HELPING BABIES ADJUST THEIR SLEEPING PATTERN WHEN THE CLOCKS CHANGE

Just when you thought you’d got your baby into a good sleep pattern – the clocks change! So, how will this change in time affect your little one? Here are some tips from our resident baby sleep expert, Hannah Love, on how you can smooth the transition and change of sleep routine when the clocks change this Sunday.

"If your baby is waking early and you have worked out that they need a later bed time this is the perfect week to achieve this naturally."

This ‘spring’ forward clock change is the easiest of the two, many parents can actually take advantage of the later bed time and as a result a later wake up time (hopefully!). It is however very easy to adjust your baby’s day without even realizing it, remember that the whole day needs to be kept on old time. Therefore if your baby (prior to Saturday) is going to bed at 7pm, up at 5am, naps at 9am and 1pm then you will (on new time) have a baby that goes to bed at 8pm, up at 6am, naps at 10am and 2pm. If you stick to the old nap times then they will be too tired to make it until the new 8pm bed time and before you know it they will be adjusted onto old time and still waking at 5! The key is always to adjust the whole day.

 

What if you have a baby that is in a perfect routine for you?

Please don’t worry, babies adapt very quickly. Just go for the new times, on Saturday wake them a little early from their afternoon nap, put them to bed 30 minutes early and then wake them half way between old and new time the next morning. On Sunday aim for their usual nap and bed times and by Tuesday they should hopefully be on new time and back into your perfect routine.

 

Be Patient

It may take your little one a few days to adjust to the time change, so don’t be surprised if they need to be woken up for a few days. You may need to be flexible but rest assured that your baby will adapt within a few days. You can find lots more super helpful hints and tips from Hannah over on her Facebook page