July 10, 2011

Baby Jet Lag (Sucks!)

I am not sure why you would ever take a baby under one or toddler across the ocean for less than 2 weeks and then plan on returning back. It took us exactly one week to adjust my 6-month old son's new time table and I am still trying to get him to bed earlier.  Not only did I feel like I had a newborn all over again with him waking up in the middle of the night and wanting to stay up for a couple of hours at 2, 4, 6am, etc. but my body was still adjusting to the 9-hour time difference and producing milk for breastfeeding at all the wrong times or not at all.  Yep, when my baby was awake, I was trying to sleep but couldn't so I was having a hard time making enough food. He also doesn't like formula much so it was tough on us.  I also started giving him some bottled water just to make sure he wasn't getting dehydrated here in Dubai. I think there was a point where I was up for more than 48 hours between June 30-July 1 but I can't remember.

A friend sent me this and I think it just helped knowing other people went suffered the same ordeal.
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/family-travel-tips/jet-lag-and-babies-toddlers-and-kids/


That week also made me realize I don't want to go back to the US for less than 2 weeks because it will take a week just to adjust. At least he will be almost a year when we return for Christmas so maybe he'll be better and I won't be breastfeeding.

I survived because my 'job' was to overcome jet-lag my first week and I had a nanny helping me at night so we tag teamed it and I got some sleep which helped me breastfeed.

Side note: One night when he couldn't sleep, I took him down to the lobby of the hotel around 3:30am in his stroller. There were some drunk people around but we focused our attention on the cool water fountains.

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