How to prioritize sleep during the holidays
As we go through the years on this parenting journey, some of our favorite memories of our children will center around the holidays! There’s nothing quite like seeing traditions through a child’s eyes, whether it’s eating pumpkin pie at a big Thanksgiving family dinner, decorating the Christmas tree, opening presents, or staying up late on New Year’s Eve. Everything just seems so much more joyful during the holidays…. But what about sleep?
Amidst all the celebrations, family reunions, sugary treats, and late nights, healthy sleep habits for our little ones can definitely get put on the back burner during these festive months. So, without leaving out the fun, how can you still prioritize sleep and avoid over-tiredness in your children during the holidays?
Plan activities around naps and bedtime as best as possible.
Before the age of one, we recommend that parents follow awake windows rather than a by-the-clock schedule. However, even if you are just following awake windows, it’s likely that your baby (past the newborn stage) has some sort of regularity in terms of approximate nap times.
Using a baby tracking app such as Baby Tracker or Huckleberry can be a huge help in seeing trends like this, and those patterns can help you plan activities! For example, if you see that your baby is typically asleep at 3 pm, that’s probably not the best time to book that photo with the mall Santa. This also applies to family gatherings. If your family is small enough that everyone’s say can be taken into account, suggest that the time of the family meal accommodates your little one’s sleep schedule.
For example, my extended family is used to a 6 pm dinner, but they know that whenever we’re coming, dinner will be at 5 pm so that our little ones can get to bed on time (or close to it) easier.
Also, even though we don’t have the largest house, we often host dinners so that we can put our kids to bed and still hang out with family afterward, versus all of us having to leave early when another family member hosts.
Bring options to help your baby sleep.
Before you head out of the house for an event, whether it will be at a family member’s house or in a public area, always think about where your baby is going to sleep. Although on-the-go naps are never ideal, the reality is that they happen. Will the situation allow for a stroller? Or will a carrier or wrap nap make more sense? If you’re at someone’s house, you may even be able to bring a travel crib (this one even fits in a carry-on bag!) or a bassinet to set up in a spare room - there’s no harm in asking beforehand! If that ends up being an option, don’t forget to also bring a white noise machine and baby monitor, especially if you will be in a busy, loud house.
Being prepared for different options can’t hurt, either. For example, when my family of four goes out on a day trip, we always bring the stroller and Ergobaby carrier for our youngest. We never know which option will work best in whatever situation is happening during nap time.
Pay attention to awake windows and look out for sleepy cues.
When a lot is going on, it’s easy to lose track of time and miss awake windows. Personally, that’s why I use a baby tracking app, as mentioned in #1! I can easily glance at my phone and see how long my little one has been awake, how long it’s been since she’s had a feed, and how long it’s been since her diaper was changed. This is so incredibly helpful on busy days!
However, because of overstimulation on these busy, eventful days, little ones will often take shorter-than-usual naps. For younger babies, this can be due to stimulation from overexcited family members. For older children, excitement from presents and activities can make it hard to get quality sleep.
A helpful tip when dealing with short naps is to always shorten the next awake window. Because of the inconsistency that can happen with these awake window lengths, be extra attentive in looking for sleepy cues such as yawning, rubbing eyes, or looking away from stimulation.
Have a calming naptime and bedtime routine.
Imagine how hard it would be for you to fall asleep if you came immediately from a loud, stimulating environment, to suddenly being thrown in your dark, quiet room. That’s exactly what we do to babies when we don’t give them a calming bedtime routine. Babies, children, and adults alike need time to wind down before bed. This is exactly why we wouldn’t recommend ending the night with opening presents, eating candy, or immediately coming from a busy party. No matter where you are or what holiday it might be, it’s important to end the day with your children in a routine that is calming and as consistent as can be to your routine at home.
Even for naps, it’s so helpful to have a short routine, even if it’s as simple as singing one song in the dark, quiet (just white noise) bedroom before laying baby down.
Aim for the 80/20 rule with consistency.
The truth is, if we try to always give our baby or child the best sleep environment and schedule as possible, we wouldn’t be leaving the house much or enjoying many aspects of life. As much as we sleep consultants love sleep, we also love festivities, family, and fun, and it’s important not to miss out on those aspects of life. That’s why we love the 80/20 rule.
Basically, if you are consistent with sleep about 80% of the time, it’s okay to be a bit off 20% of the time. This comes out to about 1.5 days a week where you can have things be a bit crazy and not worry about bad sleep habits forming long-term. If your festivities are more-so spread over the whole week, rather than just a weekend, the 20% comes out to 2-2.5 hours a day where sleep can get derailed a bit and things will still be easily fixable.
All in all, it’s very much possible to enjoy holiday festivities while still prioritizing sleep and avoiding overtiredness! If you plan activities around sleep times as much as possible, communicate with your family members as to the best times and places for events to happen, keep track of your baby’s sleep, and make things calm before naps and bedtime, chances are you’ll be able to keep your little ones on track with healthy sleep while also enjoying all your favorite traditions!
Related articles:
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/surviving-the-holidays-without-sacrificing-sleep
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/these-travel-tips-will-help-your-family-trip-run-smoother