So everyone asks, “how do you deal with jet lag and a baby…”  I have no idea!  I just go with it.

Some people have a theory that you should tire your child out before a flight so they’ll sleep on the flight.  Others try “medicating” their child.

I follow the rule of just pretending it’s “business as usual”.  No late nights before, (nor for myself) and not medicine.  I’m an all natural girl after all.  Keep it “simple.”

I find that if Stella is well rested and on her normal routine before and during travel everyone is happier.  Note here that I don’t say “schedule.”  We are a big fan of the routine.  Schedule means we can’t break the rules and what fun is that?

Well rested and prepared parents are a big help as well.  The days of running around at the last minute to get ready for a big trip or flight are over.

The reason I say this is that if you are well rested and organized you will respond to your baby well and be in tune with their needs and in turn will make the trip smoother for everyone…which will help with jet lag on everyone’s part…

But how do deal with jet lag once you get to your destination?

Here’s what I’ve always done.  Once we arrive (and up until now it has only been a 3 hour time difference going to the East) I try to just adjust to the time of where we are.  That means, naps on the plane as your baby would normally have and meals as they would.  That doesn’t mean if your child eats breakfast at 8 AM, Lunch at noon and dinner at 5pm that you must stick to that routine.  It means make sure he/she has the same meals and snacks as usual but with an hour or two difference from normal to make up for the change in time.

For instance, going East in N. America I usually leave at breakfast time and arrive at dinner time.  So Stella has breakfast before we leave, a snack on the way to the airport or once on the plane.  Lunch on the plane and a snack right before we get off the plane (if there is a layover that’s a great opportunity to let the baby play and have lunch).  Then, once we arrive, it’s dinner, bath and bed.  Usually the journey is exhausting enough to get her right on schedule on day 1.  (Me too actually as traveling with a baby makes you so tired you just fall asleep when you can get to bed, no matter what time!).

I find that on Day 2/3 is where the jet lag may kick in.  If Stella seems like she’s wide awake I let her stay up.  This may mean the baby is up until 9 or 10 pm and sometimes 11pm but the upside is you actually get to sleep in the next morning. Babies and toddlers generally need a good 10-12 hours of sleep straight at night.  They are going to get it whether they go to sleep at 7 or 10pm…unless ofcourse you have a regimented child…you may have problems. But every child is different so I am only giving you general guidelines here.

So how did Stella do with first a 3 hour time change and now an additional 5 hours?  (She started in PST, spent 6 days in EST and is now in BST).  So in one week she’s off by 8 hours.  That’s basically a baby’s waking hours.

Pretty well considering.  The time change in Atlanta did not affect her too much.  Day 3 she was quite tired and cranky but went to bed early (thanks to my Dad) and adjusted well after that.

The past 2 days in England have gone fairly well considering.  She fell asleep yesterday twice (like clockwork, 2 naps) and then went to bed at 8pm.  Woke up at 10 pm and went straight back to sleep.  Woke again at midnight and came into the bed with us…was up until 1:30 AM when her father woke her up going to the bathroom…

Today and yesterday she was quite clingy and fussy (but still the smiling happy child most of the time).  I think she’ll be past the “jet lag” tomorrow.

Change of scenery and new places also add to a child’s adjustment.  Stella is wide-eyed and exploring and seems to be enjoying all the new sounds, smells and sites.

Tomorrow we are off to try to find some baby gear as we traveled light…But since we are staying in Marlow for a few weeks and again for a month in October we figure we need to get a few things.