While I know I am really no expert in this … Annie recently asked me if I’d do a post on traveling with little ones and specifically what we do for sleeping arrangements.  There are seriously waaaay more qualified people to write this post (Amanda and Lauren quickly come to mind!) but I figured it couldn’t hurt to tell you how we made it work this summer on two separate trips with a 14-15 month old and 3 and a half year old.

For Wesley we put the pack n play or crib (whatever is provided for us) in the bathroom (so sorry wesley!!), turn on the noise maker , use the baby monitor app on the ipad- synced with my iphone, and he’s asleep generally from 7-7.   Unless he gets sick and is on steroids for a couple of nights … then nobody is sleeping..  But typically this is how it goes for him.  Thankfully my in laws had an adjoining room in Key Largo so we could go to the bathroom in there, and in Turks & Caicos we had two bathrooms in our suite.     So obviously our arrangements isn’t ideal for everyone, but it does get dark, he’s got his white noise, and he’s good to go.

For Tuck we let him sleep with us.  He usually crawls in our bed around 4am most nights at home anyway, so this isn’t really a huge change.  Honestly a family bed makes me soo happy anyway.  But not ideal for some who aren’t a fan of that, and for this you could always have another pack n play, a crib, or take a long a travel cot.  When traveling with either of our parents both grandmas always offer for Tuck to sleep in there.  We do take them up on it more often than not!   On the Disney Cruise, tuck slept pretty good on the single bed in their room.  But did fall out once, which is the only time he’s ever fallen out of a bed.  He has a full at home, and just wasn’t used to it I guess.  Thankfully it was so close to the floor that the worst thing that happened to him was that it scared him.

For flying these things helped:

{contents:  diapers, wipes, tons of snacks in a ziploc bag, pouches, a little sailor rattle , puppet, a touch and feel book, anti-bacterial wet ones, fisher price phone  – all in the fawn design diaper bag}

when you don’t bring a stroller … you improvise (:

For both flights, the boys did really well.  Which surprised me as I was dreading it for Wes.  It’s just an hour and 45 minute flight, but he is a BUSY guy.  But once we got on (we got on last, not first, so to tire him out) he sat down and never even tried to get out.  Which is a complete departure to real life.  It helped that each flight happened to be right around his nap time, so he passed out for much of both flights.  I gave him a sucker for take off for the first flight, and had to nurse a bit, but for the second one he was asleep before take off.  Juice helped on his descent both times.

I did have Wes in my honest carrier through security in Fort Lauderdale but had to take him off in Providenciales.  We don’t have global entry (though we talk about it every time we travel and I think if you have American Express they will cover part of the fee for you- we don’t.) …  but download Mobile Passport App (it’s free!) helped us get through the initial lines in custom.  Though I hear it’s great in some airports, you fly right through, and in some (like FLL) they are still working out the kinks.  Still worth a shot, especially as it improves.

So that was the rundown!  Would love to know any tips or tricks you have when you travel with your kids?  Or if I didn’t cover something, I’m happy to- just ask.

Want other traveling with kids posts?  Here’s one from Tucks first ever flight.  And one from Sicily.

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