I'll be traveling with my 4 month old baby to France and England in the spring. She's a relatively easy baby, no health issues, colic, etc. and typically sleeps 10+ hours at night, however, she really needs her morning and afternoon nap or she has crying spells in the late afternoon early evening because she's over tired.

I'm wondering what other people have done, specifically with small babies who don't walk or crawl yet, regarding naps when you are touring?

Did you just let them nap in the stroller or baby bjorn or did you go back to the room for designated nap times? I think it would crush the day to go back to the room for her first nap at 9am considering we likely will have just left the room at 8am.

For whatever reason my daughter passes out within a couple minutes of being in the baby bjorn (ours is a Beco but I just said baby bjorn because most people call the front pack carriers by that name) facing the chest, must be super snuggly or something because it works every time. My thought was that if she wasn't asleep in the stroller to pop her in the carrier during her designated nap time, 9am and 1pm and let her sleep an hour or two in there. I know sleep while in motion is not as beneficial as sleeping in a crib, but it's just 2 weeks. Our travel stroller lays completely flat for sleeping.

Any thoughts??? Advice???

What was your experience???

Also, for those of you who have rented apartments in Europe, when they say they can provide a "baby cot" is that a crib? A pack n play? A bassinet? Not sure what their definition is of a baby cot.

"Cot" is generally the word used for what Americans call a crib. But it might be a portable one depending on the flat. You need to contact the owner if you want to know which kind it is.

As for how to handle naps-- you will have to do what's best depending in your circumstances each specific time. There is no one size option. If you are near the apartment and it is convenient to go back for a bit -- OK sure. But if she sleeps in the carrier -- it certainly won't damage her for a few days . . .

And if you are using a stroller - that's good too. Some days a carrier will be more convenient, some days the stroller will -- depending on what you are visiting.

I only have experience with an older baby so my experience possibly won't be so useful for you. But lots of the trip reports that I read in preparation for our trip recommended attempting less, and hanging out in parks more, rather than trying to see as much as before they were born. In our case we were travelling for business, in the one location during the week and we only attempted short trips on the weekends, and so our little one slept in the car at sleep times on those days. During the week our days with our daughter were structured around her normal routine.

How does your baby cope with short trips to the shopping centre - do you let her sleep in the stroller under those conditions, or do you wait until she's awake? I think stroller sleep is OK. Maybe you can try seeing how she copes with sleep during shopping trips as preparation for your vacation.

Lavandula

Thanks Lavandula. She sleeps ok in her car seat with the pop on stroller at the store, but she really hates that car seat most of the time. This time she'll be in a stroller that actually reclines flat, we're not even taking a car seat. So I think she'll actually sleep quite well. We've been to Paris and London many times already, so we've seen the major sites, this time it's just about hanging out, taking long walks, picnics in the park, etc. We were planning on 2 day trips in each city, 2 in London and 2 in Paris, by train, just short ones, 45 min to an hour, but other than that we'll just be hanging around enjoying the city. I've worked so hard getting her on a nap schedule, I guess I'll just throw it out the window for 2 weeks and let her call the shots as far as napping goes, sounds like that's the most reasonable option!

the other thing about schedules is surely that as the baby grows these times will change anyway. We travelled with a 4 month old and used stroller, baby carrier and our arms.

If she's in a good routine you might find she sleeps at appropriate times anyway. I would be more concerned about the time difference and how that might affect re-establishing the routine. Most people here (judging by past posts) seem to think kids slip into the new sleeping pattern pretty easily, being adaptable little things. If you provide the means for your bub to fall asleep in the pram at the right times she will do so, I'm sure. A muslin pinned across the front of the pram with a clothespeg is helpful to create the right level of light and shield her from sun or wind, and is incredibly useful in the plane (can be used to wipe vomit, swaddle baby, create a 'tent' in the bassinette in the plane).

Lavandula

Another thought: when she drops off to sleep in the baby bjorn, can you then transfer her to the pram? If she is sleeping deeply it might be possible to do this without waking her (or only rousing her for a few minutes). Then she can probably get better quality sleep.

Lavandula