Episode 29 | Surviving the Start of Daylight Savings with Your Baby: Simple Tips for New Parents

Ep 29 | Surviving the Start of Daylight Savings with Your Baby: Simple Tips for New Parents

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a topic that sneaks up on us every year—daylight savings time. As a new parent, this can feel like a big deal, especially when you’ve finally settled into a good routine with your baby. But don’t worry, I’ve got some simple strategies to help you navigate the start of daylight savings and keep those disruptions to a minimum.

So, daylight saving time kicks in on Sunday, the 6th of October at 2am. For those of us in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, ACT, and Tasmania, we’ll be moving our clocks forward by one hour—meaning 2am becomes 3am. Now, I know no one’s keen on losing an hour of sleep, but this change doesn’t have to throw off your baby’s routine completely.

Let’s break it down.

For some babies, especially newborns who don’t have much of a set routine yet, daylight savings won’t be a big deal. But if your little one is in a good sleep routine, it’s understandable to worry about how this change might affect them. The good news is, there’s a gradual approach that can help make this transition smoother for both you and your baby.

Start making small changes about 3 or 4 days before daylight savings begins.

Here’s how:

If your baby usually goes to bed around 7pm, on the Wednesday before the time change, put them down at 6:45pm instead. Then, on Thursday, move bedtime to 6:30pm, Friday to 6:15pm, and finally, on Saturday, put them to bed at 6pm. By the time daylight savings kicks in, that 6pm bedtime will naturally become 7pm, and you’ve given your baby time to gradually adjust without a sudden shift.

This approach helps align your baby’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, with the new time, reducing the risk of waking up too early or too late.

Extra tips:

1. Gradually adjust your baby’s whole evening routine—dinner, bath time, storytime—by those 15-minute increments leading up to daylight savings.
2. Move nap times earlier as well, just like with bedtime.
3. Dim the lights in the evening and avoid screen time before bed, not just for your baby, but for the whole family. It helps everyone wind down and get ready for sleep.
4. Blackout blinds can be a lifesaver for keeping that early morning light from waking your baby too soon. If you don’t already have them, now might be a good time to invest.
5. And don’t forget about white noise! A white noise machine can help block out any external noise that might disturb your baby’s sleep.
6. In the mornings, open up the blinds, and let as much natural light in as possible. Sunlight helps the body adjust to the new time.

It’s also important to keep your baby’s wake time consistent. Even if they sleep a bit later at first, try waking them up around their usual time. This will help their body adjust more quickly to the new routine.

It’s an adjustment:

Now, even with all these tips, remember that it’s normal for your baby, and maybe even you, to feel a bit off for a few days. It’s all part of the adjustment process. Be patient with yourselves. Some setbacks are expected, and it’s okay to take it easy that week—try to avoid big plans or anything too stimulating.

If you follow these tips, you’ll get through the start of daylight savings with a little less stress, and hopefully, your baby will adjust smoothly.

And hey, these strategies can work for adults and older kids too, so the whole family can benefit!

I hope these tips help you feel more prepared for the upcoming daylight savings time. Remember, it’s all about making small adjustments and giving your baby—and yourself—a bit of grace as you settle into the new time.

Connect With Belinda:

Web: www.BelindaJoyce.com
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Download Belinda’s FREE Baby Bundle:

• Checklists for baby equipment, hospital bag, nappy bag, travel & childcare bag
• Newborn Sleep Flowchart-what to do next
• Baby Feed & Sleep Tracker

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