How to Ease out of Daylight Saving with a Baby or Toddler
Article originally published by ErgoPouch here
End of Daylight Saving Time – Southern Hemisphere
While moving the clock back one hour is something that makes us sleepy for a couple of days, our adult bodies adjust to the change reasonably quick. And it is very likely your little one will be wide awake at 5am requesting Cars 3 for the tenth time that morning.
It can take toddlers and babies a little longer to get back into the swing of things. We understand the confusion of adjusting your little one's sleep. We understand the fear of change affecting our little one's sleep and have compiled our top tips for adjusting to the time change.
END of Daylight Saving | Sample Bedtime Plan
If you continue with your current bedtime schedule, your little ones may find it hard to settle for sleep on the first day of Daylight Saving as it will be an hour later than their bedtime the previous day. If you can prepare ahead of the time change, you can adjust their wake up and bedtime by 10 minutes for the week prior.
You can start a few days before the following example:
*7.00 pm bedtime, for example
- Monday: 7pm
- Tuesday:7.10pm
- Wednesday: 7.20 pm
- Thursday: 7:30pm
- Friday: 7.40pm
- Saturday: 7.50 pm
- Sunday: 7.00 pm (DST Ends)
End of Daylight Saving Tips
- Minor changes will help your child to adjust their body clock gradually
- You can further support your child to adjust by waking them in the morning, offering mealtimes and naps 10 minutes later
- If you have missed out on getting ready ahead of Daylight Saving, you can apply the same method for the first week following the time change
- Stick to the same schedule; it keeps things regular for you and your little one
- Make sure your little one is sleeping comfortably in appropriate sleepwear and layers according to the temperature.
- Have some patience with your child while adjusting to the time change; they may be a little tired and grumpy for a week or so
Daylight Saving Time starts | 7th April 2023 (the first Sunday in April).
- Australian States: ACT, NSW, SA, TAS, VIC
- When local daylight time is about to reach Sunday 7th April 3am, clocks are turned BACKWARDS 1 hour to Sunday 7th April, 2am.
Good luck, you've got this! With love and sleep wishes xxx