Best time of day for long car journey with 9mo

[Gabbbbbbby]

We are going to stay with friends for a couple of nights, the drive is around 3 hours and I'm trying to work out when is best to do a journey like this! Would you aim to start journey for a nap and have DS awake for second half or vice versa? DH thinks setting off at bedtime is a good idea, to avoid baby getting fed up in car when awake (this happened last time) but I think that could go catastrophically wrong! He's normally an excellent sleeper, but I'm nervous he wouldn't sleep well on the journey and that transferring him from car to cot when we arrive will upset him....

Anyone got any tried and tested advice?

If at all possible, I’d try and split it. Do first half during morning nap. Stop for lunch and a leg stretch/crawl/tummy time and do the second half during afternoon nap.
In my experiences of setting off at bedtime, DC would fall asleep fine, but when we got to our destination they’d wake up and then not settle because they’d be in a strange environment.

My parents are a 4 hour drive away. For a long time now we've done it as a 5am start so most of the journey is just a continuation of the night's sleep. Arrive at service station for breakfast around 8 and get them dressed there.

I would leave in time for first nap of the day. Stop, have lunch and a break, finish in afternoon for another nap.

Thanks all! I think I will definitely not do the bedtime one. I like the idea of first nap of the day, then stopping for lunch, hopefully that will avoid too much crankiness...

Yes splitting it and doing lunch halfway is a good idea :)

Ideally also you don't want them in the car seat for more than 2 hours at a time, so splitting the journey into two segments of either 90 mins or 1 hour / 2 hours is a good plan for this reason.

You can also have whoever is not driving sitting in the back in case he needs distracting.

Bedtime is not a good idea. Mind you, our DD has never ever slept through any kind of transfer since five weeks old.

My mum lives three hours away. We normally leave super early so it’s like a continuation of nighttime sleep. Stop at service station when she wakes and give her breakfast, then bribe her with CBeebies for the rest of the journey (she’s older though and I’m a terrible parent!).

First nap of the day. You’re right, disturbing the nighttime routine could be a mistake and leave him grizzly on your first full day.