Returning from a holiday often means getting back to your daily routine, but for moms of sleep-trained babies, this can be easier said than done. Holiday disruptions—unfamiliar environments, late nights, or skipped naps—can throw even the best-laid routines into disarray. Once you’re home, you might find yourself wondering how to help your little one readjust and regain the predictability you worked so hard to establish.
The good news? With some strategic adjustments, you can help your baby transition back to their sleep routine and daily rhythm. Below, we’ll discuss why routines may need to evolve post-holiday and provide actionable tips for getting back on track.
Step 1: Assess the Current Routine
One of the most important things to consider after a holiday is whether your baby’s routine still aligns with their developmental stage. A few weeks can make a big difference, especially in infancy and toddlerhood. As babies grow, their awake windows (the amount of time they can comfortably stay awake between sleeps) lengthen, and their sleep needs change. If your baby is suddenly fighting naps or waking up earlier than usual, it’s possible they’ve outgrown their old routine.
Start by reassessing their wake windows and total sleep needs for their age. For example:
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0-3 months: Awake windows are short (45 minutes to 1.5 hours), and total sleep needs are 14-17 hours a day.
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4-6 months: Awake windows stretch to about 1.5-2.5 hours, with 3-4 naps per day.
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7-10 months: Awake windows range from 2.5-3.5 hours, with 2-3 naps per day.
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11-18 months: Awake windows increase to 3-4 hours, often with a single nap by 12-15 months.
If your baby has moved into a new developmental stage, you may need to tweak their routine accordingly. Make adjustments gradually, extending awake times by 10-15 minutes every few days until you reach the appropriate schedule.
Step 2: Reinstate Predictability
Babies thrive on consistency, so the first step to getting back on track is to reintroduce your pre-holiday schedule as much as possible. Consistency in sleep cues and timing helps regulate your baby’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) and rebuilds their sleep habits. Here’s how to do it:
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Set a Fixed Wake-Up Time: Start your day at the same time every morning, even if your baby had a rough night. This consistency helps reset their internal clock.
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Reintroduce Nap Times: Even if your baby resists napping at first, stick to their usual nap schedule. Use calming pre-nap routines, such as a story or lullaby, to signal that it’s time to sleep.
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Reinstate the Bedtime Routine: A familiar bedtime routine is a powerful sleep cue. If your routine included a bath, feeding, story, and song before the holiday, pick up where you left off. Avoid introducing new steps or skipping parts of the routine.
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Dim the Lights and Limit Stimulation: In the evening, create a calming environment by dimming lights, reducing noise, and minimizing stimulating activities. This helps your baby associate the environment with winding down for the day.
Step 3: Be Patient with Night Wakings
It’s normal for your baby to experience more frequent night wakings as they adjust to being back home. Respond to these wakings calmly and consistently, without creating new habits that may be hard to break later. For example:
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If your baby is used to falling asleep independently, avoid introducing rocking or feeding to sleep during these wakings.
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Use your regular soothing methods, such as patting their back or offering a pacifier, to help them settle back to sleep.
Night wakings should gradually decrease as your baby’s routine stabilizes.
Step 4: Adjust for Jet Lag (if Applicable)
If your holiday involved a change in time zones, jet lag could be a factor in your baby’s disrupted routine. To help them adjust:
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Shift Gradually: If possible, start adjusting your baby’s schedule to the new time zone a few days before returning home. Move their wake and sleep times by 15-30 minutes per day.
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Use Natural Light: Exposure to natural light helps regulate circadian rhythms. Spend time outdoors during daylight hours, especially in the morning.
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Be Strategic About Naps: Avoid letting your baby nap too long during the day, as this can interfere with nighttime sleep. Cap naps at the usual length and focus on aligning nighttime sleep with the local schedule.
Step 5: Focus on Nutrition
Holidays often disrupt feeding schedules as well as sleep. Once you’re home, reestablish regular meal and snack times. Proper nutrition supports healthy sleep by stabilizing energy levels throughout the day. Avoid large meals right before bedtime, but consider offering a small, nutritious snack if your baby seems hungry.
Step 6: Monitor Progress and Stay Flexible
As you implement these strategies, keep in mind that every baby adjusts at their own pace. Some may return to their routine within a few days, while others may take a week or more. During this time, monitor your baby’s sleep and behavior for signs of progress, such as fewer night wakings, easier nap transitions, or longer stretches of sleep.
If you’ve adjusted your baby’s schedule and they’re still struggling after a week or two, consider whether other factors might be at play. Common culprits include teething, illness, or a developmental leap. In these cases, additional patience and flexibility will be needed.
Step 7: Avoid Common Pitfalls
As you work to reestablish your baby’s routine, try to avoid these common mistakes:
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Skipping Routine Steps: Consistency is key, so stick to your regular sleep and feeding routines as much as possible.
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Overcompensating for Missed Sleep: Letting your baby sleep excessively during the day to make up for lost sleep at night can backfire, leading to more disrupted nighttime sleep.
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Introducing Sleep Crutches: Avoid creating new sleep associations, such as feeding or rocking to sleep, unless you’re prepared to continue them long-term.
Final Thoughts
Getting back into a routine after a holiday can feel challenging, but it’s entirely doable with the right approach. Start by reassessing your baby’s developmental needs and gradually reinstating consistency in their daily schedule. Be patient, monitor progress, and stay flexible as your baby adjusts. Remember that a few days of effort can lead to long-term benefits, helping both you and your little one return to restful nights and predictable days.