Tips for Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep in Strange Places

New parents usually have enough problems getting their babies to fall asleep as it is, so the prospect of trying to get them to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment can be a formidable venture. Despite how daunting this task may seem though, you can’t avoid
strange places just because it can interfere with your newborns sleep schedule. Instead you can do a few different things to make these experiences less unnerving for them and help coax them into sleep a little easier regardless of where they are.

1. Bring familiar objects. Recreating their normal environment as much as possible will help them feel more at ease and calm about being in a new and strange setting. Be sure to bring along a blanket that your baby is used to sleeping with, as well as stuffed animals or other small objects that are easily transportable and familiar. 
2. Keep them on the same schedule. One of the pitfalls of being away from home, whether you’re on a vacation, travelling, or just at a friend’s house, is that it can mess up normal routines and sleep times. Put your baby down to sleep at the same time that they would be going to bed if they were at home to keep them on their regular time schedule. 
3. Pre-condition your child to different environments. If you’re planning on taking a trip then start conditioning them to sleep in different places before you actually leave. Let them sleep over at Grandma’s house one night or put them to bed in a playpen that you’re bringing along; teaching them to fall asleep no matter where they are early on will help them maintain a consistent sleep schedule more easily. 
4. Play soothing music. When you’re ready for them to go down for a nap or to sleep for the night play soothing music or sounds on an iPod or CD player for them. Having an iPod or some other form of an MP3 player with calming music is perfect when you’re travelling because you can play it softly no matter where you are and it doesn’t take up a lot of space. 
5. Try swaddling. Swaddling helps recreate the feeling of being held tight which is a comforting feeling for babies. This is an easy way to make them feel safe and secure no matter where they are and you can do it easily with a blanket. This is especially good for trips on airplanes, buses, etc. where there’s a lot of competing noises and faces that could be unnerving for your baby. 

The key to getting your baby to fall asleep no matter where they are is making them feel as normal and comfortable as possible. It may take a few times, but soon enough they’ll likely have no problem falling asleep no matter what the circumstances.


Author Bio
Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to become a nanny by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.