For new moms like me, Daylight Saving Day is more than losing an hour of sleep. It is also about handling your child's adjustment to the time change. One hour could mean the difference between a happy, restful baby and a cranky, sleepless household!
Here are some suggestions that have worked for me to ensure Daylight Saving is just a minor bump in the road:
- Give your little one time to adjust. A day before Daylight Saving, start to adjust your child's routine. Give meals a little later or push naptime 10 minutes back. Start bedtime routines 10 to 15 minutes later.
- Maintain your daily routine on Sunday and the next few days. Consistency is key for young kids so it's important to try to stick to your daily feeding and sleep schedules.
- Be firm and stay the course! My son woke up early the next few mornings following Daylight Saving in the fall. Each time he woke up early, I changed his diaper and read him some books -- the same routine before bedtime -- so he knew it was still "night night" time. Then I put him back in the crib, gave him a kiss goodnight, and left. He cried for a few minutes but eventually went back to sleep. Thankfully, he was back to sleeping from 7:30 pm to 7 am by mid-week.
Daylight Saving Time for the United States and Canada begins the second Sunday of March annually. Set your clocks forward one hour at 2:00 AM and remember that clocks will need to go back one hour the first Sunday in November.
