[Jess1983]

Hoping someone can help me with what to do around getting over jet lag. Spent 8 days in Ireland with my 10 month old dd, got back early January 1. She is incredibly tired during the day (I assume cos she thinks it's still night with the time difference) and is happy to have her two usual naps in morning and afternoon. However I'm finding I have to wake her from both otherwise she'll sleep for too long. At night she's happy to go to bed at 7:30 (usual time) and goes straight to sleep. However she's waking around midnight/1am. I give her a bottle then try to resettle but all she wants to do is play. So after an hour we come downstairs for up to 2 hours and she plays happily. Put her back to bed and only get another 2 hours sleep from her and then hysterics if she can't get up to play. Last night she was up from 12-1:30am then 3-8am. I am so sleep deprived at this point I'm not sure what to do. She is also teething. Is this just jet lag? I'm worried by getting her up to play she'll begin to think it's normal but the hysterics are keeping DH awake and he has to go to work. I'm on school holidays so am coping (just) for now.Hope this makes sense and if Anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it!

[BlondieUK]

Drop an (afternoon?) nap for a couple of days, and keep her up as late as you can at night. It's worked for both my boys on multiple trips over several time zones.

[Jess1983]

Thanks! I'll try dropping the afternoon nap and stretching out bedtime. I only had 2.5hrs sleep last night so am an absolute wreck today.

[Lokum]

We had a very similar pattern last time we got back, with the playing in the middle of the night for hours.

We kept lights off at night, and let him come to bed with me and play firetrucks etc quietly (I was there, eyes closed and dozing). He would scream if we tried to settle him in the cot, or made him lie down, but would play in our bed. Admittedly, ours was 2 yrs old, so easier to explain he could play but had to stay sitting on the bed.

Keeping the lights off or low, and minimal stimulation, no food in the middle of the night (but water was OK), reinforced to his body that it was still night time.

Took us a good 6-7 days to get back to normal. I remember your pain, as I was 6 months pregnant and v tired.

[ali-song]

I agree with keeping lights off/low during middle of the night wakings. Also, make sure she's getting lots of sunlight during the day and meals at regular times. I found melatonin to work amazingly well for my kids, but I'm not sure how easy it is to get here (it's OTC in the US).