An extra hour of sleep...if you don't have kids...
If you’re a parent and you’re dreading what the time change will do to your baby’s schedule…more specifically you cringe at the thought of your baby getting up ANY EARLIER. I hear ya. Early morning wakings are bad enough, you want to avoid shifting their wake time up at ALL COSTS!
The tricky part about the time change is that your little one will be going to bed one hour later and waking up one hour later. This means that you might want to start adjusting their entire schedule gradually so they don’t get overtired and then wake up even earlier!
Gradual Adjustment: If you’re a planner and are happy with your bedtime and wake up time
Some babies might be more sensitive to transitions (see my blog on temperament and sleep). If you prefer to adjust the time gradually so you don’t even feel the effects of the time change, this method is for you.
A week (6 days) before the time change start pushing their entire schedule later, by 10 minutes each day. You will need to push wake up time, all naps, meals and bedtime all by 10 minutes a day until you reach that hour.
For example: If you’re on a 7am to 7pm schedule with 2 naps at 9:30 and 1:30pm (adjust as per your schedule and number of naps)
The Monday before start waiting 10 minutes every day to wake them up for the day (they might wake up at their usual time but can wait 10 minutes until you come in to get them for the day).
Monday -Wake up: 7:10am, Nap 1: 9:40am (was 9:30am), Nap 2: 1:40pm (was 1:30pm), Bedtime: 7:10pm (was 7pm)
Tuesday- Wake up: 7:20am, Nap 1: 9:50am, Nap 2: 1:50pm, Bedtime: 7:20pm
Wednesday- Wake up: 7:30am, Nap 1: 10am, Nap 2: 2:00pm, Bedtime: 7:30pm
Cold Turkey: If you’re more go with the flow and baby’s toddlers are more adaptable
NEW TIME (will feel one hour later) If you’re little one is going to bed at 7:30pm old time -shift bedtime to 7pm new time (will feel like 8pm).
If your little one wakes earlier, go in to get them at the new time. They might play in their crib for a little bit but that’s okay. It will take a few days for them to adjust but eventually they will start sleeping later. Just be consistent with your wake up times and response. Treat it as if it was a night wake up. They will be confused for the first few days but will eventually follow your lead. Remember babies don’t have a sense of time, they are guided by their biological clocks which are set by light, food and social interaction. So our actions and responses guide their sleep wake cycles.
With this approach everything shifts an hour, naps and meals included. And yes, it might mean you have a cranky overtired baby that was up at 5:30am but we keep nap 1 consistent with the DESIRED wake up time and following wake windows from that time. It takes time and patience but they will adjust.
OPPSS..I missed it again! Playing catch up!
If you’re like me and forget about the time change until the night before and have done nothing to gradually adjust your schedule but want to avoid having to endure possible early wake ups and a hot mess of a baby for the next week..well then this option is for you my friend!
On the Sunday of the time change move your baby’s schedule later by 10 minutes a day until you reach your desired bedtime.
For example: On a 7am to 7pm schedule. New clocks are 6am to 6pm. Start shifting that 6am to 6:10am, 6:20am, 6:30am…and so on until you reach 7am. This applies to their entire schedule including meals.
So there it is! Three ways to approach the time change, all based on your preference, your baby’s temperament and your family’s lifestyle.
A few tips to leave you with:
Keep it dark!!! I cannot emphasize this enough. To avoid early morning wakings, you want that room to be pitch dark, like not one beam of light. Light penetrates the skin and ANY sort of light will wake your baby up in the early morning hours. Their tank is nearly full, their bodies are starting to wake anyway, their sleep drive is low, body temp is going up and their melatonin levels are depleted. They are now getting those cortisol and adrenaline increases that will wake them up and get them rearing to go at any sign of morning.
Keep it bright until 30 minutes before bedtime. Light and darkness play a huge role in signalling the brain that it’s time for sleep. Use them strategically. Light when we want them to be awake, dim the light during bedtime so it becomes a cue for sleep.
If you have a little one already having an early morning wake up, it can be for a number of reasons, including: schedule (an overtired or undertired baby at bedtime will wake earlier), time of morning nap (is it too close to wake up time?), self settling (does your baby need your assistance to settle themselves back to sleep?). I have a blog about this!
If you’re looking for help with any of these, need to sleep and sleep in asap and want a personalized step by step action plan with coaching and support the entire way? Then book a free call with me and let’s chat about how I can help. Book your free call here.
Stay rested xx
Lil.
