Sleep Consultant Lucy Wolfe shares her top tip to navigating the clock change with your baby, this weekend.
Firstly, Lucy Wolfe advises that it's important to ensure that your baby is well rested in the run up to this particular weekend, and consider one of the following approaches.
Make No Adjustments
If your baby historically wakes at 7am and goes to bed around 7pm, stick to the same schedule - put baby to bed when the clock says 7pm (but it will really be 8pm). This is a perfect solution for babies and toddlers who are highly adaptable, and not sensitive to being over-tired. They will adjust within a few days and re-settle into the same schedule they have been on before.
The 15 Minute Plan
Starting four days before (Wednesday), shift baby’s bedtimes, naps, and mealtimes 15 minutes later each day. Continue this until the clock changes on Saturday night, and your baby will be back on their normal routine with no further adjustments needed. You will know your own child best and if typically they are ‘slow to adapt’ this gradual approach may be the preferred option for you.
Split the Difference
Wait until Sunday and adjust flexibly between the old and new times. Stick to your usual routine, but when the clock changes back, shift timings of bedtime, naps and meals as much as your child can handle, by about 30 minutes. For example, they might go to bed at 7pm and this would have been 7.30pm on the day before, so 30 minutes beyond their typical bedtime.
Some important points!
Decide which option suits your family and baby’s temperament best to help with this transition.
Continue to pay attention to tired signals and create an earlier bedtime if necessary.
Regardless of strategy, The clock change can have a more significant impact, on children who are not well-rested to begin with, resulting in crankiness, early morning waking, night waking and short naps
Have a consistent response if they struggle to sleep - avoid ingraining inappropriate sleep habits that you will have to address later on.
Acknowledge and accept that it can take about a week to get used to changes in sleep habits.
Your baby’s soothers also play a part in their nighttime routine! The more comfortable baby is going off to sleep, the more likely they are to sleep better and longer.
MAM Night Soothers (from €11.55 / £9.50) are available in 2-6, 6+ and 16+ months sizes.
- Glow button so parents and babies can find it easily during the night
- Designed to fit perfectly in baby’s mouth, to reduce misaligned teeth
- SkinSoft™ silicone feels familiar, for a restful night’s sleep
- Comes with handy steriliser case to disinfect in three minutes
Available in leading pharmacies nationwide.
LUCY WOLFE is a Sleep Consultant, Relationship Mentor, Post-Graduate Researcher (PhD), Author of The Baby Sleep Solution and All About the Baby Sleep Solution, creator of “Sleep Through”, a natural bed and body sleep spray and relaxing rub, and Mum of four. She runs a private sleep consulting practice where she provides knowledge, expertise, and valuable support to families around the world. See www.sleepmatters.ie.
