What's the best way to adjust baby's bedime etc when the clocks go back?

[Bobby99]

Is it best to gradually phase the new bedtime in or to just keep my baby up for an extra hour to synchronise with GMT? She is nearly 10mo and has a very well established routine. I know she will notice the extra hour...

im going to do it bit by bit over a week.

Will be watching this thread.... I've started putting DS 13 months to bed a bit later, 15 mins to 30 mins so far. It doesn't mean he gets up any later, though. 5h30 starts at the moment, which will translate to 4h30 next weekend...joy!

we always change the time after lunch on the sunday. It seems to work fine

i'm dreading next week - dd who's 10 months old wakes up between 5 and 5.30 every morning - 4am will be terrible. Anybody got any tips which work?

I'm just trying to push back bedtime this week, so instead of a bedtime between 6.15 and 7, try for at least 7.15 as it will be the equivalent of 8 next week. We were getting reaaaally early mornings last week (4am) so I was getting worried but this week is a bit better with a later bedtime. My boys are 2.10 and 8 months.

Really helps to move naptime gradually back too, as well as bedtime. If you just move bedtime then they're often overtired by the time they go to bed which can result in even earlier waking.

This time last year DD was 11 months and waking up at 5.30/6 every morning. We moved her bedtime and lunch nap time back by ten mins consistently every day and by the Sunday she was on GMT. In fact she started waking up later, which was brilliant.

Wow, crazycatlady, your schedule is that specific to be able to be moved by 10 mins!

Well DD's schedule is, yes! She's hungry and sleepy and the same times every day. Unless we're out and about of course.

Useful article here on the clocks going back.

I tend to push things on a little as much as I can and then just start on the new time on Sunday.

Thanks bippyhippy for the link to the article. I've been trying to push the day on incrementally, but DD has taken things into her own hands abd been sick, woken early and generally done whatever she cah to get out of routine this week so far! Ah well, I'll keep trying! Her routine is very regular, so hopefully she will adjust to the new times quickly...

I let DD1 (2 years) go to bed as late as she likes on the Sat night (combination of TV, sweets and chips to keep her awake - all massive treats) then wake her up at the right time GMT time on the Sun and stick like glue to her normal schedule. I've done this every time the clocks go foward/back since she was a baby and while it means I have one day of a grumpy beyond belief toddler it usually means by Monday we're on GMT time. I now have DD2 to test this theory on so I will see if this is me being brilliant or just DD1 being a brilliant baby.

I've decided that we are going to go on my Great Grannie's time next Sunday. She waited to change her clocks till Monday morning so she got a lie in on Monday instead. Never understood this as I don't think it affected her as I don't think she ever had a paid 'job'!

Anyway, I don't much mind if they wake up earlyish on a Monday as we've got to get to school etc!

I would shift it by 15- 20 mins each day, starting Friday, and hope for the best!

I was wondering what to do. Thanks for all the tips. We also have a 5:30am riser here so was wondering how to prevent a 4:30am wake up on Sunday. Today started to move naps, meals and bedtimes by 15 minutes - thought if I started now and did a more gradual shift it might be better. DS went down well for naps and has gone to bed tired but not overtired. Fingers crossed!

DH is planning on doing it 15 minutes at a time (DS has just turned 2).

Last year DS was waking 7am most days, so we figured 6am wouldn't be too bad. Clocks went back and he started waking at 4am? hoping to avoid that this year, especially as he now wakes between 5.30-6.30 most days.

We've moved 30 minutes back so far over the last few days, but DS still waking at 5:30. This does not bode well....

DS was up at 5am this morning, that was fun?

I bet it was, rhian. We're just going to have to pretend we're farmers, early to rise and all that.

DD had a bit of a funny day so far, with the result that we're about an hour behind usual by accident, so I'm going to keep going with that and hope we're on GMT already! But I expect she'll be awake early as usual.