Adjusting baby's sleep routine for daylight savings
Daylight Savings is here! Most parents don’t mind it so much when they are gaining an extra hour, but it sends shivers through parents bones when they are about to lose an hour of sleep.
Especially in this difficult time where many of us are in lockdown and feeling an added layer of stress, sleep is so important!
Daylight Savings not only affects children’s sleep patterns but adults' too! It really does affect all of us, and if not managed correctly, it can increase sleep debt – especially in children, who tend to be more structured with going to bed at the same time and waking at the same time each day.
Tonight we will need to wind our clock forward one hour.
Baby Naptime and bedtime
So, what is the best way to handle it? My advice is to split the difference.
I recommend that all parents adjust naptime and bedtime for the first couple of days.
If naptime was usually 9:30 am, it’s now 10 am.
The same goes for an afternoon nap and bedtime. If bedtime is usually 7:00 pm, then make it 7:30 pm.
This will mean that your baby is going to bed a little earlier than their usual “awake time”, but again it’s not soo much so that it’s going to interfere with their schedule too much.
It may take them a little longer to fall asleep, but it should only take a few days, and their natural body clock will adjust accordingly.
It is also important to provide a nice dark room when it is sleep time and allow lots of morning sunlight to signify daytime beginning.
This article was written by Richelle Franklin, Parents You've Got This Sleep Expert and Melbourne's top Sleep Consultant from Sleep Right Tonight. Richelle presents at the Parents You've Got This Starting Solids and Infant Sleep Masterclass.
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