How to reset after a vacation
Isn’t it true that you need a vacation after your vacation with your baby? I totally feel you on this! You’ve unpacked the suitcases, stocked the fridge, took a nap, and now you’re wondering how to reset after a vacation.
What to do now that you’re back home
It’s so important to be patient by giving your child a couple days to adjust back to your time zone. With your baby, use their awake time as a guide for their sleep until you are back on schedule. Send me an email if you want to grab my Awake Window Chart for age 0-4. If you notice any regression upon your return, you should address it right away. The longer you wait to do something, the worse it will become.
The unfortunate truth about sleep regressions
After you return from your trip, it’s always the hope that your baby will just bounce back to their established sleeping habits! Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Habits take only 3 days to form, so if you’ve been doing sleep a little differently on your vacation, it’s possible that your baby will have some sleep regressions. If you find that your child has regressed, use one of the methods below, depending on the extent of the regression.
Minimal Regression: When you put your child down for bed, use a “Leave & Check”response. Lay them down and leave the room. If they start to protest, wait 10 minutes and then go in and offer some comfort. Leave the room and repeat if necessary until they fall asleep.
Moderate Regression: Use a more rapid sleep training approach. If you want to be in the room with them as they learn to fall asleep on their own again, stay by their bed 1-2 nights, then gradually fade yourself out of their room. If you want to do regular check ins,, jump right into 10 minutes between checks.
Severe Regression: In this case, your child has developed significant attachment to parental intervention in falling asleep. You will want to start from scratch and re-sleep train.
I have a free Travel Sleep Guide, so reach out to ask for it and I’ll send it your way!