Often, the holidays mean disrupted baby sleep and schedules. For many parents, this can cause extra stress! Let me reassure you: You can still have a great sleeper during (and after) the holiday season even if that normal routine is a bit off. Yes, sleep is important, and a well-rested little one will make your holiday break and family gatherings so much more enjoyable – but these special times require a bit of flexibility!
Let’s talk about how you can make the most of the holidays, enjoy your family gatherings, and set your baby or toddler up for the best sleep possible.
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How can I help my baby or toddler stay well-rested over the holidays? How can we stay on a good sleep schedule over winter break? anchor
1. Start with a good sleeper.anchor
Truly, this is my best tip for a well-rested baby or toddler over the holidays. If your little one is already a great sleeper before the holidays, they’re much more likely to be flexible with sleep when things aren’t as routine.
Taking Cara Babies Classes
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If sleep is a mess, please know that you can have a great little sleeper. My classes will help you establish healthy sleep habits and work on independent sleep in a developmentally appropriate and emotionally connected way. Choose your little one's age to get started:
2. Get in one solid nap each day.anchor
During your holiday celebrations, set your days up for success by getting one solid nap back at home, in your hotel room, or where your family is staying – this can make a huge difference by minimizing overtiredness. So make this your goal: At least one good nap in the crib, bassinet, or play yard. If the other naps need to happen on the go, while babywearing, or in your arms, so be it. That one good nap will make for a much happier baby or toddler and even happier holidays!
3. Pay attention to wake windows, and watch for sleepy cues.anchor
To prevent an overtired little one, follow age-appropriate wake windows. These ranges can help guide you without requiring a rigid schedule. You may find that in the excitement of the holidays, your child can tolerate a longer wake window than normal; on the other hand, perhaps the excitement actually makes them more exhausted. That's why it's so important to balance what you know about wake windows with your little one's cues.
Parents: I know that sleepy cues can be harder to spot in the excitement of holiday gatherings, but try your best to watch your little one so that you can offer a nap or bedtime when it’s needed.
4. Provide additional support if needed.anchor
If you miss those sleepy cues and your baby or toddler becomes overtired, we may need to provide some additional support to help them get to sleep. Overtired little ones often catch a “second wind” and become either cranky or extremely silly – this is when it can be harder to get the sleep they need.
To support them, take your baby or toddler into a dark, quiet space to lie down. You may need to sit with or rock your little one to sleep, even if they're normally an independent sleeper. Don't let this stress you: helping your child sleep on the day of a holiday party or family gathering won't ruin anything. This extra support may be exactly what's needed to get restful sleep.
5. Consider adjusting your child’s schedule for the day.anchor
Adjusting your baby or toddler’s schedule could look like this:
Waking your baby or toddler a little earlier in the morning so you can fit in the first nap of the day before going to a holiday family gathering.
Allowing a nap to go longer if it will help shift bedtime later or line up the next nap/wake window.
Waking your baby or toddler up early from a nap to make it to your holiday party on time.
Adding an extra catnap to help shift bedtime later for an evening event and avoid (or at least minimize) overtiredness.
Carving out some quiet time like a walk in the stroller, a drive, a quiet activity, or snuggle time for babies or toddlers that won’t or can’t catnap.
Moving bedtime earlier to adjust for any missed daytime sleep.
These adjustments may not follow your typical schedule, but it’s okay to be flexible to make your holiday plans work! Our goal is to have a well-rested baby or toddler so they can be their best selves to enjoy family gatherings and holiday events. Don’t stress about sticking to a rigid schedule that could ruin your day. Instead, be flexible and responsive to what you know about your child and what you see.
Note from Cara: Yes, it’s important to establish good sleep habits and have a routine. However, it’s really okay (and even GOOD) to be flexible sometimes too. And, let’s face it, holidays and family gatherings are a perfect reason to be “off” of a schedule for a day or two.
Is it okay to let my baby or toddler stay up late during the holidays? How do I handle bedtime if we will be out late?anchor
Yes, it’s okay to let your child stay up past his typical bedtime for a special occasion. I want you to have a great little sleeper so that you have the freedom to enjoy making memories with your family during the holidays, knowing that you won’t “mess things up.” If you’re wondering how to handle bedtime when you will be out late, read my tips on keeping your baby out past bedtime.
Where should my baby or toddler sleep while we are at an event or party? anchor
If your little one needs to sleep while you're at an event, ask if there’s a safe sleep space for you to set up a Pack 'n Play or travel crib . Maybe there’s a bedroom away from the party. Maybe it’s an office. Maybe there’s space to set up a SlumberPod (Code TakingCaraBabies saves you 10%!) away from the action. Be creative and flexible. Often you can make a sleep space work while you’re at a holiday event.
Safety Tip: Please know that carseats out of the car, strollers, and adult beds are not safe for unsupervised sleep.
When setting up the space for sleep, make sure to:
Check the room for safety – I have a Safe Sleep Checklist to help you with that.
Provide all of your child's familiar sleep essentials (Think sound machine, sleep sack, pacifier, etc.).
If finding a safe space for independent sleep isn’t an option, you could try babywearing or snuggling for a nap. (Grandmas love this!)
Just remember – even if you do everything "right" to prepare for great sleep, your baby or toddler might struggle to sleep at a social event, so don’t stress!
Note from Cara: At holiday parties, parents often whisk happy babies and toddlers away for sleep. I do love to see parents prioritize sleep, but I want you to understand this: Just like you can stay up “past your bedtime” for special events, your child may be able to stay awake longer too. Adding extra time to that wake window may be exactly what’s needed to prevent sleep-time battles. Watch your little one’s cues and use your best judgment.
How can I help prevent holiday meltdowns? anchor
The excitement surrounding the holidays can lead to more meltdowns and tantrums. I have tips for preventing holiday meltdowns and handling them when they do happen in my blog Preventing Holiday Meltdowns.
If you need help preventing your own holiday meltdowns when you get unsolicited parenting advice, I have a blog for that too.
Do you have any tips for hosting overnight guests during the holiday season?anchor
Yes! Be sure to read all of the tips above, but I do have a few extra tips just for hosting family or friends overnight around the holidays:
1. Communicate ahead of time with your visitors.anchor
Before your guests arrive, let them know what they can expect from your baby or toddler while they visit. Keep in mind that if your guests are not used to a young child in the home, they may not know (or remember) how an overtired baby or toddler impacts the entire household. (Cue the meltdowns!)
Consider these questions and talk about them with your guests.
Are you hoping to be at home for any of your baby or toddler’s naps? What time works best for your baby or toddler to take naps or have quiet time?
What bedtime works best for your little one? Are you planning to be home for bedtime most nights?
2. Keep your baby or toddler in their normal sleep environment for sleeping if possible.anchor
Don’t we all sleep best in our own beds? Babies and toddlers are no exception! If it’s possible for your little one(s) to stay in their normal sleeping environment, do that. Whenever we can stay consistent, that’s what we want to do.
I understand that not all homes have a guest bedroom. Often your child’s room IS the spot where we allow guests to sleep. If this is your situation, that’s okay. But, do consider allowing naps to take place in your baby’s room even if your baby has to give up their spot during the night. Most visitors aren’t hanging out in the bedroom during the day, and this could make your days much smoother. (Please include this in the conversation you have with your guests prior to their visit.)
3. If you have to decide whether to displace a baby or an older child, move your baby.anchor
Having more than one child often forces us to decide who can more easily adjust to giving up their own space. In my opinion, babies can adapt more easily than toddlers. Young children can be more easily thrown off by staying in a new room, especially in your own home. We don’t want your toddler to decide he wants to permanently camp out on your floor! This could make for weeks of difficult nights.
4. If your baby is displaced, recreate their normal sleep space as closely as possible.anchor
If you DO need to move your baby, consider setting up their temporary sleep space in an office or even a bathroom. Anywhere that is safe and has adequate circulation will work. Remember to double-check your recreated environment for safe sleep. If the only place is your room, try to provide a barrier, or at least a considerable distance, between your bed and the baby. The Slumberpod is a fantastic barrier and keeps it dark.
Remember to set up your baby’s temporary space with familiar sleep cues like complete darkness and a sound machine. (If you need a little help with creating a temporary dark place, check out these fabulous travel blackout shades.)
What are your best holiday travel tips? anchor
I have 2 blogs you can check out for my best holiday travel tips:
One more thing and this is SO important: Wherever your baby or toddler is sleeping during the holidays, the one thing that isn’t flexible is safe sleep.
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How do I get my baby or toddler’s sleep back on track after the holidays? anchor
The best way to get your baby or toddler’s sleep back on track is to return to your sleep plan. Don’t allow any new habits to extend beyond the holiday break!
If sleep is always a struggle and you need a plan to follow, my classes can help.
The 5-24 Month Collection gives you a step-by-step plan with a balanced approach to teaching your 5-24 month old to sleep in the crib while still providing emotionally-connected reassurance. If you have a 2, 3, or 4 year old, my Toddler Sleep Training class will give you the tools you need to meet your toddler where they are developmentally and help create a great sleeper. Both are plans for restful nights AND peace of mind knowing your baby or toddler can prepare for and recover from an exciting holiday season.
Keep in mind that the information and content on this blog is for informational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. If you have questions about your child, please reach out to your doctor.
