Fall Back: Daylight Savings Time
The scariest words to parents…DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!
And it has to happen twice a year with the beginning and ending of it! OH MY!
But I get it…changes to your baby’s sleep schedule can be worrisome! Below are some strategies for helping shift your baby’s schedule as we FALL BACK with the end of daylight savings on November 5, 2023.
BABIES 0-6 months old (or those not yet on set nap times!)
At this age, I encourage most parents to use waketime windows to predict baby’s naps and bedtimes. Yes, by around 12 weeks, I do want you to have an established bedtime and morning waketime, but most of the day is based off of waketime windows. Because of this, I want to really encourage parents of babies 0-6 months old to try not to fret at all about Daylight Savings time! Here are some options to help adjust your baby’s body to the new time on the clock!
Help baby lengthen a nap or 2 on Sunday or Monday to stretch baby to bedtime according to the clock.
Help baby “sleep in” Sunday morning (making it a 13 hour night), so you can start your day at regular time according to the clock.
add in an extra catnap before bedtime.
Watch for overtiredness! Even though you are trying to adjust your baby’s body clock, don’t be afraid of early bedtime. It is better to put them to bed early than to push to overtiredness which often leads to early morning wakings! Even if you do an early bedtime, aim to start your day the next morning at the desired wake time according to the clock (i.e If baby typically wakes at 7am, aim to get them out of the crib at 7am on Monday, even though it may feel like 8am to their BODY clock). Be mindful of sleepy cues and waketime windows throughout your day.
Try not to stress…it may take a few days, but with a few extra minutes added to naps (even if you use sleep props to get some extra minutes), the time clock and your baby’s body clock will be lined up in no time!
If you are someone who needs a concrete plan, I recommend following the Little by Little Approach where you gradually adjust your baby’s body clock over the course of a week.
-The Little by Little Approach: (you can adjust the week before DST happens or the week after) This option is best for people who like an exact plan! (but also don’t worry if it doesn’t go exactly as planned!) With the Little by Little method, you simply start your day 10 minutes later each day for a few days. If you start before DST, you will “catch up” to the clock time when DST happens. If you start after DST, you will “catch up” the following weekend. With this method, wake windows and nap lengths stay the same–the only thing changing is the time on the clock. If you would like a sample schedule for this approach, be sure to join the private Daylight Savings Transition Support Group!
BABIES 6 months-3 years (or babies with set nap times)
Once your baby has transitioned to one or two set nap times, the time change can feel a little scarier! Not only are you adjusting morning wake time and bedtime, you also have to adjust when their bodies are ready for naps! But have no fear…it is totally possible! With a little grace, your baby’s body clock will adjust in no time! Below are some options for handling the time change based on how much you want to plan for it!
OPTION 1: Go with the flow. Stay the course. Follow the time on the clock as closely as you can. What do I mean? If baby typically goes to bed at 7pm, put baby to bed at 7pm on Saturday night. They may wake at 6am on Sunday according to the clock (after the time has changed), but aim leave them in the crib as close to 7am (on the clock!) as possible and try to push them to regular nap time based on the clock. Know your baby and their sleepy cues however, and don’t push them too far! Pushing baby too much can lead to overtiredness which would just backfire as you are working to adjust their body clocks! If baby needs to go down before “clock time” nap, that is okay! You may have to put baby down 30 minutes earlier for naps than usual according to the clock to avoid overtiredness. Aim for baby to sleep his or her regular nap length and know it is okay to assist them to help them sleep their regular amount of time even if they do not usually need help! If naps are 30 minutes earlier, that would just mean bedtime would be 30 minutes earlier than normal, but aim to start your day on Monday as close to 7am (on the clock!) even if baby has woken earlier than that!
Who is this option good for?
This option is best for sleep trained babies on 1 or 2 naps (generally babies over 6 months of age)! If you have found that your baby is super sensitive to waketime windows and becomes overtired easily, you may have to “stair step” the transition, meaning baby may need to go down a little earlier (by the clock) for nap time (but it will feel later to their body clock) for a day or 2 or 3. You may put baby down 30 minutes early on Sunday for naps and then just 15 minutes early on Monday and then by Tuesday, baby has adjusted and is able to go down for naps and bedtime at the regular clock time! With this choice, you will be pushing your baby’s wake windows just a little- Some babies respond okay to this, where as others do not. Be mindful of overtiredness, and don’t be afraid of an early bedtime!
OPTION 2: Little by Little (you can adjust the week before DST happens or the week after) With the Little by Little method, you simply start your day 10 minutes later each day for a few days. If you start before DST, you will “catch up” to the clock time when DST happens. If you start after DST, you will “catch up” the following weekend. With this method, wake windows and nap lengths stay the same–the only thing changing is the time on the clock. If you typically use set nap times, you will use waketime windows during this adjustment. If you would like a sample schedule for this approach, be sure to join the private Daylight Savings Transition Support Group!
Who is this option good for?
This option is best for those who want a concrete plan and making an hour change suddenly feels daunting or scary! It is also good for those who have tried to do it quickly in the past and baby hasn’t adjusted well. In addition, if your baby is sensitive to wake times and becomes overtired easily, this option is perfect to help them adjust slower!
OPTION 3: Summer and Winter Schedule. That’s right, let your baby have a winter and a summer schedule. You can’t be bothered by this Daylight Savings madness and schedule shifting, so don’t! If baby goes to bed at 7pm in the summer, they will just go to bed at 6pm in the winter months. There’s nothing to do after 6pm anyways since it is SO DARK ALREADY! Might as well go to bed!
TODDLERS: (for those who are not napping anymore and doing rest time!)
Toddlers tend to have a much easier time adjusting to the time change! They are typically easier to keep awake longer, and while it make take a few days to adjust and for them to not seem a little more tired before bedtime, they do typically adjust pretty well! If you have a kiddo who get overtired easily (yes, even older toddlers can get overtired), don’t be afraid of an early bedtime for the first few nights after DST ends. If your kiddo usually goes to bed at 8pm, it is okay to put them to bed at 7:30 on Sunday, Monday, and even Tuesday night after the time change! This will feel like 8:30 to their body, but will help them not be so overtired before bed (and hopefully reduce meltdowns and tantrums too!). Also, pushing kiddos to stay awake too long can often lead to even earlier morning wakings, and we do not want that with the time already falling back! Aim to start your day at the regular time the next morning! (I still aim for 12 hour nights at this age too!). If your child is struggling with early morning wakings due to the time change, consider using a Hatch light (or some sort of color changing light to signal when it is morning time). Offer rest time as close to regular rest time according to the clock time.
Other helpful tips!
1- Stay consistent! Keep a consistent bedtime and naptime routine. News Flash, but babies can’t tell time. Having a consistent routine signals to them it is time to sleep and will greatly help them adjust their bodies to the new time on the clock!
2- Get outside! During the short daytime light we have, get out and enjoy it! That will help baby’s circadian rhythm adjust also!
3- Don’t be afraid of an early bedtime (because in fact, it may feel like their typical bedtime!). If baby is struggling with naps or sensitive to waketime windows, do an early bedtime (by the clock) and aim to start your day at regular time (by the clock) the next morning!
4- It is okay to help your baby take longer naps during this transition! If you have a baby that is struggling with the time change and seems overtired by all the “pushing waketimes” and “starting the day later,” help their body clock and the time on the clock line up by helping them extend a nap or 2! It won’t hurt them or “ruin” any sleep training you have done! In fact, it may do the opposite and help them adjust to the time change quicker and easier!
5- Having independent sleep skills helps. If you have considered working on independent sleep skills, now is your time! I’d love to help. Check out all my packages on my services page!
6- Have grace with yourself and your baby and give it a few days!
Want even more help? Join my private facebook group for specialized DST help!
Was sleep hard and frustrating even before DST? Are you tired of trying to figure it out alone? There is personalized help available from experts! Check out my services page! Book your consult today and be sleeping better soon!