Daylight Savings... The Winter Issue

It's getting darker out, the colder mornings are upon us and Jack Frost is waiting in the wings to frost up our windows and paths...

The clocks are going back one hour on Sunday October 26th 2am. Read on to learn and understand how to prepare your child for the time change as I explain how you can navigate your way through this clock change of going back 1 hour.

This can be particulary helpful if you have an early waker becaue tat 5am will become 4am...and that is just a crazy time to start the day!

I have 4 different options for you to choose from with details below.

You may be fearing that your already early starts at 5am is now going to be 4am.

Does this mean they will be ready for bed at 5pm instead of 7pm…? There goes your “lazy” weekend mornings I hear you say…

Well I say, “NOPE, Not at all”! No one wants to start the day at 4am so don't fear, this may actually work in your favour...

Falling back into winter can actually be a positive thing and give you one more extra hour on the clock to work on supporting your baby to grasp independent sleep skills they need to sleep independently! It’s all going to be fine…you will see. And it is EASY!

There are some adjustments you can do in preparation of the new Winter Time.

Below I explain 3 different options you may like depending on what you feel suits your child and family best.

First off, remember, our bodies are regulated by 3 things...

1. Light

2. Food

3. Social interaction

So, if we alter the timings of these 3 activities during the day, slowly your baby should fall into the new time change quite easily and without too much bother. It can take 1 – 2 weeks for your child to fully adjust to the new time so do be patient and be consistent. Every. Single. Day.

And of course it does help hugely if your child has the super skill of settling themselves and falling asleep independently of you.

Exposure to light be it natural, which is preferred (but this clock change does not allow it so much!) or artificial will aid your child’s circadian rhythm to adjust, so get outside for a walk around the garden, the fresh air will help wake you all up, even open the window or step out the front dorr for a few minutes. (post 6am) If it is raining, adorn those welly’s and go splash in the muddy puddles as soon as you can…last time I check puddles were a lot of fun and no, you wont melt like the Wicked Witch from the west...!

Below are some sample schedules to help guide you and your family into the new clock change.

Essentially you will be moving your child’s schedule 15 minutes later every 2 days, including feeds and solids. This will give time for your child’s body to re-adjust slowly without sending their circadian rhythm into shock!

Do remember that if your child is under 18 weeks your days may already be very unpredictable and you may not have a schedule in place. Therefor you just need to maintain your baby’s awake windows appropriate to their own rhythm. If you are not sure what their awake windows are, do see my blog on appropriate awake windows for different age groups as this can help guide you.

Now, here’s the good bit…

Going Back 1 hour BEFORE time change

Start this 1 week BEFORE the clocks change.

Monday and Tuesday

• Wake your child up at 7.15am (if your baby typically wakes at 6am then you need to wake them up at 6.15am)

• Move all feeds and naps forward by 15 minutes

• Bedtime will be at 7.15pm (or 6.15pm is you started at 6.15am...you get the idea right..?!)

Wednesday and Thursday

• Wake your child up at 7.30am (or 6.30am...)

• Move all feeds and naps forward by 30 minutes

• Bedtime will be at 7.30pm (6.30pm)

Friday and Saturday

• Wake your child up at 7.45am (or 6.45am)

• Move all feeds and naps forward by 45 minutes

• Bedtime will be at 7.45pm (6.45pm)

Sunday

• Wake your child at the new time of 7am...or 6am!

Of course not all of us have the “luxury” to be able to wake our child up later because they are already an early riser. In this instance it may be more beneficial for you to adjust their schedule AFTER the clocks have changed. See example schedule below.

GOING BACK 1 HOUR (After time change) 7-7 routine (this is helpful for those babies who were on 7-7 pre clock change)

Sunday and Monday

• Wake your child up at 6.15 am (the new time)

• Move all feeds and naps by 15 minutes.

• Bedtime at 6.15pm

Tuesday and Wednesday

• Wake your child up at 6.30pm

• Move all feeds and naps by 30 minutes.

• Bedtime will be at 6.30pm

Thursday and Friday

• Wake your child at 6.45am

• Move all feeds and naps by 45 minutes.

• Bedtime will be at 6.45pm

Saturday

• Wake your child at 7am

• Now you are on the normal time of 7-7 routine

Another option to navigate through this is to extend your child’s awake windows by 5 – 15 minutes the weekend of the clock change. Now this has to be treated with caution as you do not want to send your child into a frenzy of overtiredness, this just merely extends their circadian rhythm a little longer to get to the end of the day and adjust before the new time actually arrives. Some babies cope with it very well so you can push even as far as 30 minutes!

​Then Monday morning you are back on track with your usual timings.

By extending the awake window gradually this will help your baby fall back into the new time on Monday when it arrives.

​And the 4th option is... to do nothing. Just wing it, and see what happens...!

REMEMBER…This is just guide and if your child shows sleepy signs you must pop them down to sleep. If you do not then you will risk running into overtired territory and then you will have a whole other ball game to play with!

Please feel free to share this with a friend you know out there who is wondering how on earth she is going to cope with the clock change and potentially 4am wake ups….!

If you feel you would like some more guidance on this adjustment or any sleep challenge you may be struggling and questioning do get in touch, drop me an email HERE and I can help guide you through this!

Peaceful nights to you all,

Rachael

Your Paediatric Sleep Consultant

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