Three plans to prepare your baby or toddler for the end of Daylight Saving Time.
#1 Sensitive Sleeper Plan
If your baby or toddler is on the same strict schedule and is easily derailed if the timing is off, this is the plan for you.
You are going to transition them to the new time by shifting wake-up time, meal times, naptimes and bedtime by 15 minutes later for 4 days prior to the time change on November 4th.
Example if your little one’s bedtime is 7pm:
- November 1: 7:15PM
- November 2: 7:30PM
- November 3: 7:45PM
- November 4: 8:00PM
- November 5: 7:00PM
Do not forget to shift wake up time, naptimes and meal times!
#2 Consistent Sleeper Plan
If your baby or toddler is a consistent sleeper and can easily be put back on track after a disruption to their schedule then you can use this plan or the one before.
You are going to transition them to the new time by shifting wake-up time, meal times, naptimes and bedtime by 30 minutes later for 2 days prior to the time change on November 4th.
Example if your little one’s bedtime is 7pm:
- November 3: 7:30PM
- November 4: 8:00PM
- November 5: 7:00PM
Do not forget to shift wake up time, naptimes and meal times!
#3 Ignore and Adjust Plan
If your baby or toddler is a champion sleeper and easily adjusts to disruptions OR you simply forgot (whoops!) about the time change you can continue with their normal schedule on November 5th.
Example if your little one’s bedtime is 7pm:
- November 4: 7:00PM
- November 5: 7:00PM
If your little one starts having extremely early rising then use and extra early bedtime (as early as 5:30PM) for a few days after the time change to pay back any sleep debt that might have been aquired. Expose them to lots of natural light before it gets darker to help reset their circadian rhythms.
Kara Strickland is the owner of Sleepy Sloth Solutions. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.