Best holiday advice??

[Just*Ace]

We are going on our first family holiday in 6 weeks time with our 15 month old DD. We are going from Sydney to Cairns so only a 3 hour flight. I am so nervous about everything! DD is not the best sleeper, she basically only sleeps in her cot. Not the pram, very rarely the car seat. Our flight is at 8am and we will have to leave our house about 5am, I doubt DD will fall back asleep in the car so I am dreading having an overtired baby on the plane! Any tips for getting a baby used to sleeping in different environments?
Also, since we are staying in 3 different hotels in the week we are up there, we have the problem of having a 10am checkout and then not being able to check in to the next hotel till 2pm. We wont have a portacot as we have to hire them from the hotel and this will fall right when DD should be napping (I am assuming she will be on 1 middle of the day nap by then) Do I basically just forget about naps for the holiday and just hope if she is tired enough she will sleep elsewhere?
Also looking for any tips/advice/help! Like for those who have taken young children on holidays was there anything that was a lifesaver? That you had to run out and buy because you had forgotten to pack? Thanks for any help!

[Lock and Lu]

I'm not saying this is the case for all kids...but my 2 are generally good flyers and somehow always manage to sleep on planes. I think the humming noise of the plane helps. My babies have generally slept in my arms with a bit of rocking/feeding (tho this may not apply to you with an older bub). Do you have a nap routine? Like a song or toy? If so, try and do that. And be realistic, if she doesn't sleep, don't stress. Just tell yourself she can have a nap later and an early night.

In terms of day sleeps on holidays, will you have a pram? Would she sleep if you went for a nice big walk? I'd recommend trying to get some sort of nap in where possible, especially if you plan to go out for dinner while you're away. My kids often sleep better when it's warmer which it will be in cairns!

Other general tips that have always worked for me when traveling with kids:

- take heaps of snacks for the plane. It keeps them occupied.
- take a new toy on the plane - buy something, preferably that's useful, and pull it out on the plane. Stories are good too.
- try and keep to a similar routine as at home where possible, but don't stress if it gets a bit mixed up. You can get back to normal when you get home.
- it'll be hotter than she's used to. I took my DD to Townsville when she was 10mo and I found cold face washers in a plastic bag good - just to cool her down while you're out and about.

I could go on all day but that will do for now. Have a lovely family holiday!!!

[hakuna matata]

I'm off to Cairns in November with my then 20 month old, let me know any good things to do!!!

[Just*Ace]

Lock & Lu thanks for all the advice thats a great idea about buying a new toy for the plane, new toys always keep her occupied for awhile lol. Our nap routine is basically putting her in her brace, then sitting on her rocking chair and having a boob feed, not going to be possible while away so I might try and change the routine a bit. Maybe I could try and introduce a lovey before we go so she knows when its sleep time. We will have a pram while away, we are just getting 1 of those $20 strollers from big w as our pram is a big 1. She has never really slept in her pram, not since she was about 3 months old, she is just always wanting to look at everything! I might try and ask the hotels about an early check in so she can get even an hour or so.
Hakuna matata we havent got too much planned up there! It is our first time up there with DD, in the past we have gone to the crocodile park and caught the ferry to green island which we might do again. Also will be spending lots of time at the pools on the esplanade! 1 of the parks we are staying at has lots for kids so that helps!

[RmumR]

call the hotels and ask about early check in's if available and possibilities of late check outs. you never know unless you ask.

even though bubs hasnt been a pram sleeper she may end ul exhausted with all the new scenery and fall asleep.

the only prob with a cheap stroller will be you wont be able to lay it back if she does hapoen to fall asleep. perhaps look into a slightly more exoensive one that can recline a bit if needed.

take your own bedding for travel cots so bubs has familiar things to sleep on.

put away a few toys now so that they'll be 'new' when you go away.

dont worry too much about the plane but try and have her feeding or dummy sucking when the plane takes off and lands to help with equalising her ears.

[lovelymum]

The first time we traveled with DD was when she was 15 months and she too was a not so good sleeper and I seriously had my reservations about how the whole trip was going to play out. Suprisingly she slept like a brick every night we were away (this actually led us to bring her cot into our room when we returned as we realized how well she slept when she was beside our bed and from that night on she slept through the night). I think a few factors contributed to her sleeping well: heat, extra activity like lots of time in the pool etc she was just buggered at the end of the day. We also found she flaked it in the pram when we were out and about I think again just because it was hot, she was tired ya know!! Even this year when on holiday and at age 3 1/2 she would flake it in her pram everyday for hours at a time sitting totally upright holidays are exhausting for small people. I think one of the days she slept for 4 hours in the afternoon.
Heres some of my top tips having travelled everyyear for the last 7 year with little people:

1. Take food on the plane, dummy, bottle, panadol (just in case cabin pressure causes ear pain).
2. Personal DVD player if she likes to watch a particular show (nightgarden, timmy time) good distraction and can also be used in the hotel as a cd player if you use music at sleeptime like we do.
3. Maybe bring along her own blanket or cot doona and dont forget fav teddy and book (just to keep bedtime routine).
4. We ended up laying on the bed with DD to get her to sleep both for her day nap and night sleep and transferred her to the porta cot once she asleep - take advantage of day sleeps and have a nap (its not like you have chores waiting) or better still use the time to get er um reaquantied with your DH (just keep the noise down ) when your not inbetween hotels anyway.
5. Lots of swimming - just plain old wears them out
6. RELAX - if she cries on the plane there is nothing you can do to change it, just enjoy the whole experience she may just suprise you. Take each day as it comes and just roll with it