When Do Babies Sleep Through The Night? Maybe Now With Daylight Savings!
Even though it seems like spring is far away with this cold spell we have been in, on March 8 the clocks spring ahead, a sure sign that spring will arrive, hopefully sooner than later.
Yet for some families with small children, that one hour is more of a curse than a blessing. Another reason you ask yourself ‘why can’t I sleep’. It can really throw a wrench into a child’s sleep pattern. However, with the right tools and approach, that clock change can be viewed with open arms and not malice. Below are useful tips to help make the transition an easy one.
The use of black out blinds can be of great benefit; this is especially true for toddlers and school-aged children who don’t understand it’s still bedtime even when Mr. Sun is up.
First and foremost, it is important to remember that it can take one to two weeks for your child’s sleep to make this adjustment. Don’t despair if after a few days they are still having trouble. They need to adjust. And with the sun now rising earlier and glowing later into the day, beams of light are sure to be shining into bedroom windows. The use of black out blinds can be of great benefit; this is especially true for toddlers and school-aged children who don’t understand it’s still bedtime even when Mr. Sun is up.
How to put a baby to sleep around daylight savings
To help your child spring ahead to daylight savings time, you can start a few days in advance by putting them to bed 10-15 min earlier each day. This will help reset their clock, so by the morning of the time change they should be ready to start and end the day on time.
Remember to maintain your nap-time schedules during Daylight Saving Time, to help keep your little one on-track. If your child typically naps at 9am and 1pm, following the time change make sure she still takes her naps at the same time. If needed to keep on routine a quick cat-nap can be added to help you stay on routine.
Don’t adjust your child’s bedtime in expectation of moving the clock ahead. Proceed as normal and see if your child will settle into a 6:30 waking routine with a new, later bedtime.
For those with little ones who start their day very early, at 5:30am, the clock moving ahead may be just the gift you have been looking for! Don’t adjust your child’s bedtime in expectation of moving the clock ahead. Proceed as normal and see if your child will settle into a 6:30 waking routine with a new, later bedtime. It’s an opportunity to move your early riser’s schedule forward an hour, without having to deal with meltdowns that come with trying to stretch them past bedtime. Make sure in the morning to only feed at desired wake up time.
Remember consistency with routine during any time change is very important. So give yourself time with your routine and don’t rush it along.
Tracey specializes in helping babies, toddlers and children sleep. Tracey is a Birth & Postpartum Doula, and Trainer. She is also a Childbirth Educator and is a Happiest Baby Instructor.
Working in the trenches, providing in home support to thousands of families over the 13 years, Tracey has seen it all & knows there’s never a ‘one size fits all’ solution.
Tracey has been featured on Breakfast Television, Global Morning Show, CHCH Morning Live, CTV News, CBC and in Today’s Parent, Canadian Family, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Marilyn Dennis, and many more .