Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

Question - headed to the West Coast...do we keep her on East coast time or try to adjust her to that time zone? Or maybe meet in the middle somewhere? We will only be there a week and I really would rather her stay on EST but that means I will too since I will be the one getting up with her earlier than the sun rises!

Any experience with this? Will it be hard to make the change once there and also when we come back?!!

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

It depends on your kid, her disposition and your plans.

I have friends who have done both and traveling east it seems to be better to stick to their schedule, but traveling west is harder. We went to California recently with my 2 year old. I couldn't imagine being up at 5am and putting her to bed at 5:30pm. That sounds just awful to me! So we put her on California time. Thankfully she adjusted beautifully. For a young baby who naps a lot and wakes at night, I feel like you have less to worry about. We came back on a Friday and let her sleep in a bit for the weekend, but put her to bed like normal and in 3 days she was back to her usual routine.

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

We went to Italy for 2 weeks. DD was only 3 months but I thought it was easier to keep her on their time.

Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

I went to Hawaii when AJ was 2. It wasn't actually that bad at all. That first night she passed out early the next time we kept her up as long as we could without upsetting her. But really we just went with it. Day and night help reinforce the sleep habits.

Thankfully she loves to sleep in so that helps.

We took a day off after we got back to 'readjust' her. It was the best plan ever. We all slept in that next day home. Then got back on schedule.

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

Ok thx DD will be 5.5 months but I think u r right and we will try to adjust her. Will make my life better so I am not up at 4-5 am with her! Thx for the help!

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

we went to arizona (2 hour difference) when ds#2 was 11 months.

He never adjusted, even though we tried to make him. Woke up at 4:30am for the day. Twice i was able to bring him in our bed and sleep for another hour.

Message edited 2/21/2013 7:30:50 PM.

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

Depends on th kid. We g to ca a few times a year. We always put them in ca time when we get there. If they have to take a late nap in the afternoon we would let it so they could go to sleep around 7 pm ca time. That's usually the latest theybcould make it as babies. My youngest dd would just out herself right in schedule and wake up around 6/7 am the next morning. My older dd no matter how late she went to bed for the first few days she's up like 430 am. Even at 6 yes old she still does thus. It takes her a few days to get used to it.

Re: Vacationing to a different time zone with DD

We went to Italy when DD was 2. It took about 2 nights before she was on their time. We felt we had to do that or we'd never get sleep. Overall, it wasn't bad. After the 2nd night, we were on Iraly time and went to ved and woke up decent hours. Coming home it took a few days longer to get readjusted.