Our little one has undergone multiple sleep regressions in her first year of life. Whether it was from the transition to daycare, the transition out of the swaddle, innumerable illnesses that lead to ear infections that lead to side effects from antibiotics, or just random occurrences, we’ve intermittently gotten very little sleep. Because of this, I had no interest in traveling with our little one until she got older. I told my husband about how difficult the travel would be. I told my husband about how awkward it would be if she wasn’t sleeping while we stayed at a hotel. My husband’s response was that we should take a trip anyway. Even if travel was difficult, it’s just a small part of taking a trip. His other view was that we either don’t sleep well at home, or we don’t sleep well near the beach. If we aren’t going to sleep well anyway, let’s be somewhere scenic doing it.
Ultimately, I acquiesced, and we planned a long weekend trip with our 9 month old from Pittsburgh, PA down to Cape May, New Jersey. My GPS said the road trip would take ~6 hours, but it ended up taking closer to ~9 hours with stops for eating and diaper changes. The trip was a dream. Our little girl had the time of her life crawling around on a big fresh king bed. She delighted in people watching from her stroller as we walked along the boardwalk. She loved the feel of sand between her fingers and toes as she played with her beach toys. She was the happiest baby enjoying the sunshine. The trip was going so well that we considered extending our vacation; however, the last night of our trip, she was miserable. She was up off and on every hour or two. She was uncomfortable, and nothing we did seemed to comfort her. I took the brunt of the shifts, because I wanted my husband more rested before our long car ride. Eventually, she fell asleep on my chest while we watched NCIS at 4:00 AM. In the words of Victor Hugo, “even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” The drive home was long, but our little one was pleasant enough. She could feel our desire to get her back home and back on routine. Little did we know that we were heading into a month long sleep regression, but that’s life with an infant. One step forward then two steps back in regards to sleep.
Ultimately, the travel was difficult, and she had sleep difficulties the last night. On the drive back home, we asked ourselves if the trip was worth it. Our answer was a resounding yes. In the words of Maya Angelou: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” This was our first trip as a family of three, and it will forever be a core memory for me. I don’t want to wait to make more core memories until she’s consistently sleeping through the night or a little older. As corny as it sounds, tomorrow is never promised. It makes me grateful for all the positives in my life, and it prompts me to prioritize quality time with my family; therefore, my recommendation to you is to travel with your infant. Take the trip anyway. It will likely be difficult at times, but the bonding and the memories will be worth it.
