Travelling worries: how long did it take your baby to settle into a new environment when abroad ?

[kookool]

I have a 9 month old DS who is now in a very good sleep/nap routine here in the UK. I am a bit worried because we are going abroad to visit family at the end of March. I may stay for a whole month (DH will come back after 2 weeks due to work) so that DS can spend as much time with his grandparnets as possible.

The time difference between the country we are going to and the UK is only 3.5 hours ahead, so no jetlag as such involved.

I will be taking his cot mobile, blankets and the teddy he sleeps with to help him settle.

Has anyone been abroad for a longish period ? Could you please let me know how many days it took your baby of a similar age to mine (nearly 9 months) to settle into his new environment sleep-wise ? Thanks.

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DD went to the US when she was 9 months for a month and it took her a few days to get into a nightime routine.

First night was horrible but the rest were ok.

However... it took her about 2 weeks to get back to normal on our return. Nothing too hideous but waking twice for example whereas she was sleeping through before.

Only been to France & Italy in the 3 years since she was born but no problems at all.

Took ds to canada when he was 19 months and again at 2yrs.Both times he settled well on the first night and slept through the entire holiday.
The time diff was 5 hrs ahead so he was knackered when we got there which helped to get him into a good routine.I agree with the others I found it worse coming home,took about a week to get back to sleeping straight through.
I hope it works out okay,where are you going?

We took dd to Majorca at 16m and it didn't bother her one bit. She would fall asleep in her buggy while we went out for a drink, then sleep as normal whatever time we got her back to the hotel. She just fitted back into the same routine of bed at 7 when we got home. We've been away loads in this country and different cots, different environments and different routines haven't so far seemed to bother her, either while away or on return.

Oh - apart from this New Year's Eve when she refused to go to bed and saw the New Year in with the rest of us! Probably going to be a party animal like her mum.

ds was 9 months not 19mnths

Thanks to everyone so far. I am looking forward to our trip much more now that I know he will probably be ok.

I think he will be so spoilt by his grandparents (they are seeing him for the first time and DS is their first grandchild so even more special !) and he will have so many playmates that he will actually find it really quiet and boring when we come back to London

For teething on the plane, get the boots or superdrug teething ring with water in it. Its little rubber baubles in a circle, it was fantastic for my wee one. Make sure you take a thickish blanket so he can sleep comfortably. We had no probs with baby on his first intl trip in fact he fared much better than us. they dont seem to notice the time lag like we do as adults.

mama - thanks, in fact I think he is beginning to theeth - has no theeth so far - has been very fussy since yesterday, red cheeks, dribbling - what terrible timing ! I was hoping it would happend after the trip, but just not our luck !