Time to move your clocks back one hour.

Here are some tips to smooth the transition. There are 3 basic ways of transitioning into the new time. Use one or a combination of these methods and your child’s sleep schedule should be back on track in a few days to a week.

Tip 1 – Cold Turkey: When the time changes, switch to the new time right away. Also switch meals, activities, and naps to the new time. Wake up times may be a bit off for a few days but they will adjust. Don’t start the day before 6am. If your child is fairly easy going, adjustment should be quick and painless with this method.

Tip 2 – Work up to it: This is helpful for children that may be more sensitive to being overtired, to changes in schedules, or who tend to wake up early. Start 4 days before the time change by moving bedtime and wake up time 15 minutes later each day. You can take an even slower approach if you want to.  At the new wake up time, make a big deal about morning, turn the lights on and expose your child to the outdoor light as much as possible.

Tip 3 – Fix it after: Wait until the day of the time change and adjust the child’s schedule over the following days. This method is good for children that tend to get over-tired, however it can make for some early mornings and can take longer. Most of us will naturally adjust to the new time within a week.

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Andrea Strang
Certified Gentle Sleep Coach and Child Sleep Consultant
www.HowToGetKidsToSleep.com

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Simple routine changes can help with anxieties, parent attitudes and grounding exercises.

The family can spend more time in the child’s room during the day playing and doing routine tasks. Some families spend little to no time in the child’s room before they day they decide to start night training in there.

Be relaxed about the child’s anxieties. Try to take a matter-of-fact attitude and calm yourself first before attempting to calm the child. Children can pick up on the parents stress and feel unsafe. If you think this might be an issue at sleep time, try taking 2 deep, cleansing breaths before putting your child in the crib; on the second exhale lay your child gently into the crib.

There are a number of grounding techniques that I use with parents to melt away stress and anxieties. The goal of these activities  is to use simple strategies to calm the child from negative feelings. One activity that I suggest is to calmly take the child around the room and slowly point and name the objects in the room.

Another idea which most parents think sounds a little crazy is to post a life size head shot of  one or more parents in the room. Younger children can relate better if the size is more realistic. Research has been done showing this as helpful for children in dealing with separations, including specific research with children in daycare settings who are giving a picture of Mom to keep in their pockets. The children will take it out and look at it from time to time and be comforted.

I get excited and celebrate every success in this area!

Anyways, I better stop rambling on and get to bed as I was up all night helping a family with a 6 month old with sleep training.

Have a wonderful day!

Andrea

btw, Check out all of my upcoming workshops and free sleep clinics from Kitchener to Orangeville on my home page. I will be adding a new June workshop soon in Brampton and will have a separate event page soon.

March forward into the new time. Most children do well with switching to the new time right away when we change the clocks. However, if your child is more sensitive to being over-tired you can gradually shift her bedtime and wake time earlier by 15 to 30 minutes a day either before Sunday or after.

To help with this transition make sure your child gets good naps and is not over-tired at bedtime. You may need to use blackout blinds in your child’s room or dim the lights as you are getting ready for bed.

If your child is already waking up too early you may be able to take advantage of this time change to encourage sleeping in longer. “The key is to use the naps to get to the new bedtime rested” suggests Kim West. If you are at risk of your child getting to bedtime over-tired, try to get in an emergency cat nap by the end of the day even if it means going for a ride in the stroller or car. Just make sure your child is awake by 4:30pm at the latest.

Most of us will adjust to the new time in a few days to a week, although it can cause some sleep disruptions in the process. After this short transition you can enjoy summer time until fall back comes again.

Upcoming Speaking Engagements and Events

Thursday, March 31  6:30 to 8:00pm Workshop:  Baby Sleep Basics – $30

Belly Buttons, Kitchener, Ontario
Maximizing sleep and enjoying the early months. Recommended for Pregnancy to 3+ months.
For more details contact: trish@inniesandouties.ca

Saturday, April 9th 10am to 2pm Free Sleep Clinic at

SPRING MOMPRENEURS SHOWCASE
Maples Independent Country School,
513047 2nd Line Amaranth, R.R. 4 Orangeville

Tuesday, April 12th 1pm to 3pm Workshop: Helping Babies and Toddlers Sleep Through the Night - $30

Sleep expectations for babies from 4 to 18+ months, basic sleep strategies and various techniques for “sleep teaching” your baby will be covered. Participants will have the opportunity to develop a personal sleep plan, have individual concerns addressed and be given the tools to successfully execute their baby/toddler sleep plan. This session is full.

Wednesday April 13th 2pm to 3pm Workshop: Helping Babies and Toddlers Sleep Through the Night
Erin, Ontario
Sleep expectations for babies from 4 to 18+ months, basic sleep strategies and various techniques for “sleep teaching” your baby will be covered.

Sunday May 15th 2pm to 5pm Gentle Sleep Coach Workshop with Kim West
Baltimore, MD

So excited for the opportunity to assist Kim West with a sleep workshop in Maryland!

Monday May 16th 1pm to 3pm Workshop: Helping Babies and Toddlers Sleep Through the Night - $30

Sleep expectations for babies from 4 to 18+ months, basic sleep strategies and various techniques for “sleep teaching” your baby will be covered. Participants will have the opportunity to develop a personal sleep plan, have individual concerns addressed and be given the tools to successfully execute their baby/toddler sleep plan.

Saturday, May 28th 10am to 2pm Free Sleep Clinic at

BABYLOVE SHOWCASE
Maples Independent Country School,
513047 2nd Line Amaranth, R.R. 4 Orangeville

For more information email: info@thebabysource.ca

Andrea Strang is a Child and Infant Sleep Consultant, Gentle Sleep Coach and Postpartum and Sleep Doula from Erin, Ontario. In the past 6 years she has helped over 1000 families get better sleep.

Don’t just plunck child down and walk away. This gives feeling of rapture and activates lower brain fear system.

Make crib a familiar cosy place.

Give lots of Hugs and cuddles in the day and before bed.

Use the senses to help ground child and help him feel safe and comfortable:

Sound – use white noise, the sound of mother’s voice (or father’s), Consider using a recording of parents voice with messages such as: “You are safe, I love you” or storries or songs. Recording and white noise can be left on all night long.

Smell – Include items in the bed that smell like Mom/Dad or breastmilk. This helps child develop an emotional association.

Lovey/Blankie – a soft transitional object for child to cuddle up with. Item can smell like parent.

Consider massage as part of your bedtime routine.