This article is from “Spring Forward Through Daylight Savings – Our 5 Step Plan – Moms on Call” by Laura Hunter, LPN and Jennifer Walker, RN, BSN.
First, make sure the basics are in place before we dive into how to spring forward during daylight saving time.
Use Moms on Call’s famous Typical Day schedules (found in our books and courses) to help:
- Develop and keep amazing sleep habits!
- Promote proper digestion
- Encourage appropriate development for your baby’s age by following their natural daily rhythms (for typical days and when we spring forward through daylight savings time)
- Give you freedom (with flexibility)! Because let’s face it, in parenting, freedom is a planned endeavor. Flexibility is built in to help keep everyone on track when things inevitably don’t go as planned!
Create an ideal sleep environment that is both effective and safe. The most essential elements are:
- Crib
- White noise machine
- Lighting and temperature
- The right swaddle technique (tight, tight, tight!) and swaddle blanket (for under 3 months of age)
- All of these foundational sleep practices will help your baby as we spring forward through daylight savings (and fall back in a few months!)
Next, follow these 5 simple steps to spring forward through daylight savings:
1. Saturday night, March 7th, put your child to bed at the usual time to prepare to spring forward through daylight savings time.
2. Before you go to sleep, adjust the clocks forward 1 hour. Analog clocks, microwaves, ovens, cars, and the coffee maker (this one is essential!) must be changed manually. Smartphones and computers will adjust automatically in the middle of the night – amazing how our technology just knows to spring forward through daylight savings. 3. Sunday morning (March 8th), wake your little one according to the NEW time on the clock. Resist the urge to let them sleep in if you want to spring forward through daylight savings.
4. Keep the rest of the day on your regular schedule, following the clock and not the baby’s cues.
5. Be patient! Transitions typically take 3 days! And before you know it, both you and baby will be adjusted. You can do this, and they can too! The sooner they get used to the new time, the easier this spring forward through daylight savings time transition will be for everyone.
Remember, the best way to set our kids up for success is to focus on what we can control, like the sleep environment and routine. They will figure the rest out as we help them spring forward through daylight savings.
