How to adjust your baby’s schedule with the clock change.
The seasons are shifting (& so is the clock)!
If you're in the northern hemisphere right now you are probably consuming your body weight in pumpkin spiced lattes (especially if your little one is waking up at 5am) and dare I say it.. getting in the festive spirit?
As wonderful as Autumn and the festive season is, it also comes with the dreaded clock change. Once upon a time *pre-kids*, this meant an extra hour in bed - LUSH.
These days its a cruel reminder that your sleep-in days are long gone and it is particularly nasty if you have an early riser..
The clocks are going back on Sunday 30th October at 2am. That means if your little one is currently waking at 5:30am - this will be 4:30am!
Even if your little one isn't waking before 6am.. 6am will now be 5am! Gahh. No one wins.
Normally with a clock change I would say - Wing it!
However, this year I really feel like this is a great opportunity for many of you to re-address your current sleep situation.
We are definitely looking forward to using the clock shift to get Farley back to a reasonable bedtime (currently 9pm 😮💨), even thought we know this means no more 7:30am sleep ins.
If your little one is due to drop a nap (either 3-2 or 2-1), I would wait for the clock change to happen before going for it. Once your little one has adjusted to the clock change then you can resume dropping the nap.
So what can you do to prevent the 5am wake up?
For babies under 15 months I recommend a gradual shift outlined below. Under 15 months they are far more susceptible to overtired-ness and their sleep schedule being thrown out by small changes.
For children over 15 months I recommend the shift on the day before (Saturday 29th).
Say your little one normally does:
- wake at 6:30am, nap 12pm-2pm and bed at 7:30pm.
On Saturday aim for this:
- wake at 6:30am, nap 12:30pm-2:30pm and bed at 8:30pm.
On Sunday they should hopefully make up that hour of sleep and wake up at their regular time or as close to 6:30am as possible. If they are up before 6am, try and leave them (without intervention) for as long as possible and as close to their normal wake up time as possible.
With the clock shift, the weather shift is also coming. The mornings are down to a crisp 4°C here in London and our little one's bedrooms are getting colder!
If your little one hasn't made a transition to a duvet yet, the ergoPouch 2.5 TOG Sleep Suit Bag is perfect for keeping a child warm during sleep in room temperatures 17-23°C (pictured below in Cute Fruit).
If your toddler doesn't wear a sleeping bag anymore but they're struggling to keep their duvet on (because let's be honest they all do), then I recommend the ergoPouch 2.5 TOG Sleep Onesie (pictured below in Veggie Patch).
The TOG rating means that there is no need for additional blankets in the cot when using this product, making it a safe-sleep option.
The new range ‘Winter Harvest’ is available now via Halcyon Sleep.
Don't forget you get 10% off with the code: HALCYON10
If you’re struggling with your toddler’s sleep, enrol in any of my Halcyon Sleep Coaching courses 4 months to 4 years to learn how to stop night wakings, transition from co-sleeping to a cot and get into a routine that works for your whole family.
You might also like this episode of the Rest is Best podcast where I interview Dr Kansagra @thatsleepdoc, a paediatric neurologist, the director of Duke's Paediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program, author of My Child Won't Sleep: A Quick Guide for the Sleep-Deprived Parent and father or 2.
This is a great conversation for anyone wanting a bit more reassurance and guidance on seeking sleep support and the benefits it can give to your family.