How to Ease out of Daylight Saving with a Baby or Toddler
31 October 2023 Newborn Sleep Infant Sleep Toddler Sleep Product Information
End of Daylight Saving Time – Northern Hemisphere
We've reached that time of year where the nights are darker, and the sun is setting early (hello winter, and cozy days to come!). This time change is a crowd-pleaser, we technically GAIN an extra hour of sleep (or do we?) #kids.
While moving the clock back one hour is something that makes us sleepy for a couple of days, our adult bodies adjust to the change reasonably quick. And it is very likely your little one will be wide awake at 5am requesting Ms. Rachel for the tenth time that morning. #sorry
It can take toddlers and babies a little longer to get back into the swing of things. We understand the confusion of adjusting your little one's sleep. We understand the fear of change affecting our little one's sleep and have compiled our top tips for adjusting to the time change.
END of Daylight Saving | Sample Bedtime Plan
If you continue with your current bedtime schedule, your little ones may find it hard to settle for sleep on the first day as it will be an hour later than their bedtime the previous day. If you can prepare ahead of the time change, you can adjust their wake up and bedtime by 10 minutes for the week prior.
You can start a few days before the following example:
*7.00 pm bedtime, for example
- Monday: 7pm
- Tuesday:7.10pm
- Wednesday: 7.20 pm
- Thursday: 7:30pm
- Friday: 7.40pm
- Saturday: 7.50 pm
- Sunday: 7.00 pm (BST Ends)
End of Daylight Saving Tips
- Minor changes will help your child to adjust their body clock gradually
- You can further support your child to adjust by waking them in the morning, offering mealtimes and naps 10 minutes later
- If you have missed out on getting ready ahead of Daylight Saving ending, you can apply the same method for the first week following the time change
- Stick to the same schedule, it keeps things regular for you and your little one
- Make sure your little one is sleeping comfortably in appropriate sleepwear and layers according to the temperature. See our handy Temperature - What To Wear Guide
- Have some patience with your child while adjusting to the time change, they may be a little tired and grumpy for a week or so
Daylight Saving Time ends | 5th November 2023 (the first Sunday in November)
- • When local daylight time is about to reach, Sunday, 5th November 2am clocks are turned BACKWARD 1 hour to Sunday, 5th November, 1am.
To help ease you into the swing of things, we have asked the team at ergoPouch what their top tips are for adapting to the time changes.
End of Daylight Saving | Tips From the parents at ergoPouch
Amelia, e-Commerce Mum to Eli (2.5 years)
"I will put my son down 30 minutes later than usual on Sunday, 29th October. I hope his internal schedule works itself out within a day or two. If not, we will get his routine back on track within the week. We can read a few extra books and have a few more cuddles. Bliss.
We have chosen to put our little guy into the 2.5 TOG Sleep Suit Sack and a Long Sleeve Romper. Our little guy likes the extra room for movement (he moves a lot) without the need for blankets. Eli is known to wear his Rompers throughout the day. They're so cute, so why not!
Remember, what's going to work with each family is entirely different. You may want to introduce some calming activities or quiet time before bed, dim the lights and make it clear bedtime is coming. The good news, within a week or two, baby, toddler, and you will adjust to the time change naturally."
Matt, eCommerce Lead, Dad to Julian (4.5 years) + Joey (1.5 years)
Julian and Joey have recently started sharing a bedroom so we'll attempt to keep them on the same bedtime and sleep schedule, they go down easier when they go to bed at the same time.
In the week leading up to the close of Daylight Saving, we'll attempt to ease them towards the time change to hopefully make the transition smoother. If it all doesn’t go to plan, they should naturally adjust to the time change within a week or so.
We'll follow the What to Wear Guide to make sure they are warm and comfortable through the night. Joey (1.5 years) will be wearing a 1.0 TOG Long Sleeve Romper while in a 2.5 TOG Jersey Sleep Sack which will keep him warm while being breathable. Julian (4.5 years) will be wearing his favorite 2.5 TOG Sleep Onesie. The organic fibers feel great and also keep him nice and cosy through the night while assisting the regulation of temperature.
All the best to all the parents out there, no matter how it goes, you're doing a great job.
Ekaterina, e-Commerce Specialist, Mum to Lillibel (1.5 years)
Around Daylight Saving Time ending, we start to put Lillibel to sleep a little later each day. She loves staying up reading lots of books before bed, so that’s usually not a problem. At first, she may get up a little earlier than normal, but over time the later bedtime eventually adjusts to a later wake up time.
It’s important to take it easy and be prepared that you may go through a period of unsettlement and crankiness, but after a while your baby will adjust to the new routine.
In cooler weather we love using the 3.5 TOG Jersey Sleep Sack and 1.0 TOG Romper underneath. We adjust the TOG layering according to the room temperature using the handy free ergoPouch Thermometer Guide that comes with every pouch. It really does take the guess work out of dressing for sleep.”
Sarah, Design, Mama to Finn (4.5 years) + Remi (1 year).
"We have to put our clocks backwards, so why can't we put baby's clock forward to align their body clocks? Over the week leading up, put your little one to bed 10 minutes later each day. This process has worked well for my 4-year-old time and time again. To guarantee Finn gets down smoothly, we dress him in his warm 3.5 TOG Sleep Suit Sack and I’ll be putting Remi in 3.5 TOG Jersey Sleep Sack”
Good luck, you've got this!
With love and sleep wishes,
eP X
