How do you deal with jetlag and a baby?

[leannac]

My daughter will be 8 months old when I fly to australia, which as you know is a huge time difference. What do I do about the change in time zones? Is there anything I should do before we go ie start her going to bed later. Or is it best just to prepare for a hideous first week there when she sleeps all day and is awake all night?

I flew there with a 3 month old and a 3 year old - the jet lag was horrendous for all of us! Put me off going again but I know others who have coped fine.

just prepare for a hideous first week and whatever you do don't make any plans to do anything much - just let family come to you. Don't put any pressure on yourself to be anywhere during the day - it will only add to your stress. I have done the trip with kids four times now and dread the jetlag way more than the flight! I always stay in bed during the night - I don't get up and make a cup of tea, I just lay there and wait for it all to end! You will probably find that your 8 month old will adjust ok but you might have to wake them from what will become their daytime sleeps (because for their bodyclock it will be the middle of the night). I suffer terribly from it but just tell myself that it will pass and I will feel normal again.
If you need to ask anything about the flights, just PM me - it honestly will not be as bad as you think. I have flown on my own with v young children three times - the first time I went with my daughter, she was four months old and I felt sick about it before I left but it was easier than I thought. :)

I've done the trip a fair few times now and it usually takes us about 3 nights to get back to normal. First few nights just can't keep your eyes open. The worst thing is keeping them quiet when they wake up in the middle of the night!
You will figure it out, once you are there try to stick to that time zone, but don't kill yourself and stay up til midnight, just maybe have few early nights at first. And be strong about waking the baby up. She will think it's bedtime but you will have to treat it as a nap, but it will be tough cos you'll probably want to sleep too!