8 simple guidelines to improve your baby's sleep during the holidays.

The holidays are here! Finally, you'll be able to rest, disconnect from work, and enjoy more quality time with your family. You might be preparing your first trip with your child and don't want to disrupt the sleep routines you've worked so hard to establish in their daily life. As you know, following a daily activity pattern helps both you and your child rest better, although it's not always easy to stick to it during holidays, a period when we tend to improvise much more.

During the summer, your schedule and your child's might be more flexible, which can jeopardize your baby's rest. The heat and late sunsets don't help at all in maintaining a sleep pattern similar to the rest of the year. Furthermore, you might be forced to change where your child sleeps during the holidays. Their body will notice changes and may have trouble falling asleep.

How to help your baby sleep at night during the holidays

We have good news: we've been there too and we know that, if you follow a few simple guidelines, there's no summer plan that you and your child can't handle.

1. Relax and enjoy your vacation. The calmer you are, the greater sense of calm you will transmit to your child. Sleep experts advise that after a few days of flexible schedules, rest routines should be gradually resumed. Your baby will appreciate the return to routines in a natural way and will feel safer and happier.
3. Establish a new sleep routine in line with the summer period. It is recommended that this new routine does not vary from the usual by more than two hours. That is, if in the ideal schedule your child goes to sleep at 9 PM, during the holidays they should go to bed, at the latest, at 11 PM. It is reasonable for the whole family to wake up before 11 AM in the morning.

1. Encourage your child to exercise in the afternoon. This can range from playing in the park to swimming in the pool or playing a sport, depending on their age. Outdoor activities will improve their concentration and cardiovascular and respiratory health, as well as promote their nighttime rest.
3. Give your baby a warm bath at the end of the day. This routine will make them feel relaxed, restoring peace and serenity after a day of sun, sand, and multiple activities. You can also accompany the ritual with relaxing music to create a calm atmosphere that will last until bedtime.
5. Use latex mattresses and soft, breathable sheets. Fabrics like 100% organic cotton are more comfortable and safer for your baby because they don't contain pesticides and are softer to the touch. The type of mattress your child sleeps on is also important for their rest: latex mattresses are the most comfortable.
7. Lower the blinds in the room during the day. Heat can be very bothersome and interfere with your child's good rest, especially on the hottest days. Therefore, we recommend ventilating the room where your baby sleeps every morning and protecting it from the sun during the rest of the day to ensure that the temperature does not exceed 22 degrees Celsius (72°F).
9. Make sure they continue to take their naps. As you know, until your child's fifth birthday, it is recommended that they take naps of one to two hours, either mid-morning, after lunch, or on both occasions. Maintaining this sleep routine during the day is positive for their rest: surely you don't want the holidays to be a period of fatigue for them.
11. Cook a nutritious but light dinner. It is important for your child to replenish the energy they expended during an activity-filled day with a hearty dinner. We recommend that it not be too heavy to avoid digestion problems during the night. Additionally, eating it at least an hour before bedtime will help them fall asleep.

  Note: The most important thing is to maintain consistency!

Enjoy your vacation while maintaining your child's healthy routines

As you can see, it's okay if your child's sleep routines get a little disrupted at the beginning of the holidays. It's normal for both of you to adapt to the summer period and new schedules in a few days. Whether you plan to take a vacation with your baby this summer, or if you plan to go with them to spend time with your relatives in another city or town, our tips will be more than enough for you to enjoy a well-deserved rest and free time as a family.

All parents have wondered at some point if it's worth disrupting our children's healthy routines once they're established, but the truth is you have nothing to fear if you follow simple guidelines like the ones we've offered here. You also deserve to rest and disconnect from your work routines. Moreover, your child will greatly appreciate the relaxed time you can spend together in the coming weeks.

Get a Petite Marmotte nest bed and take it with your baby on your trip

At Petite Marmotte, we know how rewarding it is to enjoy a relaxed vacation with our children without having to start from scratch with essential rest routines. To help you also have the best family summer without disrupting your baby's sleep patterns, we have designed this co-sleeping nest, with an organic cotton cover that respects their delicate skin, and a comfortable latex mattress. Plus, it's ideal as a travel cot, as it includes a practical bag for you to take it everywhere. All materials are certified and designed exclusively for their safety and rest.