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Why do babies and toddlers find the "Fall Back" time change challenging? It's because when it feels like bedtime to them, there's still an extra hour to stay awake, and in the morning when it seems like it's time to wake up, they're expected to sleep for another hour.
Here are two strategies to help your baby or toddler adapt to this time change:
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In the week leading up to the time change, gradually shift your morning routine by starting it 10 minutes later each day. You can keep the wake windows and nap lengths the same; this simply shifts your entire daily schedule by 10 minutes on the clock.
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On the weekend of the time change, extend each wake window by 5-15 minutes. During this weekend, encourage your baby to stay awake a bit longer before their scheduled naps. The goal here is not to make your baby overtired, as this can lead to poor naps, restless nights, or early morning awakenings. Instead, aim to add an extra 5-15 minutes to each wake window.
Tip: If, on Sunday, your baby appears exhausted and ready for bed at 6:30 p.m., even though bedtime is typically at 7:00 p.m., it's perfectly fine to put them to bed early. They are likely to sleep longer and better than if you try to keep them awake when they are tired, ultimately leading to poor sleep.
Baby sleep is always so hard! But you are not alone. We have free guides that can help you.
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