Baby sleep when traveling: travel cribs, jet lag and naps on the go

Babies can sleep well away from home, and the safety rules travel with you. Every sleep should be on your baby's back, in a crib or travel crib that meets your country's safety standard, using only the mattress that came with it and nothing added underneath. If your baby falls asleep in the car seat, lift them out onto a firm, flat surface once you arrive. For time zones, either shift gradually or switch to local time, and let daylight do most of the work. A familiar sleep sack and bedtime routine help a strange room feel like bedtime.

This guide is about sleep. For car trips, flights, feeding on the go, packing and travel health, see traveling with a baby.

Where can my baby safely sleep away from home?

The Lullaby Trust's safer sleep on holiday advice is to follow safer sleep guidelines for every sleep, day and night, wherever you are. Australia's Red Nose's six safe sleep recommendations in Australia are the same at home and away: on the back, head and face uncovered, smoke-free, a safe sleeping environment night and day, their own safe sleep space in your room for at least the first 6 months, and breastfeeding if possible.

Australia's Red Nose's safe sleeping environment page in Australia lists adult beds, bunks, waterbeds, beanbags, couches, pillows and cushions as places a baby should never be put to sleep.

What should I check in a travel crib or hotel crib?

Travel cribs, called portable cribs, portacots or play yards depending on where you live, are safe for sleep when they meet the local standard and are set up properly.

• Australia: Red Nose's portable crib guide says all portable cribs sold in Australia must meet the mandatory Australian Standard, and that they're designed for occasional or short-term use such as travel, not everyday sleep.
• UK: the Lullaby Trust says travel crib mattresses are thinner than standard crib mattresses but are suitable as long as they're firm, flat, in good condition and meet British safety standards.
• US: the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says play yards must meet a mandatory federal standard, and that only the mattress supplied with the play yard should be used.
• Elsewhere: the CDC's advice on traveling with children warns that cribs in some places might not meet US safety standards and that lodgings abroad might not be as safe as at home.

Use only the mattress that came with it

This is the rule people break most often, usually to make a thin mattress feel kinder. Australia's Red Nose says to use only the mattress supplied with the crib, because extra mattresses or padding can create gaps where a baby can become wedged, raising the risk of suffocation. The Lullaby Trust says not to put folded blankets or a quilt under your baby to make them "more comfortable", and the CPSC says supplemental mattresses may create a gap and lead to entrapment.

A quick crib check

1. Call ahead. Red Nose suggests checking that your destination has a crib or portable crib that meets Australian safety standards, and the Lullaby Trust says to ask what your accommodation offers.
2. Check it's assembled properly. Australia's Red Nose says to follow the maker's instructions and not to use a crib that shows signs of wear or doesn't lock securely into place.
3. Look for damage. Check for broken parts and mesh tears.
4. Check the mattress. It should be firm, flat and the right one for the crib, with no gaps at the sides. The Lullaby Trust says hotel and holiday cribs don't always follow safer sleep guidelines, and that a safe crib has no soft bumpers and a rigid base.
5. Use fresh, simple bedding. A fitted sheet and your baby's own sleep sack. Australia's Red Nose says to remove pillows, toys and loose blankets, and to avoid bedding with exposed elastic.
6. Check the weight limit. Australia's Red Nose says most portable cribs have a weight limit of 15 kg, but to check the instructions for your crib.
7. Place it safely. Keep the crib away from hanging cords from blinds, curtains or electrical items, which Australia's Red Nose says are strangulation hazards. Australia's Red Nose also says to keep heaters away from the crib, and the Lullaby Trust adds radiators, windows and air conditioning.

Can my baby sleep in the car seat, stroller or sling while we travel?

Babies nod off on the move, and that's fine. What matters is moving them to a flat surface for the rest of the sleep.

Car seats. The NHS says it's OK for your baby to fall asleep in a car seat while you're traveling, but to take them out as soon as you get to where you're going. Australia's Red Nose's car safety advice in Australia says to remove your baby from the car seat or capsule once the trip is over, even if it wakes them, because a baby's head can fall forward and block their airway. It also suggests resting and stretching every 2 hours on long journeys, with your baby out of the seat. The AAP says that if your baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, swing, carrier or sling, you should move them to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as possible.

Strollers. The Lullaby Trust says a stroller carrycot can be used for sleep if the space is flat with a firm, waterproof mattress and the maker says it's suitable for overnight sleep, but that its sides may trap more heat than a regular crib. Don't drape a blanket or muslin over the stroller: Australia's Red Nose in Australia says even a light muslin can significantly reduce airflow and trap heat, and suggests natural shade such as trees or umbrellas instead.

Slings and carriers. The NHS's T.I.C.K.S. rules say a sling should be tight, keep your baby in view and close enough to kiss, keep their chin off their chest, and support their back. It also says it isn't safe to feed your baby while they're in a sling. If your baby falls asleep in the carrier and you want to sit down or rest, move them to a flat sleep surface.

If you ever find your baby slumped with their chin on their chest in a car seat, stroller or sling, lift them out and lay them on their back on a firm, flat surface straight away.

How do plane bassinets work?

Many airlines offer a bassinet that clips to the wall in front of certain seats on longer flights. The AAP's guide to flying with a baby says most airlines that offer bassinets require babies to be under 6 months old or 20 lb (about 9 kg), and not yet able to sit up on their own. Book early, because there are only a few.

• Keep it clear. The AAP says to make sure the surface is firm and flat, with no blankets, sheets, pillows or stuffed animals.
• Follow the crew's instructions about when your baby can use the bassinet, as each airline sets its own rules.
• Lap sleeping. If your baby sleeps on your lap, the AAP says to stay awake and alert, and check that they can breathe and their face is uncovered.
• Lie-flat seats. The AAP says babies under 12 months are safest in their own space, so a shared flat-bed seat is generally for children over 12 months.
• Own seat. The CDC and AAP say the safest place for a child on a plane is an approved child restraint in their own seat.

Don't give medicines to make your baby sleep on a flight. The AAP says not to give antihistamines such as diphenhydramine without asking your doctor, and the CDC notes antihistamines aren't recommended under 1 year. See sleep aids and melatonin.

How do I help my baby adjust to a new time zone?

The CDC says travel to different time zones, jet lag and schedule disruptions can disturb sleep in babies and children just as in adults. There's no proven method for babies, so these options are drawn from adult jet-lag advice and practical experience.

The CDC's jet lag guidance, written for adults, suggests not adapting for trips shorter than about 2 days. It says most people adjust faster after flying west than east, at an average of about 1.5 hours a day westward and 1 hour a day eastward, though there's no equivalent figure for babies.

Use daylight to reset the body clock

Light is the body clock's main signal. Australia's Tresillian says natural daylight in the morning and early afternoon helps regulate a baby's body clock and daytime alertness, and that keeping nights calm and dim helps them tell day from night.

On arrival

1. Start the day on local time with daylight, a feed or breakfast and some time outside.
2. Offer naps at local nap times, guided by tired signs. Keep naps safe and on a flat surface, even on a busy first day.
3. Keep night wakings dark and dull. If your baby is wide awake at 2 am local time, keep the lights low and the room quiet, feed if they're hungry, and avoid play.
4. Feed responsively. Feeds may follow home time for a few days. Never hold off a hungry baby to fit the new clock.
5. Expect a few unsettled days, and keep the bedtime routine the same so your baby knows what's coming.

The same steps apply to the smaller one-hour shift of a clock change; see daylight saving and baby sleep.

How do I keep sleep familiar in a new place?

• Bring their own sleep sack. A safe sleep sack is fitted across the neck and chest, with arms out and no hood, as Australia's Red Nose describes. It's also a familiar cue.
• Keep the bedtime routine. Even a short version, such as the same song or book and a goodnight phrase, helps. See bedtime routine.
• Make the room dark. A portable blackout blind can help with light evenings and early sunrises; keep any cords well away from the crib.
• Use white noise only if you use it at home. The AAP says to place a sleep machine as far from your baby's head as possible and use it for a short time only. Never put a phone or speaker in the crib. See white noise.
• Check the temperature. The Lullaby Trust suggests a room of 16–20°C and says a baby can sleep in just a diaper if the room is very warm. Australia's Red Nose in Australia doesn't set a room temperature and says to dress your baby as you'd dress yourself, checking that their tummy feels warm; the Lullaby Trust says to feel the chest or back of the neck. See hot weather.
• Keep your baby in your room. Australia's Red Nose, the NHS and the AAP all say your baby's own sleep space should be in your room for at least the first 6 months, and that applies on holiday too.

What about staying with relatives or friends?

Family homes are where the safe-sleep plan most often slips, because everyone is tired and the set-up is improvised.

• Check any crib you're offered. An older crib kept for grandchildren may not meet today's standards. Red Nose says a safe crib meets the mandatory Australian Standard; if you're unsure, bring your own travel crib.
• Keep the house smoke-free. Australia's Red Nose says to keep your baby smoke-free before and after birth, so ask that no one smokes around your baby or in the room where they sleep.
• No sofa naps. The Lullaby Trust says never to fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby, because it significantly increases the risk of SIDS, and the AAP says the risk is up to 67 times higher on a couch. If you feel drowsy while holding your baby, put them down on a firm, flat surface.
• Bed-sharing. Advice differs by country. The AAP advises against bed-sharing in any circumstances. The Lullaby Trust recommends a separate sleep space, and says never to bed-share if anyone in the bed smokes, has drunk alcohol or taken drugs or medicines that cause drowsiness, or if your baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed under 2.5 kg. Australia's Red Nose says that if there's really no option but to share on holiday, remove pillows and comforters from the sleeping area and don't wrap your baby. See bed-sharing.
• Hand over clearly. If relatives are doing a nap or bedtime, show them the crib and say it plainly: on the back, nothing in the crib, no sofa naps. The safe sleep guide has a short handover list.

When should I get help while we're away?

Before you go, find out where the nearest hospital or after-hours doctor is at your destination, and how to reach emergency services there.

Call 911 now (or the local emergency number) if your baby:

• is struggling to breathe, breathing very fast, grunting or sucking in at the tummy or ribs
• has blue, gray, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• is floppy, much sleepier than usual, hard to wake or can't be woken
• has a weak, high-pitched or continuous cry, or is having a seizure
• is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
• has had no wet diaper or pee for 12 hours

These are on the NHS list of signs needing urgent help.

Get medical help today if your baby is feeding much less than usual, has fewer wet diapers than usual, or seems unwell. See dehydration signs and fever in babies for what to watch for.

Talk to your doctor or pediatrician when you're home if sleep is still unsettled a few weeks after the trip, or before you go if your baby has a health condition and you want a plan for flights or sleep.

What's worth noting on a trip?

Jot down wake-up time, naps and bedtime on local time for the first few days, plus anything that seemed to help, such as morning daylight or a shorter nap. It shows you how quickly your baby is adjusting, and it's a handy reference for the trip home, which often needs the same steps in reverse.