How to maintain my baby's sleep routine during Christmas and New Year?

The holidays are undoubtedly a time of happiness and celebration with loved ones, but we know that it can be stressful for your baby to sleep away from home, be exposed to annoying noises or suffer alterations in their sleep schedules.

Here are 9 useful tips that can help you protect your sleeping habits:

• Follow your usual routine

It is important that you try to follow your baby's usual routine as much as possible. If you are away from home, take his things with you: sheets, white noise , a sleeping mat, a portable blackout curtain , etc. Your baby will thank you for it and will be able to feel his sleep routine as familiar as possible.

• But try to be flexible.

We often think that we have to follow a strict schedule during the holidays, which can be a bit overwhelming. Taking care of your baby's sleeping habits is essential, as is having a little flexibility.

Don't stress if your routine gets a little confusing for a day or two. When you get home, you can get back into it.

• Use the white noise machine

One of the main benefits of white noise is that it can isolate external noises that may wake your baby, such as loud conversations or fireworks.

Use it so you can chat and enjoy time as a family, without waking your baby at night or during naps.

• Prepare to put him to bed later

If your baby goes to bed a little later than usual, keep this in mind the next day.

Keep stimulation and activities to a minimum, if possible, to prevent overexertion. Be flexible with your child's schedule, but don't put him to bed too late, especially not after midnight.

• Traveling by car with your baby

If you're going to be traveling by car after dinner during the holidays, for example, do your baby's pre-trip routine and leave him dressed in his pajamas.

He's likely to fall asleep on the way home. When you get home, just put him in his crib or bed.

• Pay attention to your baby's sleep cues

The holidays can mean lots of visitors, comings and goings, new faces wanting to help make your baby's Christmas and New Year special. This is wonderful! But it can also mean that your baby gets tired much faster than usual. Don't forget about his naps - they are very important and restorative.

• Gifts are left for the next day

Our babies and children can easily wait until the next day to receive their presents. Opening them too late at night will overstimulate them, causing difficulties at bedtime, night waking, or waking up earlier than usual. It is better for them to open their presents the next morning, rested and knowing that they have all day to play.

• Take care of your own routine

We know, if our babies go to bed later, it doesn't mean they'll wake up later in the morning. Quite the opposite! Especially if they're excited to open their presents.

Try to rest on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, so you can face the next day in a good mood.

• Don't let routine take the best out of your end-of-year celebrations

Balance is everything. Remember that we always want to maintain routines, but it's also good to be flexible when needed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the moms and dads!