24 hour trip ahead...Help!

[JJshappymum]

Hi,

I have read the tips on air travel and have an idea of how to keep DS ( 22 months ) busy.

I just don't know how to plan the sleeping deal. We will be travelling from Italy to California so we will be gaining 9 hours. I read the posts about how it is easier to travel west but it doesn't seem that way for us. The entire trip will take 24 hours (long layovers and three planes) and unfortunately we have to start early in the morning. By the time we get to LA it will be 7 pm there (4 am our time) and if DS follows the Italian time for his sleep he will have just woken from a nights sleep when we get off the plane. The last plane ride will be about 13 hours long and it will be at night so everyone else will be asleep. If I wake him every two hours he will be more than cranky and difficult.

I will be travelling solo and am so freaked out about this. DS behaves SOOO much better when DH is around. With me it is a constant power struggle about everything.

Do you have any suggestions on how to plan his sleep during the trip? Or should I just go with the flow. I am worried that when we get there he will spend the entire 3 weeks sleeping during the day and being awake during the night.

[RachelC]

IMO, I think during travel you should let him sleep when he needs to.  When you arrive in CA, then start adjusting for the time change.

[gogomama]

I agree with Rachel, I would let him sleep as much as he wants as it will be easier on both you and him when you arrive. Every LO is different, but mine has a really hard time sleeping on planes/trains etc. so planning sleep times in our case was pretty futile anyways. I think that the LOs tend to adjust more quickly to the time changes than us adults so when you arrive I think you will find that after a couple of days he will settle right in. Sometimes the biggest time differences are the best because its like starting from scratch. HTH and have a great vacation

[JJshappymum]

thanks, I will try to relax.