At 2am on the 27th October, the clocks will change and ‘fall’ back an hour. Cue the cosy evenings and snuggly blankets!
If you’re a parent, however, you may be feeling a little anxious about the upcoming clock change and how it may affect your little one’s sleep. For those early risers, they may be ready to wake up even earlier, meaning that you’re seeing a 4am on the clock rather than a 5am!
It may take your baby’s body clock a few days to adjust, so here are a few things we can do to help them prepare:
- Ensure they spend time outdoors getting lots of fresh air!
- Making sure their meals and snack times follow the new time on the clock.
- Use blackout blinds (especially as it will be slightly lighter in the mornings for a while).
- Staying consistent with their bedtime routine.
There are a few techniques you can use to adapt your little one's sleep routine before the clocks change.
Option 1:
Push your little one’s schedule a little later each day ahead of the change. For example, if they go to bed at 7pm, push it to 7.15pm around three days before the clock changes, then 7.30pm the next day, and 7.45pm on the third day. By the day of the clock change they will be up to speed on the new time.
Remember to change your baby’s nap & mealtimes too! This option may be a good thing to do if your baby struggles with overtiredness or is sensitive to their routine being changed.
Option 2:
Make bedtime half an hour later on the night before the clock changes. If you have a toddler or a slightly older child, please be aware that this may not mean they wake up later, however, it is a good start to prepare their bodies for the upcoming time change.
Option 3:
You don’t have to do anything!
On the morning of the clock change, just switch everything to the new time. This may work if your child has a flexible routine, or making changes to the routine before the clock change feels too complicated for you.
About NEST
NEST is a private Early Years Consultancy Service with a team of highly trained consultants offering bespoke support and advice to families from pregnancy until a child is at school. NEST stands for Nurture, Educate, Support - Together, an ethos we are really passionate about. We ensure that every family receives a service that is confidential, informative, and exclusively tailored to each individual family and their needs. We work alongside you and your family in a nurturing and non-judgmental way to support you in your child's early years.
NEST was founded in 2018 by Lucy, a Norland Nanny and Maternity Practitioner who has worked with families and their children, both privately and in the community with the NHS. Lucy passionately believes that no two journeys are the same, which is why she felt a bespoke service should be made available.
If you would like further support on sleep, weaning, breastfeeding or bottle feeding, toilet training, behaviour, fussy eating, managing emotions, or anything else, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with NEST, either via their website: www.n-est.co.uk, by giving them a call on 07825308570, or by dropping them a message on their Instagram: @nest.children.
We can’t control when the clock’s change, but you can control the suitability of your baby’s sleeping environment. Choosing a baby mattress made from natural materials will ensure your little one has the cosiest, most breathable sleep environment, free of potentially harmful chemicals. You can browse our natural baby mattresses here.
