Traveling with an infant

I've always been told that traveling with an infant isn't easy.  I thought that meant just packing the car, stopping for diaper changes, and being extra tired.   What I didn't realize is that there's a lot more to traveling with an infant than the obvious.

Children respond well to routine.  Their routine revolves around their environment.  They are used to their crib, room, toys, etc.  When you are traveling, all of these elements change.  They'll probably take their nap in a car seat rather than their crib.  They will be sleeping overnight in a portable crib rather than their own.  All of these elements shift their routine and ultimately their mood.

My little one takes her naps and goes to bed at the same time every night.  Sometimes we have to change those times to accomodate our schedule when we travel.  Unfortunately, changing her sleep patterns affects everything.  She's a little bit more cranky than usual and ultimately that affects my trip.

She has many distractions when we're away from home.  It's difficult to get her to sleep for her naps, and at bedtime if she's going down at a later time.  Hotels (or other homes) have different sounds and smells that contribute to her distraction.

Make sure to bring as many familiar items from home to make your little one feel comfortable.  Bring favorite toys and books.  Make sure to pack their favorite foods too.  I know it's difficult to stick to their routine, but it helps to try to keep it as close as possible.

Click this checklist for suggestions of what to pack when traveling.



 

Swings & Bouncy Seats

Most of the books I've read about babies and sleep state that they are against using swings or bouncy seats.  The authors use the argument that the swinging motion (or vibration) restricts self-soothing.  I was already using both when I read these opinions.  At first, I was afraid that I was inhibiting my little one from falling asleep on her own.  I thought about discontinuing the use of these items, but then I learned to value my own mother's intuition above the opinions of others.

Mother's intuition, or your own connection with your baby, is priceless.  No one knows your baby the way you do.  There are many times that you will do something against the opinions of others.  That is okay!  There were many times when I needed relief from the endless rocking in my glider chair.  The swing did the trick!  I also needed the bouncy seat while cooking dinner, taking a shower, doing my hair and make-up, etc. 

In my opinion, these items are necessities!  And, you know what??  My baby has learned to self-soothe.  It comes with time, patience, and love.  In the meantime, I recommend using the swing and bouncy seat to have a little help.  They're also very entertaining for little babies :-)

 

Sleep Training Your Baby

Sleep training. Anything that involves training involves time, effort, patience, practice, and a lot of love.  You will hear tons of advice on how to get your baby to sleep through the night.  When I was sleep deprived, all the advice was kind of irritating to me because nothing worked!  Here are a few facts and tips that helped me make it through the sleep training phase.

A child isn’t born with the understanding of night and day.  In my opinion, that’s why it is important to start “sleep training” as soon as they're born.  Train them by using bright lights and music during the day, and night lights and quiet time at night. 

Hunger is the biggest culprit.  Their tiny little bodies are growing fast and need a lot of nourishment.  Their stomachs are very small too, so no wonder they need to eat often.  Sometimes I experienced feedings every 2 hours in the beginning. 

Sleep promotes more sleep.  I learned this concept from the many books and online articles that I read.  The more long stretches of sleep they experience, the more their bodies learn how to sleep.  Naps are very important for this part of training.  If they miss a nap, they will not make it up at night.  Lost sleep is lost and never regained.  This is why many moms protect their children’s naps J  Click here to see how many hours per day your child should be sleeping.

As babies get older and pass the newborn stage, it’s important to start a bedtime routine.  Lots of books will suggest the routine begin with bath time.  The most important part is what time.  I learned that 8:00 pm is the magic time, and it has been for our daughter.  She responds well to an 8:00 pm bedtime. 

I will continue to elaborate on sleep training in future posts J

Baby's Sleep

I was desperate to get my baby to sleep. She didn't develop a normal nighttime sleep habit until she was 9 1/2 months. I tried it ALL during those months. I researched all the articles online, checked out books in the library, and asked other mothers for advice. Anything to get some sleep.

I read the book Baby Wise while I was pregnant and thought I was an expert on baby's sleep. I was determined that I wasn't going to be sleep deprived for long! I pictured in my mind how my daughter's daily (and nightly) routine would look like. I was wrong!

After she was born, I realized that I needed some help so I read two more books: 12 Hours of Sleep by 12 Weeks Old and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I learned lots of tips and they were all helpful, but what I didn't completely understand was that my baby was an individual and no matter how many books I read, it wasn't going to change her.

First and foremost, your child is unique. They are born with their particular temperament.  I needed to understand that she needed to be sleep trained.  The word is: training.  Anything that involves training involves time, effort, patience, practice, and a lot of love.  I’ll elaborate more on sleep training in future posts J