Sleeping in buggy abroad? What’s your experience

[SS1987]

Just wondering about people’s experience of baby sleeping in their buggy when on holiday, want to be realistic with my expectations. Will be travelling to Portugal with our ten month old girl soon and just wondering how realistic I’m being thinking she may sleep in her pram of an evening after dinner and bottle? Never been abroad with a child before so not really sure what to expect, looking forward to the adventure though!!

Mine always did for naps, but tended to go to bed later on hols so we didn't try the evening thing. Plenty of people do with a black out shade. I never had the energy to go out after kids dinner.

But we tended to do villa holidays so she would be in bed whilst I drank vino..

Dd is a teen now so it’s a long time ago that we had a buggy but yes she did sleep in the buggy the first year we took her on holiday (probably around the same age 10/11 months) some nights she went off after about a 15-20 minute walk. I do remember one night when we walked the equivalent of a marathon, finally got her to sleep and then the waiter dropped a glass right next to her & woke her up ( I think we ended up with crisps for dinner that night!)

Ours used to nap on beach/in buggy/in bed after lunch. But we still went for early dinner so we could eat with child/kids and they wouldn't melt down. Definitely needed buggy to get them too/from the restaurant when tired. But we never really did staying out late as we were happy to go back to the room/apartment and chill with a book.

Invest in a snooze shade!

We've now done 5 holidays where it's bath, bottle and buggy. Snooze shade on and 99% of the time she's been sound asleep by the time we've got to our chosen restaurant. Most nights we could have a leisurely walk, 2-3 course meal and night cal before taking her home. A gentle lift to the cot, with standby bottle and jobs a good 'un.

Definitely do it, it gives you back the couple time I think all new parents deserve!

We tried but it wasn't particularly successful... depends on the child though I'd say!

Mine always did, had a double reclining buggy and they snoozed in the evening while we ate

Thanks! We have a sun shade so hopefully that will help! Another silly question, just while we are on the subject of holidays. What does baby normally sleep in? It will be really hot by the time we go but it can get quite cool in hotel rooms overnight. What did everyone put baby in? Don’t want to pack useless stuff but want to be prepared! Thanks

DD napped in the buggy but not on a night time.

Neither of mine would do it, really depends on your baby. If she sleeps in her pram happily on a regular basis then it's worth a try.

Our preference on holiday with young DCs is a holiday home or flat so that we can enjoy dinner and drinks in a different room or terrace while DCs sleep. And if we want to go out then put them to sleep and hire a babysitter to stay with them one or two evenings.

In terms of clothes, don't bother with any fancy outfits. A sleepsuit or two if you think temp will drop but Vests and rompers are you friend. One or the other when it's very warm, and both if it gets a bit chillier.

Cellular blankets are fab; take a few so you can add and remove layers depending on chill.

I know you mention a sun shade, but we found the blackout snooze shade really was the best. Uv protection during the day and a useful windbreak too.

I also vote for a snooze shade. Can't remember the make of mine but was an Australian brand and covered the whole buggy. The other thing we didn't take and regretted on our first holiday abroad was the rain cover... And one day there were unexpected showers...child and buggy got soaked.

Mine have always napped in their pushchairs, but when I’ve travelled (especially to Spain and Portugal), it’s quite normal for children to be up late and out with their parents. It’s not unusual to see people out dining with babies and toddlers at 10pm. So I always just kept mine up, they had some snacks, while we had dinner and drinks and they went to sleep when we did.

Sorry but mine never did! Far too nosey and wanting to know what was going on, even when they were absolutely shattered.

We always went to villas because at least DC could go to bed at the usual time and we had an evening to sit outside and have a meal/drink.

We tried this whilst out in Thailand recently with our nine month old. We used a snooze shade but it was still a disaster. He woke up and there was never any chance of resettling him with so much distraction. He was then overtired and it took a few days to get him back to his normal routine.

We used a 1 tog muslin sleeping bag from aden and anais at night with a bodysuit or vest and it was fine. We had the aircon on overnight but on a temperature setting of around 24/25.

Yes..done lots of holidays in S.EAsia city places-(Japan,Malaysia,H.K,Singapore)DC slept in buggy if we were out late in city on&off transport &on beachy hols(Cambodia,Bali,SriLanka,Maldives)different scene having villas and evening ents/shows loud cultural dances&music sometimes enough to keep them awake&happy but ALWAYS had buggy on standby just coz it meant tired legs can rest/sleep (&pull a dark sheet over top for bright lights,friendly local parents lol)whilst we push on-oh&dress them in things you can just transfer straight into bed when u get home that offer mossie protection for nighttime wandering at same time(light coloured thin leggings&tops)

Thanks everyone! What we’ve got is a snooze shade (I think) I don’t mind keeping her up a bit later, we’re on holiday so want it to be as enjoyable as possible. One more question to all you lovely Mums, did your little one fall back into a routine ok once you were back or was it hard work? My little girl is quite calm natured and not much trouble (yet 😂) so hoping we might be ok... again I could be being unrealistic!

Yes my lil DC was(&still is!)a real go with the flow,cruisey soul&my voice has always been able to settle her(even stuff like mumbojumbo mutterings-anything)..so it made travelling easy!once back home,it was like a switch had been flicked&the bedroom,toys,glowlamp,smells kick in..like hols never happened.If only i slept like that😂I get valium prescribed by my lovely Dr as jetlag messes me up bigtime.

Got back into routine pretty fast. Travel home day is tiring.

Nope. Never worked for my boys