Time Difference - 11 month Old

[Button]

Hi,

Taking our son on his first rip in December and was wondering if anyone had any tips experieneces they could share about helping a babe adjust to the time difference.

In the past when it's just been my hubby and I we take advantage of still being on UK time and hit the parks early.

Being our first child I have no clue as to what sleeping pattern my son will be in....please let him at least be sleeping through the night by then LOL.

Thanks

 

[Clare D]

We have taken out 2 boys on their first trips when Joe was 2 and Owen was nearly 16 months old. With both of them they were settled into a routine (which helped) but on the first night I kept them up for as long as possible, fed them and bathed them (as usual) and got them into bed by 9. This meant that they went straight to sleep and got up as usual the next morning.
The problem wasn't when we were away it was when we came back. They were in bed for 7 up at 10 and back in bed for 2am
To break the habit we just had to get them up at usual time the next day and get them back into their routine.

 

[london75]

From a fellow Button assuming that's based on your name, we've taken both of ours when they were between 9 and 11 months and to be honest they cope better than we do. On both occasions we even went to MK the first night for an hour or two.

They both inevitably woke early at say 3am but sometimes went back to sleep, sometimes just watch telly and I'd stay up with them needing a lot less sleep than my DW.

Within about 4 days they were fine. Slept in pushchairs when they needed to and had a great time.

It was us grown ups that struggled as we couldn't sleep during the day!

 

[2Tiggies]

Your biggest challenge is when you come back. When you go there they usually sleep at least a little on the plane. The stimulation makes it easier to keep them up a bit later and they settle into it quickly. Coming home ..... well lets just say I am in my mid 30s and still have a problem for a week trying to adjust

 

[Button]

Oh dear I forgot all about coming home. Wish we could just stay there forever!

 

[Clare D]

Oh dear I forgot all about coming home. Wish we could just stay there forever!

Don't we all

I think if you have a routine at home your little one will find it easier to adjust. I have no problem staying out late but on days when we did that we usually came back to the hotel first, had naps/swims and went out again later. One night Owen was wide awake at midnight in MK. He was happy just chilling in his pushchair.

Just make sure they are well fed and watered and they'll have a great time, there is nothing worse than a crabby baby!

 

[kristieuk]

We found both ours adjusted better than us! (both have been every year from aged 6 weeks) I think the day travelling there takes it out of them so they sleep straight through the first night and then wake up at a normal time as it's light. We try to keep close to their normal bedtimes thereafter. On our return, we have found the dark night flight home means they sleep through, wake in the morning and we try to pick up something of their normal routine as quickly as possible thereafter.

I know everyone is different, but my best advice would be to try to keep a routine of sorts, even if different from the usual routine, and try to use the dark and light as a guide if you can - at least in December it will be dark before 7, so that should help. Have a wonderful holiday