It's that time of year again! Daylight saving time is upon us. While most kid-free adults are raving about getting an extra hour of sleep, new parents know that that's a laughable "perk." Actually, it can be pretty daunting to switch up your baby's sleeping habits just when you managed to find something that works. While we can't teach you to practice patience, here are five tips that can help you and your baby ease into the daylight savings time switch with ease.
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Take baby steps with adjusting their bedtime schedule: Don't wait until November 2nd to switch up your baby's sleeping schedule. The change should be gradual. Try starting at least a week before daylight saving time and move back your daily routine by 15 or 20 minutes (including bath time, dinner and bedtime). By the time Sunday rolls around, your baby will be more likely to be fully adjusted to the hour difference.
Pay attention to your baby's routine throughout the day: Getting your baby a well-rested night's sleep is more than just about what you do with them before bedtime. Dr. Harvey Karp and author of the best-selling The Happiest Baby on the Block, explains, "You need sunlight exposure and enough calories during the day. You need to dim the lights an hour before bedtime to get your melatonin going." Just avoid playing with them more than usual since overtired babies tend to stay up later and get crankier.
Let your baby hang out until 6am: Your day doesn't have to start as soon as your baby wakes up. I know this may be tough for new moms, but try to let your baby hang out in the crib until 6am. This way you won't be encouraging them wake up earlier. Of course, don't ignore the baby if it starts to cry before then. Letting them "cry it out" won't help.
Don't be so hard on yourself: Daylight saving time is hard for everyone to adjust to. It naturally takes about a week for adults, children and babies to get used to the time shift. Try these techniques, but don't give up if it doesn't work for you right away. The important thing to know is you'll survive this one alarm ring at a time.
Image via Corbis
