The main thing to note when talking about managing sleep at 0-3 months (for the baby, and for you, during your travels!) is that it will be so drastically different for every family. I’ll say it again, but take it from us: our baby’s 4-month sleep regression came as an early treat at 13 weeks, and it was the same day as our road trip up to New Hampshire.

Newborn sleep

This goes without saying! There are books written on newborn sleep for a reason, and it’s one of the main “why’s” for the newborn days being so incredibly exhausting.

It can be tough

I remember how shocked I was at how newborn sleep was unlike any other sleep I had ever encountered. They need to eat every 2-3 hours? They can’t go back to sleep without being rocked or bounced? They nap for 30 minutes and then they’re awake? They unexpectedly nap for 3 hours when you least think they will?

With the unpredictability of newborns, it does take time until they do anything predictable, a few months in for some, or many months for others. What you get in the beginning are really, really tired parents.

All newborns are different

Some newborns sleep a ton, and some refuse to sleep. (We had the type that refused to sleep.) But some of our friends who chose to travel during the newborn phase of their babies, it was because their newborns were easy sleepers who let them have breaks!

If you want to travel with a newborn…

If you want to travel, though, consider what a best friend told us: you could be exhausted and sleep-deprived at home, or you could be exhausted and sleep-deprived at a beach resort or in a destination you love. It’s up to you.

Independent sleep for newborns

It’s mostly common knowledge that the large majority of newborns do not sleep independently; for this reason, parents are doing a lot of work to get their babies to sleep.

Sleep training

Sleep training is a sensitive subject that will be different for every parent. Some parents choose to “train” their newborns or older babies to sleep independently or through the night (and it does not always work) while some let their babies do whatever they need to, forever. It’s a personal subject, and as a new parent, you’ll see how diverse the opinions are.

Sleep training traditionally doesn’t start until the newborn phase is over, so if you choose to travel during 0-3 months, and stick with your existing sleep plan from home.

Where newborns sleep

Your newborn may want to only sleep on you (contact nap), or in the baby carrier, or in the stroller. Nights may be long (well, they fell that way). Be prepared to trade off with a partner or more family members to get the baby to sleep.

If sleep is happening naturally…

Sleep aside, try to enjoy your vacation! This especially goes for parents that had pre-planned trips on the calendar. You will be TIRED (especially breastfeeding mothers), but if you’re in a great destination, try to make some memories during the waking hours!

Where to sleep during travel (newborns and parents)

If you have your sleep situation hammered out at home, what happens when you travel? See some ideas below.

Room-sharing

Room-sharing is common in the newborn phase (but it is not for 100% of parents, like it was not for us). However, when we traveled to New England with our 13-week old, we had our baby in the travel bassinet, a few feet away from where we both slept.

If you have a typical 1-room accommodation like any traditional hotel, cruise, all-inclusive resort or B&B, bring your travel bassinet or travel crib so you can share space with your newborn.

Parents taking turns

If you have a 2-room accommodation, trade off with a partner while sleeping next to the baby so that the other parent can rest, elsewhere, in peace.

This is what worked for us, in all honesty! And it doesn’t work for everyone, so you will find what works for you and employ your best strategies after experimenting.