How to Help Your Baby Adjust to Daylight Savings Time: Sleep Tips from Experts

With the start of Daylight Savings behind us, we are all working our way towards adjusting to those dark wakings and bright risings! Our babies and toddlers are working on the same, too, even though this “spring forward” is the easier of the two time changes for them.

If your baby or toddler is still struggling to adjust their sleep schedule back to what they were doing before the time change, don’t fret! We have some tips to help:

Schedules

Maintaining a routine schedule is always going to work in your favor. When your baby or toddler has a predictable routine, their bodies know what to expect! When the time on the clock changes, we have to give them time to fully adjust. You may find they are struggling to fall asleep as quickly as they used to and sleeping past the time they would previously wake in the mornings. Give them a full month to adjust to the time on the clock.

For a baby or toddler on just one nap a day, you can let them naturally wake, even if that means sleeping a bit later than their “scheduled” wake time. For a baby that is on more than one nap a day, be sure to wake them at their scheduled wake time if they are still sleeping to keep the routine on track for the rest of the day.

Sleep Environment

A dark room

While an environment conducive to sleep is always important, this is the perfect time of year to ensure it’s truly set up for success. If your child has a bedtime that occurs before the sun goes down, blackout curtains are going to be crucial. Being prepared with a darkened sleep space will also set you up for success when Daylight Savings ends!

A room should be so dark that you have trouble seeing your own hand in front of your face. Not only does this create a non-stimulating environment for your child, but it also cues them that it’s still time for sleep. Naps should take place in the same dark environment, so you really want to be able to blackout the room even when it’s bright outside.

One of our favorite new products that does this for you is the blackout curtains from OtterSpace! They come with magnetic strips that allow you to block out even the small lines of light that typically come in from the sides or tops of generic blackout curtains. You can receive 10% off your first order by using the code THECRADLECOACH.

Sound

A sound machine should also be used for all sleep periods. This acts as a sleep cue for babies and toddlers and helps drown out background noise from other areas of the house.

Air Temperature

The room your child sleeps in should be nice and cool—68-73 degrees is ideal.

Comfortable bedding

A baby’s crib should be completely free of anything other than a tight, fitted sheet until they are one year old.

Consistency

As with any sleep change, consistency is key. If we are making constant changes or not maintaining a consistent sleep environment, we can’t expect our children to show consistency either. Keep that one-month mark in mind before considering a change in your approach, their sleep environment, or their schedule.

As always, help is just a click away. If you’re struggling with anything relating to your child’s sleep, we are here to help. You can find us on IG (@thecradlecoach) or on our website at www.thecradlecoach.com. You can schedule a complimentary phone consultation to find the right package for you, get endless sleep tips, and so much more.

Sweet dreams,
Rachel Fiorello