Losing an Hour

“Springing forward” will be hard enough for us adults to adjust to come this Sunday, but the time change can be even more challenging for babies and kids and create absolute chaos in their sleep schedules. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help ease the transition and get things back on track if they happen to go by the wayside. Well-rested baby = more well-rested family!

Tips and Tricks

Because of the time change, it might be harder for babies to go to sleep at bed time or more likely that they’ll wake up when they’re not supposed to. Here are some things you can do to keep that from happening:

• Try putting baby to bed 10 minutes earlier each night for 6 nights before the clock change (if you haven’t been doing it don’t worry, you can start now and continue doing it after Sunday for a few days)

• In the morning time, try and get as much natural sunlight as possible for your child

• The time change can cause changes in appetite or overall mood, so just being aware and understanding of that can help the process

• After the change, use room-darkening curtains or blackout shades in the nursery so baby won’t be confused by how much light there is outside in the evening

• Use calming activities like snuggling, reading, or a warm bath to help baby fall asleep more easily

• Stock up on sleep while you both can!

If All Else Fails

Even if baby’s sleep schedule is thrown off for a week or two, don’t fret—you can find ways to bring back routine by creating consistency and he or she will self-adjust naturally.

Wishing you all the luck and good night’s zzzzzz…

Additional Resources

http://www.thebump.com/a/baby-time-change

http://www.parents.com/kids/sleep/tips/daylight-saving-time/

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/alanna-mcginn/daylight-savings-baby_b_9376596.html