We asked Baby Sleep Expert, Lucy Wolfe* for some suggestions that help your established sleeper continue to sleep well - or at the very least that sleep is minimally disturbed at this time.
Firstly, ensure that your baby is well rested in the run up to this particular weekend, and consider one of the following approaches.
1. Do Nothing
If your baby historically wakes at 7am and goes to bed around 7pm, stick to the same schedule - put baby to bed when the clock says 7pm (but it will really be 8pm). For babies and toddlers who are not sensitive to being over-tired and highly adaptable, they adjust within a few days.
2. The 15 Minute Rule
Slowly change baby’s schedule a few days before the time change. From Wednesday - 4 days prior to time change - put baby to bed 15 minutes later than normal. Offer naps and meals 15 minutes later. Follow the routine 15 minutes later each night. By the night of the time change, you will be back to your normal timetable and no further adjustment are required.
3. Be Flexible
Consider sticking to your normal schedule up until the time change and once it kicks in, be flexible and alter the schedule as much as baby can handle.
Some important points:
- Decide on which option suits your family and baby’s temperament best to help with this transition.
- Continue to pay attention to tired signals and create an earlier bedtime if necessary.
- Ensure that the room is dark enough at both bed-time and on wake-up and also for naps.
- Have a consistent response if they struggle to sleep - avoid ingraining inappropriate sleep habits that you will have to address later on.
- Acknowledge and accept that it can take about a week to get used to changes in sleep habits.
Your baby’s soothers or bottles also play a part in their night-time routine! The more comfortable baby is going off to sleep, the more likely they are to sleep better and longer. MAM Baby bottles have a unique anti-colic valve to reduce colic and help baby sleep better.
MAM Night Soothers come with an easy-to-find glow in the dark button and the silicone teat is designed flat and symmetrical to fit perfectly in baby’s mouth. The NPPA-award-winning MAM Night soothers are also made with Skin Soft™ silicone for a familiar skin feeling, thus aiding a restful night’s sleep. MAM Night Soothers €7.45 are available in 0+, 6+, 12+ and 16+ months.
MAM Easy Start™ Anti-Colic Bottle is the ideal baby feeding bottle before sleep.
With its vented base, the smooth flow of the Easy Start bottle reduces air bubbles and colic**, preventing baby from swallowing air, resulting in a calmer relaxed baby. NPPA-award-winning Easy Start bottles also have Skin Soft™ silicone and a unique flat symmetric shape to mimic skin and give a familiar feeling. 94% of babies accept MAM Easy Start bottle teat*
MAM Easy Start Anti Colic Bottles are available in 130ml, 160ml and 260ml sizes, and come in a variety of pack sizes (from €7.95 to €23.45).
MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic Bottle 160ml 2 Pack €17.25 | Bottle 2 Months Plus 260ml 3 Pack €23.45
MAM range is available from Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and leading pharmacies nationwide such as Lloyds, Cara, Meagher, Care Plus, Mulligan’s, Health Wise, Adrian Dunne, Chemist Warehouse, Inish, McCabes, Allcare and LIFE pharmacies.
*Lucy Wolfe is a Sleep consultant, Co-creational Parent and Relationship Mentor, Author of The Baby Sleep Solution and All About the Baby Sleep Solution, creator of “Sleep Through”, a natural bed and body sleep spray and relaxing rub, and Mum of four. She runs a private sleep consulting practice and online courses where she provides knowledge, expertise, and valuable support to families around the world. See www.lucywolfesleepplans.com
