Help, The Holidays Ruined Baby’s Sleep!

Tis the season to be jolly, have parties, celebrate…and for some families, to find that the holidays ruined Baby’s sleep. What do you do when late nights are interfering with your baby’s sleep training?

I’m here to help! Read on to find out what to do.

Can You Sleep Train During the Holidays?

Technically, yes. I have had stories from my clients about their children finally sleeping on their own on a special date, like Christmas or their birthday.

On the other hand, things can be trickier over the holidays. Let’s talk about why that happens.

Why Holidays Ruin Baby’s Sleep

If you’ve already tried this yourself, I’ll bet you can give me the answer instead of the other way around!

But for those who are experiencing that the holidays ruined Baby’s sleep, you may wonder what could make sleep training difficult at this time.

When Sleep Strategies Fail

There are two ways most parents deal with the holidays and their child’s sleep.

#1: Going to Events Anyway

The first reason many babies revert to not sleeping through the night is that you get home later with them from gatherings.

I know…it’s impossible to refuse Grandma’s strudel or your aunt’s cannoli. And everyone loves getting together on holidays. So I’m not saying you should skip all your get-togethers, even if they will run later than Baby’s sleep time.

But do know that your baby’s internal clock is regulating to falling asleep at a certain time when you sleep train. Too many interruptions of that, and Baby’s sleep training can be derailed, at least for a little while.

#2: Being Home Before Bedtime

As I’ve mentioned above, your strategy may be to go out shopping or to parties, but to be home before bedtime.

You might even decide you won’t attend gatherings that cross over Baby’s nap times, and that’s up to you. You know your baby best.

The problem is that the general energy around holidays may keep Baby up anyway. Your child is being overstimulated during this time. (You are too!)

And while it’s great and healthy to see friends and family, this constant stimulation of lights, sounds, new foods and (to your baby) new people can mean it’s harder for Baby to wind down.

If The Holidays Ruined Baby’s Sleep

Here is what I found out with my own daughter. During an exciting period when your child is overstimulated, you may want to downshift on the sleep training.

At the same time, there are a few sleep training techniques you should stick to.

DO:

Continue with your bedtime routine (usually that’s bath, book and bed) even if you start it earlier or later in the evening.
Realize that it may take your baby longer to settle down due to all the excitement.
Reassure your baby that you’re there. Even happy times can make your child anxious due to the change in routine.
Try to schedule activities so they don’t conflict with bedtime and naptime.

DON’T:

Insist your baby “cry it out” for long periods (more than 5-10 minutes of fussing and winding down).
Get angry with your baby. It’s normal to become impatient, especially when you’re both tired. Keep in mind that the activities are all making memories for your family, and this bump in the sleep training road won’t last forever.
Worry that the holidays ruined Baby’s sleep forever. There’s no such thing! You both can and will get on track.

Getting Back on Track When Holidays Ruined Baby’s Sleep

After the time of activity is over, your child may take a few days up to about a week to settle back down to where they were with their sleep training.

If you’re planning on sleep training your baby but you haven’t started yet, you may want to put it off until after the holidays.

If you’re still worried that the holidays ruined Baby’s sleep, and your little one is just not getting back to their sleep routine, I’m here to help! Check out my services below to find out how to make sure you and your family get a great night’s sleep…tonight and every night.