Otherwise you'll be back to me asking for help as travel is one of the top reasons that a sleep routine falls apart.