Clock change chat
If you’re in the UK like me, you’ll be facing the October clock change this weekend.
Turning the clocks back an hour during autumn provides people with more sunlight in the morning. Turning the clocks forward in the spring brings lighter evenings.
Before becoming a parent this used to mean an extra hour to party (I used to love the clock change in my clubbing days!)
But with children, the clock change can hit a bit different 😂
So let’s have the clock change chat.
Firstly, reassurance as I’m always here for this!
There can be a fair bit of panic when the clocks fall back.
And being honest (please don’t hate me!) the clock going back can be a bit trickier than when it goes forward.
But it’s only an hour’s difference and even if you do absolutely nothing now your Small will likely adjust all by themselves if we give them a little time.
How can the clock change impact sleep?
Three things that could happen when the clocks change:
Absolutely nothing! For some Smalls the clock change doesn’t change their sleep at all.
Your Small might be ready for bed a bit earlier than usual. This might be a positive change for you especially if your Small has been going to bed on the later side and you would like it to be a little earlier.
Your Small might wake earlier than they normally would. This may not be a positive thing especially if your Small has been waking super early!
But like most things what happens and what it will look like will very much depend on your Small and their sleep.
Three things to remember about any changes that come with the clock change:
They are usually only temporary.
They’re very likely to settle by themselves given a little time.
IF – in the unlikely event they don’t – you can make some gentle tweaks to shift things back.
What can support your Small’s sleep through a clock change?
If your Small wakes super early it’s sensible to slowly push their bedtime slowly later by 15/20 minutes every couple of evenings.
Follow their tired cues rather than the clock. Chances are they won’t be ready to nap at their usual time and will need a slightly later nap time
Stick to their usual bedtime routine and how they settle to sleep
Try to stick with their meals at the new time but be flexible if needed. This can really help their circadian rhythm.
IF after the clock change, they start to wake earlier slowly move their naps and bedtime forward by 10/15 minutes every day until they’re waking at a civilised hour. This can also help to nudge their bedtime later too if it got a bit earlier and it’s not working.
Explore: my Courses could help you manage your child’s sleep
Are you exhausted from your Small rising early? The early-rising workshop is here!
Join me for this workshop and I'll talk you through:
- Realistic early rising expectations
- The early bird basics
- The chicken and egg cycle of early rising
- How to move away from the early rising cycle
I created the weaning webinar for families who would like to explore night-weaning - with care. Whether that’s slowly reducing night feeds or stopping them altogether. If you can’t make my live Weaning Webinars, spaces were sold out, or you would prefer to work through the steps in your own time - then this self-paced workshop is for you!
WHAT YOU’LL GET:
Access to the Night Weaning Webinar recording, plus an accompanying Sleep Plan PDF - which you’ll use to create your own customised sleep plan, in your own time, and at your own pace.