I am really excited that I have another guest post by the fabulous sleep guru Lauren Olson of Sleep and the City! Check out her last guest post here. Lauren is one of my besties, certified sleep consultant (3 times!) for ages 0-6 years, and mom of two. Today, she is talking all about daylight savings - tips for babies and toddlers. I always dread daylight savings time. Although I love gaining some sunlight during the day, we have a set routine and both my girls sleep through the night consistently. I don't like to rock the boat! Oh and PS, the first paragraph below might be my true story (wink wink).
I have a good friend nearby who always "conveniently" travels for work whenever there is a minor sleep issue or time change happening in her house, and we joke that it isn't accidental that she leaves her husband to deal with it. Last year, same time change, she left for a 3 day work trip the night before the switch. Hubby was happy his little angel slept in an extra hour that sunny Sunday morning, but horrified when his "easy-to-bed" daughter screamed for a full hour after lights out night after night. Was he doing something differently than Mom? Was she just being difficult? Or maybe she was hungry? This went on for three full nights, until his wife finally returned home....and everything had gone back to "normal". The husband was completely stumped and the wife calling his bluff- so how did this all come about to begin with?
Every child has a night here or there where they test the waters with your authority, which is super common, don't worry. However, in my business I look for PATTERNS, or a sleep issue that occurs more than 2-3 nights in a row, which indicates that something is up. Although the sweet toddler below was used to getting up at 7am(which was now 8am), Daddy tried to put her down for bed at her NORMAL bedtime of 8pm (which, YUP, was actually 7pm prior to the change, a whole hour earlier than normal). Bingo!
Confused? Me too.
CURRENT:
Wake at 7am
Nap 1pm
Bedtime at 8pm
*They will wake up an hour later on Sunday (which really isn’t an hour later but looks like it, make sense?*
AFTER DAYLIGHT SAVINGS:
Wake at 8am
Nap at 2pm
Bedtime at 9pm
So that was a great example if you'd like your babe to continue sleeping in, but now going to bed at 9pm. This schedule may work for some, but what if you have a young baby or toddler that goes to school? Or you have to leave for work early in the morning and can't afford the luxury of kiddos sleeping until 8am?
Here's where you have to ask yourself: SLEEP IN......OR GO TO BED EARLY? (Buzzkill: You can't have both when you have kids.)
But with the Spring Forward Daylight Savings time change, now you have the option to choose (Pop, Fizz, Clink and cheers all around!!).
You'll have to now stick to the "After" schedule religiously. Need a new custom schedule to follow? Click hereto snag yours.
You'll have to slowly work back to your "current" or "before" schedule by putting your child down for nap 30 minutes later, and down for bedtime 30 minutes later for at least 5-7 days. If you're using the "after" schedule to achieve this, then nap time would be 1:30pm, and 8:30pm bedtime. After a full week, move nap back to your "before time" and bedtime back to your "before bedtime" and your child should begin waking at the normal time again. Did that make sense? Email me if you need two examples and I'll take a look at your schedule for a custom approach.
If you want to be proactive and start to work on your child's sleep schedule BEFORE Daylight Savings wreaks havoc on your life (GREAT solution if you have kids in school or have to drop them at daycare/sitter):
Simple! Set your alarm for 30-60 minutes earlier than normal, and wake your kids up. Lots of activity and outdoor play, or mentally stimulating indoor play at a play gym or children's learning center. Put your baby or toddler to down for naps 30-60 minutes earlier than normal for naps and bedtime. Voila, day of the time change, you can sit back and relax, because your children are already adjusted.
Oh I forgot. Did I mention it's going to be sunny at 5am now also?
If you want your child to sleep past 5am, you NEED a blackout shade. Not just those fancy Pottery Barn blackout curtains, a blackout SHADE. The sun rises on East-facing windows, signally your child's internal clock that it's time to get up! Ain't nobody got time for waking up that early. Here is our favorite, fool-proof window cover that works better than tin foil, and comes on & off a whole heck of a lot easier, and customized to your window size even for under $50! Totally worth the extra zzz's if you ask me. Otherwise your day is about to start REALLLL early. Buy the shades.
In the end, always be sure to use my “Sleep and the City” rules for successful sleep shaping:
For more professional Baby & Toddler Sleep Ideas and Help, visit sleepandthecity.com/
As always, contact me if you need any help and I'll be glad to take a look at your situation and recommend some great fixes that fit your lifestyle and child's temperament. Have a great day everyone!
Sleep is possible, let's do this!
Thank you Lauren for guest posting for us today! Make sure to check her out Instagram for more help! I hope this outline for Daylight Savings Tips for Babies and Toddlers was helpful!
Love all these tips!! Lauren is amazing!!
I am amazed by these Sleeping ideas. I had a struggle with my two babies. I wish I knew this way before. Maybe It would have saved my sanity ????????