What to do when clocks go back?

[Madallie]

Does anyone know how to manage this in terms of lo's sleep?

DD has started waking quite early, which will be even earlier when clocks go back soon.

I know it's no use just keeping dd up and putting her to bed an hour later cos of overtiredness so just wondered what to do?

Any advise or ideas?

Thanks

I don't usually do anything,and it takes DS (4) about a week to adjust. DD is 1 next week, so it'll be interesting.

Maybe do 15mins later each week? No idea really as will be having same issue - DD been waking at 5am for last 3 weeks :(

I do meals and naps at the new time and adjust slightly so they're tired enough at bed time. Might do 30 mins earlier or later if needed but that has always been enough. I have a 3.10 and 13 months

Every year I think I'll do it 15 mins a night, and every year I fail!

Best results are where I plan a day/evening out late, so completely throw their body clocks, and start from scratch the next night!

I used to stagger it over 4 days when mine were little, 15 min change to routine a day until I couldn't be arsed any more

I remember the winter of 5am starts with dd2, freezing bloody cold, couldn't put the heating on or dd1 would wake up. Bloody awful. You have my sympathies. It did get better mostly

Yeah, I just can't decide what to do. DD is 10mo so still quite young. Was thinking of either shifting whole routine 15mins later every few days and hope she catches on or as sittinginthesun says just go out for the day and throw body clocks out in the hope of starting new routine times the next day.

Could be disasterous though!!

In my experience it takes about a week for them to adjust. This has always been fine with DD, who normally gets up at 6.30/7. We have a week of 5.30/6 and then back to normal.
However, I now have DS who likes to start the day at 5.30/6 so really dreading it this year!
The really annoying thing is that when the clocks go the other way in Spring and we should get a few lie ins, they seem to adjust in about 2 days.

It'll take a week either way you do it... I did the 15 min thing with ds (PFB) whereas with dd I'll just see what happens.

I find that they both would doze happily on or near me after their 5am wakings but would ping awake if I tried to settle them. Can you try that? It does pass (eyes 3 year old who gives us a "lie in" until 6.30/7)

Yes you will have some hideously early mornings in the first week but they do adjust in a week or two. I have early risers so I hate this clock change. I try to push back their routine a bit but when you have school runs at definite times (when they are older, obviously) its difficult to adjust it properly. Just avoid childless couples on that Sunday who will gloat about their extra hour in bed!

We never staggered ds and just gave him lunch and tea an hour late on the day before. Bath late too and rest of bedtime routine.

We never had any issues.

Dd was only 4 months last time and assume she'll be the same as ds

Iggly - yes, with the 5am starts, I used to go in to DD2's room and let her lie on top of me (still in her sleeping bag, so at least she was warm ), on the teeny tiny back breaking sofa we had in there. She dozed on and off usually until nearer 6am, which made her (not me) less grizzly in the morning.

So she obviously needed the sleep but for some reason couldn't get it. She got better when she stopped teething at 18 months (she was awful for teething), and when I could give her a biscuit before bed with her milk as an extra help to get her through the night.

Now she loves her bed, I have way more problems with her older sister who was always a brilliant sleeper as a baby

Just wondering how the putting to bed 15mins later works? Want to start doing this asap (don't think putting dd to bed 1hr late the night before clock changes will work).

How often would you up the 15 minute increments and also am worrying whether it'll work because at the moment its seems if we put dd to bed anythime past 7pm (she seems to need to be in bed 6.45/6.50pm and asleep by 7pm in order to wake up at a reasonable time - reasonable time for me is 6am onwards, altho obviously later would be better) it takes her ages to get to sleep and then she just wakes earlier in the morning.

E.g. last night we just got behind a little so she was in bed a few minuted before 7pm rather than 6.45/50pm. She then didn't settle until 7.30ish but woke at 5.45am. The night before she was in bed 6.50pm asleep by 7pm and didn't wake until 7.05am.

I'm not unrealistic in thinking she will sleep until 7am everyday but how can she need so much less sleep from one day to the next?

Sorry I am deviating really. Just wanted to see how I can stop the 5.45am starts becoming 4.45am starts at the end of the month.

Thanks for reading my ramble.

You need to shift everything not just bedtime.

Have you tried sitting/cuddling at 5am? Made sure she's warm enough?

Thanks Iggly.

Will try shifting everything 15mins but I find this hard when every wake up time and nap lenght is different.

How do you manage to consistently move everything on when no 2 days are the same iyswim.

I just move the start times. Tbh I probably won't bother with dd as I did with ds because she's more regular and doesn't wake early iyswim? So will just make the switch and let her adjust. ds, a serial catnapper and poor napper, seemed to fair better with 15 min adjustments every day.

If you're not restricting naps or following a routine (however loosely applied), then maybe going down that route could help with the early wake ups? Just a thought, its not for everyone! Otherwise yes, if there is nothing you actively 'do' to impose a routine in the day, you will be at the mercy of however they react to clock changes. It will all settle down after a week or so though. Hopefully.

By the way, I would have to say that 5.45am is just at the right end of acceptable and reasonable, especially if bedtime is 6.45pm. I know its not great, but 11-12 hours (or even 10 hours) is the best you can reasonably hope for for most babies. I know many who sleep for an awful lot less, and DD1 who used to sleep for 13 hours+ a night is now a bit of a PITA, so they will go through better and worse patches as well.

If you just try for 10-15 mins later a night over a week, it might help. But it will take a few days or a week or so to get used to any change, however you do it. Their sleep is variable, as is grown up sleep, all depends on how you are feeling, what is going on mentally and physically, whether you are comfy or need the loo and a million other things. Some mornings just will be awfully early unfortunately.

RationalBrain - you do talk sense. I think I just have to stop beating myself up about 'doing something wrong' if dd only get 10 hours of sleep. Seem to go round in circles wondering what I could have done differenlty in the day, for beditme etc. End up making myself feel ill worrying about it all too. Not good I know.

I just don't like the thought of dd not getting the sleep she needs plus she's always so much happier when she gets at least 11 hoirs at night.

Like you say, it's all variable as is our sleep! Don't know why I expected a baby's sleep to be any different really. Think I must just know some parents with 'robot babies' (7-7 come what may and 2 hr naps). :)

I don't talk sense, I just talk experience . I was exactly the same with DD1 (I actually did the dreaded Gina with her - she luckily fitted in to that routine quite well, but god did I beat myself up about why one day it 'worked' and another it didn't).

Luckily I was too knackered with DD2 to bother with more than the loosest 'routine' of trying for longer naps etc. Although DD2 did wake at 5am for about 9 months, maybe there is some connection . No, they are just all different, and you can 'help' them find their best routine for each day (which may change over time and even day to day), but ultimately you just deal with the hand you are given.

If I ever find the person who originated the 7-7 12-hours-a-night assumption for babies I will shoot them! Mine have only ever done 10.5-11 hours a night.

Yes, and 10.5 hours a night sounds brilliant, except when you add 10.5 to 7 you get 5.30am. Ouch.

I'm seriously dreading this clock change. DD wants to start day at 530, although this is a very unsocial hour I'd sooner that than the 430s that maybe descending on me.
I think I'm goin to try a late nap followed by a 8/9pm bedtime, that way if she wakes I'm hoping to give her bottle and get her back down again. Hopefully a snooze in bed with me.
The 15min thing prob won't work for us cause everyday is different with times, never exact. To top it off my DD is a daytime catnapper, so I'm expecting a very tiring week on clock change week.
Any other ideas from experienced mummas??
X

I have always just carried on with the normal time (new time) iyswim and pretended nothing has happened.

Mine just magically adjust.

Have no experience of this as dd is 4 months do this will be our first cliche change. But we have just got back from a holiday where there was a 2 hour time difference, do coming home was effectively putting the clicks back 2 hours. Based on that I would agree with sittinginthesun - with the travelling and late night home from the airport etc, her body clock was sufficiently thrown to not know what the time was anyway and she slotted back into UK time very quickly. she's an early riser too, but she hasn't been awake before 5:30 at all this week. So I guess we're planning a wild night of partying for clock change night!