Babies: Getting a good night’s sleep away from home

If your family used to travel a lot before the baby, there is no need to stop doing so. For this, I would like to give you a couple of small tips to ensure that the baby will have a good night’s sleep in times like these. First things first, before the baby is born it would be a good idea to invest in a good travelling cot.

What does this mean? Travelling cots are good beds to use during travelling which you can assemble and de-assemble easily, and it would be a good idea to purchase one that can be used by grandparents as well if needed. The lighter the better, the smaller you can pack it into, the better it is. If you plan to stay at someone’s house for a day or two, try to make everything as homely for the baby as possible – for example the scents in the room, the lighting and the room temperature. Definitely keep in mind that a room where animals have slept, or where someone smokes, are not suitable for a baby. As babies are numerous times more sensitive to scents than us, you should ensure and ask how and for what that room has been previously used for. If the room has dark curtains but at home your room is rather light, then draw back the curtains enough so that it would have the similar amount of light as at home. If you have dark curtains at home, then I would advise to invest in portable darkening blinds that can be easily added on the window. How to neutralise scents in the room? Take a spray bottle and add some water and lavender which you can spray around in the room. This is an effective and a fast solution that neutralises all scents. The optimal bedroom temperature is between 16 and 20 degrees by Celsius. The baby’s body is sensitive to temperature so please do not overdress the baby for sleep. If the bedroom temperature is a little too chilly, then the baby’s body temperature will rise, while if it is too hot, his or her body temperature will not adjust. If the child is a little older, then you can take pictures of your home that you can show later when away. It is also a good idea to let them play for a while and to let them get accustomed to the room they will be sleeping in. If you do not have a separate travelling cot for the baby because the house you are staying at already has a bed, then use a t-shirt that you have worn during the day and wrap it around the mattress. This will ensure that the baby can smell something familiar and this will help him or her to adjust. If you do have a small music box at home, then it would be a good idea to take this with you as well. Additionally, if during the day you usually iron or vacuum at home, you can also record these everyday sounds which you can play in an unfamiliar place.

Second advice I can give you, is to use the top part of the baby buggy where the baby can sleep comfortably (not the car seat!). I also advise to take to take the top part of the buggy off and place it on the floor to ensure that it will be safe and secure. To ensure that the baby will have a comfortable sleep away from home, I can advise to practice beforehand by letting the baby do his or her lunch naps in the travelling cot. Try also to ensure that the similar amount of naps are being taken inside and outside of home. This will ensure that everything will go by smoother and the baby is able to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings faster. This way you can be more relaxed as well rather than trying to soothe a crying baby.

Keep in mind that darkening shades and roller binds in the bedrooms should not have any strings or chains which is extremely dangerous. Keep in mind that darkening shades and roller binds in the bedrooms should not have any strings or chains which is extremely important to keep in mind for the child’s safety. I currently use darkening blinds found below.