Remember the days of booking a flight on a whim with not a care in the world? Well, now that you have a kid, I’m sure you’re reconsidering travel for at least a few years. I have good news for you, you can still travel! Is the fear of jet lag and how it might affect your baby influencing you not to go? Jet lag and babies requires a bit of planning, but once you know the steps- you’ll be good to go.
At this point having children, I’m sure you realize that planning and preparing for any event seems like 80% of your time. Especially when planning a vacation, you want to feel as confident and even more prepared since you’ll be out of your normal routine (and maybe even out of the country!). Time for some basics first so you can make sense of the plan on how to deal with jet lag for your baby or toddler.
What is Jet Lag?
Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder. Traveling into a new time zone leaves your internal body clock (your circadian rhythm) out of whack in relation to the cues from the new time zone. A general rule of thumb is that it takes the # of days to adjust according to the number of time zones you’ve moved.
Flying east (think LA to New York) is known to have caused more severe jet lag symptoms than traveling west. Simply put, your body can more easily stay up later while tired than go to bed when you’re not drowsy. Let’s discuss symptoms of jet lag.
Symptoms of Jet Lag
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Drowsiness during the day
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- Fatigue
- Irritability
How to Prepare for Jet Lag with your Child
When preparing for jet lag with your baby or toddler, the most basic concept is where you’re going to start. Get a good night’s rest (or a few of them) before you leave. If you have the time and your schedule allows, I would start adjusting bedtime 3 days before leaving. Try putting your child down 30 minutes prior to their usual bedtime and 30 minutes earlier the next night. Along with that, I would wake your child up 30 minutes earlier each day in the morning to start shifting gears. The best way to prevent and reduce jet lag is to realign your circadian rhythm with the current (destination) time zone.
On the first day of your trip, don’t plan much. You’ll need to give your child 2-3 days to adjust. With that, I would plan any busy jam-packed days towards the end of your trip. You’ll have a fairly well rested kid to be more flexible and have more stamina.
Lastly, preparing for a trip includes planning. Do your best not to wait to pack (easier said than done). Panic packing is a real thing, people! Also, try to get to the airport with plenty of time. The last thing you want to do is have to run through the airport like you’re in a movie. When your stress levels are high, your kids can feed off of that. Did you know stress can exacerbate jet lag?
You’ve landed… now what?
Once you land, immediately adapt to the new time zone in terms of mealtimes and sleep. You and your kiddos are obviously going to be exhausted at some point but resist the urge for long naps. This is the situation where you cap your kid’s nap at 2 hours (or 3 hours if that’s what type of schedule they’re on at home). Since an upset stomach might be an issue with jet lag, offer some familiar snacks and smaller meal portions. If it’s breakfast or lunch wherever you land, eat whatever meal is associated with that time of day in local time, not where you came from.
The First Night on Vacation
The first night of sleep is when you set your bar low, realistically set the bar on the ground. I’m kidding, but I encourage you to keep the night low stimulation. Your child might wake up and want to play but stay consistent and promote a quiet environment. If they are really not going back to sleep, I would suggest books or puzzles as entertainment or offering a small snack. Remember, they’re working through all those jet lag symptoms and not doing this on purpose. Here are 5 ways to help with jet lag and your baby/toddler and how to adjust to the new time zone for the following nights.
1.) Here Comes the Sun
Try to start your day at a decent time ideally around 8:00am, no later than 10:00am. One of the best ways to start shifting your child’s circadian rhythm is the sun! Try and be intentional about getting as much exposure first thing in the morning and throughout the day. The sunlight can prevent your body from making as much melatonin which is helpful while traveling time zones. Sunlight is the most effective way to transition your circadian rhythm to your new location.
2.) Glass Half Full
Okay, so maybe babies aren’t drinking out of glasses yet, but keeping your little one hydrated will be extremely beneficial! Since headaches are a side effect of jet lag, this can help prevent or can help treat headaches. You can either do breastmilk, formula or water as good sources for hydration. If your child is still in diapers, you can loosely keep an eye on the number of wet diapers they have to make sure they are well hydrated.
Parents, don’t forget about this yourselves! Bring a reusable water bottle and make sure you are staying well hydrated. There is always the “inconvenience” of having to use the bathroom on the plane, but decreasing the symptoms of jet lag definitely outweighs it.
3.) Snack Attack
The first 2 days or so, your little one may suffer from a loss of appetite or upset stomach as symptoms of jet lag. Having favorite snacks on hand along with some fruits are great options to keep your little fueled up. Bananas and strawberries are always a good choice and usually readily available worldwide.
4.) Overstimulation
We often assume kids are seamlessly go with flow, but what happens when they simply will not nap on the go? Time to reevaluate your schedule. Are you doing too much? You might need to just take an afternoon to just sit and relax. Isn’t it lovely how children teach us what life is all about like slowing down when we forget?
5.) Follow Your Routine
When it comes time for bed, here is where your solid sleep foundation will come in handy. Remember to pack the essential sleep items that recreate your bedtime routine and environment at home. Try and bring the same books your child particularly loves, a lovey (or stuffed animal), or a familiar blanket or sleep sack. As always with a bedtime routine, it will help tip your child off that is now time to sleep.
If our child does wake up at the wee hours of the night or early morning, you might even take advantage of it. Go see a touristy sight before the crowds get there! I’m thinking of Trevi Fountain right now.
Solving Sleep After Vacation
Say it ain’t so! Vacation is sadly over. When you get back to your home destination, many of the same rules apply. Adjust to the local mealtimes for starters. When it comes to naps, again you’re going to want to cap the nap. Ideally cap the nap around 2 hours, unless your child was previously napping for 3 hours at home, then let them nap for 3 hours. Be sure to consistently do your bedtime routine at home, but what happens when they wake up in the middle of the night? Remember low stimulation. Try not to give screens or phones as the light emitted will just tell their body to stay awake.
If you are looking for more travel tips, check out this blog post.
Let’s Get in Touch
Adjusting schedules with your baby and jet lag works best when they are already a consistent sleeper who responds well to routine. They’ll be well rested before the start of the trip. Not to mention creating the same sleep environment and routine afar can help your child fall asleep at a new time. If you have at least 3 weeks before your trip and are looking to make some changes to your child’s sleep habits, let’s get in touch. You can email me at clementineparent2020@gmail.com or sign up for a 15 minute discovery call (click here).