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Father's Day! Dad's need Good Sleep too!
Father's day is Sunday, June 20th. It's time to celebrate all the wonderful Fathers, Grandfathers, and Father-figures we have in our lives!
Dad’s need good sleep too! You have got to watch this video!
https://youtu.be/iv5VsYHVAWA
Good sleep should be a priority for Dad too! This means 7-9 hours a night for a healthy adult.
Sleep Tips for Dad
Get 7-9 hours a night of sleep
Stick to a sleep schedule every night (even weekends).
Choose a supportive mattress and quality pillow.
Turn off electronic devises at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Limit caffeine intake
Exercise regularly
Give Dad the Gift of Sleep this Father's Day. Gift Certificates are available.
Listen to a few of our incredible fathers talk about how getting beautiful blissful sleep changed their life!
https://youtu.be/iv5VsYHVAWA
Beyond the benefits for the child, Gentle Sleep Coaching has provided Father's with:
Increased bonding and more meaningful interactions between child and father
Relaxed evenings
Time for themselves and their partner
Restored marriages
Ability to schedule date night and vacation trips
Energy to exercise
A predictable schedule
A focused mind for work productivity
More love and patience so they can enjoy all the moments that matter!
You are one click away from giving the Father in your life one of the most life changing gifts they can receive.
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, we provide parents with guilt-free, gentle sleep coaching to help reduce their overwhelm and get them back to life. If you are wanting your child to learn healthy sleep habits please Contact us today to learn more.
Sleep is Bliss, Let's get you more!
Joanna
7 Family Travel Tips for Summer 2021
It’s been more than a year since the announcement of the novel Coronavirus, and another travel season is upon us. It’s only natural to feel confused, have lots of questions, and wonder what the heck is going on. This is especially true for families with young children, most of whom already required detailed vacation planning before the pandemic.
Thankfully, since the vaccination has been released and distributed, the world seems to be regaining some semblance of a new normal. Travel restrictions are lifting, mask mandates are being relaxed, and businesses are opening up again. It seems like 2021 will be the year for vacations, travel, and reconnection. In this article, we’re sharing some of the most important tips for parents to keep in mind during the summer season. Then, we’re discussing ways they can keep their families happy, healthy, and rested through any travel plans.
Tips for Staying Safe and Having Fun in Summer 2021
Health and safety are still a priority in 2021. Indeed, the vaccination has already been distributed widely, but Coronavirus prevention is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Life may never go back to the way it was before, so we should all learn to adapt to this new way of doing things. Here are the seven most important summer travel tips for families living in the new normal.
1. Only Book Travel Plans That are Refundable
It’s impossible to predict the way things will go, especially during a global pandemic. Lockdown and safety measures seem to change in response to the current happenings, and an untold number of events have been canceled or postponed because of this. Learn from past mistakes, and plan for the unplannable. Purchase tickets with insurance and book rates that are refundable. Prevention is the best way to protect your wallet and itinerary.
2. Stay Flexible
It’s rare for an entire vacation to go according to plan, even under normal circumstances. Cut yourself some slack and stay flexible during your travel this summer. If you’re willing to go with the flow, instead of forcefully sticking to the agenda at hand, your family will enjoy themselves so much more. Make sure you are considering flexible sleeping arrangements so everyone sleeps well. I personally love the SlumberPod as the BEST way to create a “room within a room” so your child has quiet, dark, private space to take great naps and sleep all night. This opportunity for travel should be a time of enjoyment, fun, and self-care.
3. Appreciate the Covid-Safe Businesses
You work hard to keep your family healthy and safe; go out of your way to show some appreciation for the businesses that are doing the same. The only way for leaders to know that health and safety continue to remain a priority is for people to show them that they still care. Look for companies prioritizing public health and safety, and those still using Coronavirus prevention techniques. Show them your support and thank them for continuing to care.
4. Spend Lots of Time Outdoors
Throughout the entire pandemic, the outdoors has remained one of the safest places to be. It’s easy to maintain a distance, and the wide-open spaces disperse particles from our breath quickly. Spending time outside is one of the best ways to enjoy yourself this summer. And there are many family-friendly ways to do it. Some great ideas for having fun outside with kids are to:
Take a walk
Fly kites
Paint together (less mess!)
Make mud pies
Search for bugs
Climb trees together
Go geocaching
5. Have Lots of Snacks
Prevent the onset of hanger! It can be tough to squeeze in full meals and restaurant trips when you have small kids, which is why it’s so important to stay prepared with snacks. Having easy food ready to go also allows you to control the kinds of foods your kids are eating on vacation, preventing their eating habits from getting too crazy. Bento boxes, snackable containers, and reusable pouches are perfect for these situations, and will definitely help save your sanity.
6. Squeeze in Naps Wherever You Can
Hungry kiddos aren’t the only ones you have to worry about. Those who missed naptime, or are otherwise feeling sleepy, can also be quite difficult - especially on vacation. Before leaving on vacation, try coming up with a schedule. Families with tiny ones might even benefit from choosing destinations that are slower in pace and supportive of a baby’s sleep. Aim for at least one good nap per day, and prioritize it. A rested child is a happy one, and this makes everything easier.
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Have Fun
As important as it is to juggle all the different aspects of your trip, it’s important to know that not everything will go according to plan. It never does. Have fun anyway, and enjoy yourself. Your children won’t remember the times you forgot the snacks or almost missed your flight. They will remember laughing on the beach with their mom or swimming in the hotel pool with their dad. Make as many happy memories as you can and smile through the obstacles that come your way.
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, we know that a happy vacation is a well-rested one. And that means all members of the family get enough sleep. We provide parents with guilt-free, gentle sleep coaching to help reduce their overwhelm and get them back to life. Dozens of parents have changed the way they look at sleep, thanks to the Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching way. If you go on a trip and things have regressed upon your return, then please know I always offer Sleep Triage Sessions. Or if you are wanting your child to learn healthy sleep habits before your trip, then please Contact us today to learn more.
Mom Deserves The Gift of Sleep
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate all the women in our lives who raised us, or are currently raising their littles. It’s a great day to make moms feel special and how much we appreciate all they do for us whether they are moms, moms-to-be, grandmothers, friends, temporary guardians or relatives that are playing the role of mom.
So I am here to celebrate all Women that are raising children and I appreciate all you do every day!
But here is the deal, for all that you do every day, YOU NEED BEAUTIFUL, BLISSFUL SLEEP!
Sleep is a gift you can give mom that will have lasting effects WELL beyond Mother’s Day weekend!
So if you feel you need some EXTRA TLC and your family is still looking for the perfect gift for you, you can gently remind everyone you need the GIFT of SLEEP.
Good news, Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching has gift certificates available for Sleep Coaching!
"Sleep is the gift that keeps on giving! 7 Months after successful sleep coaching, you’re always still on my morning gratefulness list. Thank you!" N. Fanning, Nebraska, Child was 6 months at time of Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Sleep for your child creates the momentum and focus you need to feel more like yourself. Our promise is that you will reclaim your life and family vision:
Time for yourself and your partner
Energy to exercise
A predictable schedule
A focused mind for work productivity
More love and patience so you can enjoy all the moments that matter
“The wife and I both get 8 hours of solid sleep. We are able to do chores when the baby naps or is asleep. We feel like we have our lives back when she goes down in the evening. We can go back to actually having a nice romantic dinner together. We can have a glass of wine and catch up on our favorite Netflix show. All because of Joanna's sleep coaching.” Jim A. South Carolina, Child was 15 months at time of Guilt Free-Gentle Sleep Coaching
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching is a No-Guilt Gentle Sleep Coaching Solution. We reject age-old ‘cry-it-out’ methods and approaches because we’ve seen a better way. We believe in protecting the physical, mental, and emotional health of every parent-child bond when it comes to creating lifelong healthy sleep habits. Parents trust us with their hope to achieve drama-free bedtimes, peaceful nights, reliable naps, confident parenting, and a well-rested, harmonious home.
You are one click away from getting the most life changing gifts of all. BLISSFUL SLEEP!
“I just want to thank you for what you've done for our family. I remember talking to some of your past clients over 2 months ago and still being skeptical that anything was going to change. That client told me that their experience was life changing. I thought..."man it would be really nice to tell someone else someday that we had a life changing experience too", but I had zero expectations and had resigned myself to accepting the fact that our life was going to suck for the next 18 months or so. We are two months in and it truly has been life changing!!!” Ken M, California, child was 10 months at time of Guilt-free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
For the Mama’s to be or newborn Mama’s we have a Sleep Preservation package that teaches promoting good sleep habits while your baby is a newborn—or even before he or she arrives.
If you are ready to join the 1,000’s families and their babies and children I have helped to claim great sleep click here to buy now!
The Dad's Guide to Celebrating Mother's Day
For moms with young kids, Mother’s Day is an extra-special holiday. This season in her life is a time when motherhood is still new, fresh, and exciting. It’s also the period where she has the least amount of time for self-care and carries the most stress. Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to remind her of the fact that she’s doing a great job. But, unfortunately, the kids probably didn’t get the memo.
That’s where you come in.
This article serves as the dad’s guide to helping that wonderful woman in your life feel admired on Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day is a Holiday Worth Celebrating
In the family, the mother is indispensable.
She is responsible for completing so many different tasks and wearing so many different hats that it can sometimes be easy to take her for granted. In an effort to prevent this from happening, Anna Jarvis created the official holiday labeled “Mother’s Day” in 1905 to honor “the sacrifices mothers made for their children.”1
Since then, the tradition has been carried on each year, with the entire country joining in to express their respect and gratitude for their own moms.
6 Ways Dads Can Help Their Kids Celebrate
The only true way for kids to learn to cherish and treasure their mothers is by example. And, what a better opportunity for dads to lead by example than on Mother’s Day? It doesn’t have to be this all-out event with extravagant planning, but it is important to help them make her feel loved. Here are six of the best ways to do that:
1. Make Something for Her
There is nothing quite like a handmade gift that says “I love you, and I’m thankful for you.” Something like this will be more treasured than anything you can find in the store. Gather the kids sometime while mom is distracted and get crafty! It doesn’t have to be something Pinterest-worthy; a simple card or finger painting will mean so much on her special day.
2. Show Her Your Appreciation
It’s no secret that moms work hard. Between cooking, cleaning, and caring for the kids, there is a lot that goes in to everyday day routine. Remind her that she is noticed. Take over the cleaning for the day. Cook her favorite meal at home. Do something small that you know she’ll enjoy, and the feeling of love will make her entire day amazing.
3. Give Her Some Time Alone
Sometimes, amongst all the excitement and festivities, one of the best things you can do for Mother’s Day is give her some time alone. Book her in at the spa if you want to treat her to a real day of relaxation and self-care. However, all that effort isn’t required. She would be just as happy if you took the kids out for a few hours while she had a bath, binged her favorite show on Netflix, and was given time for a nap.
4. Enjoy Time Outside
One great method for encouraging the entire family to be engaged and excited about Mother’s Day is to get outside. The great outdoors has a unique way of connecting people through beautiful views and wonderful experiences. And it’s an awesome place to spend Mother’s Day, regardless of the outdoor experience you have. Consider going for a picnic or taking a walk on a local trail. It’s the perfect time to appreciate the warm weather and sights of spring.
5. Tackle the Morning On Your Own
Sleeping in late is not typical of a mom’s morning routine. Change things up this Mother’s Day by grabbing the kids before they’re able to wake her up. She will definitely appreciate the opportunity to wake up slowly (and on her own), and you might even have a chance to surprise her with breakfast in bed!
6. Give Her a Gift with Meaning
As we’ve already covered, motherhood can be hard sometimes. If you really want to get a gift for the mother of your children, choose something to make her job easier. This is entirely subjective for the woman you love. It could look like an annual pass to the local aquarium or a subscription to a parenting box. Maybe a baby sleep coach is the perfect gift for helping her adjust to motherhood. Whatever it is, make it something meaningful and worthwhile to her role as a mom.
Mother’s Day is the Perfect Opportunity to Make Mom Feel Loved
No matter what you and the kids decide to do for Mother’s Day 2021, the most important thing is that you show their mom how much she is loved. It may not be a holiday where you spend a lot of money or decorate the house, but there are plenty of ways to make her feel valued. And, moms should always feel valued.
References
The Perfect Mattress for Your Baby
As parents, safe and washable are 2 of the most essential qualities products can have. From blowouts, spills, spit-up, drips, and drops, accidents happen and it’s crucial to have the ability to easily sanitize just about everything babies and toddlers use.
Newton Baby has created a line of crib mattresses that are just that. The mattresses are:
Breathable
Chemical free
Firm
Supportive
Washable
The mattress consists of a core and a mattress cover. The core is made of Womenair, 90% air and 10% food grade polymer. The mattress cover on the mattresses are made of breathable and fully washable material.
This mattress takes away all of your concerns. You’re one click away!
The washability of the entire mattress is unmatched. The mattress cover is machine washable and the core can be easily rinsed and dried.
Newton Baby makes mattresses that are incredibly safe. They are free of harmful chemicals, Green Guard Gold certified, low VOC emissions, uses naturally-contained salts to meet federal fire retardant standards and 100% recyclable. The breathability of the design is especially beneficial when your baby begins rolling as it reduces the risk of suffocation.
The design of this mattress makes it exceptionally durable. It is high quality and can stand the test of time with babies and toddlers. The mattress is easily transitioned from a crib to a toddler bed. It’s also a great product that is clean and easy to pass on to future children or as a hand me down to friends.
With a mattress, support and comfort are fundamental. The core materials make the mattress supportive, safe and comfortable for babies and toddlers to sleep through the night. The breathable design of the mattress also helps keep babies cool.
If you are ready to make this great choice, click here to buy now!
Be sure to check out my Facebook Live where I review both the Newton Baby Mattress and Owlet Monitor:
Monitor What Matters
Do you worry about your baby once you put them to sleep? Are you constantly checking in on them ? Do you feel like you can’t relax when baby is out of sight?
A lot of the families I have worked with over the years struggle with this and lack of sleep affects the whole family. Having a baby is an amazing experience but you soon realize how often self doubt and worry can set in. It’s important to know you don’t have to do it all alone. Use the people and resources you have available.
The owlet sleep sock is a game changer!
The owlet sock is a smart baby monitor that helps you know your baby is okay by using proven technology to track their heart rate and oxygen levels. It will alert you if there is anything out of range.
According to an Owlet Sleep Sock user study, published in Global Pediatric Health, a peer-reviewed medical journal:
Peace of Mind- 96% of parents felt less anxious using the Owlet Smart Sock
Better sleep for parents- 94% of parents reported better sleep with the Owlet sock
This smart sock takes away your concerns. You are one click away!
Product Highlights:
Monitors heart rate and oxygen levels
Sends alerts to parents if baby is out of “safe” zone
Tracks sleep!
Both parents can have access to the monitoring
Multiple child profiles on the same app
Machine washable
Fits under pajamas
Who is the owlet sock monitor for?
Babies up to 18 months old
6-25lbs
How does the monitor work?
Baby wears the sock on their left foot and it uses infrared light to monitor their oxygen and heart rate. The sock sends a signal to the base station. The base station sends the information to your smart phone so you can access the information live and get alerted if anything if wrong.
How do I know if something is wrong?
The owlet base station sends alerts to your phone and has alerts on the base station if there is anything wrong.
Green- all is ok!
Yellow alert- owlet can’t get a signal
Blue alert- owlet is disconnected from the base station
Red alert- oxygen level is too low or heart rate is too low/too high
BONUS!
One of the added bonuses of the owlet sock is the sleep monitoring that you can go and see how much sleep your littles are getting throughout the night! This is huge when you are ready to begin sleep training. You will know whether or not your little one is getting the recommended amount of sleep!
If you are ready for peace of mind click here to Buy Now!
Babies and Business and How to Make Them Work Together
You’re preparing for a new baby, but you’re also in the process of building a successful business. Whoa, mama! You are on fire! You’ve totally got this but it may help to have a few resources, tips, and trade secrets to keep you from feeling overwhelmed with these two huge life transitions. You can start by letting Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching help you get the rest you need to thrive and then you can put the rest of these tips to work to achieve balance.
Dress for Success and Comfort
You may not think that looking sharp and being comfortable go together, but they totally can! Look for stylish separates you can wear for work, play, running errands, or simply lounging around. Leggings from Kindred Bravely can provide a comfy and cute foundation for your postpartum look and then you can top them with a loose, flowy blouse to look pulled together.
Take Advantage of Online Tools
Whether you’re still in the third trimester or already caring for your newborn, running out to meet with a lawyer or take care of other business tasks may not be practical. The former can be expensive as well, but thankfully many of the tools needed to set up your business are available online. Including the info and forms to set up an LLC, so you can save time and money.
Give Sleep Deprivation The Boot
Think you can thrive with only a few hours of sleep every night? Science says otherwise. Research shows that people who get quality rest tend to have improved focus, creativity, productivity, physical health, and mental well-being. All of which are essential if you need to balance life as a new parent and business owner. Need help getting your baby to sleep? Then you should look into the services offered by Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching to get more rest.
Reserve Time for Basic Self-Care
Want to know what separates truly successful entrepreneurs from the rest of the pack? Well, this may come as a surprise, but they usually prioritize their own self-care. That’s because these savvy business owners understand that taking care of themselves is a necessity rather than a luxury. Without self-care, you could be more prone to burnout. To fit more self-care into your life as a new parent, focus on basic and attainable habits.
Reach Out for Support When Needed
Another top tip on that self-care list for new parents? Staying connected to friends and other loved ones. That’s because these people can serve as a lifeline when you feel like you’re sinking under the combined pressure of caring for a newborn and starting a new business. If in-person meetups are off the table, you can still connect virtually with your support system.
You Don’t Have to Do It All Alone
Look, you’re a go-getter and you may be used to taking on a huge list of to-dos without asking for any help. But trying to manage your schedule with a new business and baby can be a lot for any one person to take on solo. No matter how much you hustle. So you should know that there’s nothing wrong with hiring help in the form of a nanny or cleaning service if that saves you time and stress. You could also look into sleep coaching for your baby if that helps.
Bringing home the bacon and a new baby all at once makes you such a boss babe! But it’s also perfectly fine to admit that you have a full plate right now. Heck, you pretty much have a platter full of responsibilities as you work through these two huge life changes. All of which is to say that you shouldn’t feel guilty about asking for help or seeking support from your circle.
Do what you need to do to stay afloat and take care of business mama! And if you need some help getting that adorable new baby to sleep, don’t hesitate to ask for help from professionals.
Author: Jenna Sherman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
March is the Month for a Sleep Habit Reset
With the weather getting warmer and the days lasting longer, many people are beginning to feel the spring cleaning itch. And, while it always feels great to declutter the house and reorganize the garage, your family’s health deserves some attention this year.
For lots of people, a sort of “pandemic hibernation” that began last spring is finally coming to an end. This means that their eating, exercise, and sleeping habits are being more closely examined. And, with two major sleep holidays falling in March, there is no better time to put your family’s sleeping routine under the microscope.
Your Family’s Sleep Schedule Deserves Some Spring Cleaning
Throughout March, and the rest of the year, the World Sleep Society and the National Sleep Foundation work to inform people about the importance of sleep and ways to get enough of it. And, in this article, we’re going to use some of their lessons from Sleep Awareness Week and World Sleep Day 2021 to help you celebrate your sleep health!
Do You Know What Healthy Sleep Looks Like?
Before you can make changes that help your family achieve a healthier relationship with sleep, you have to know what healthy sleep actually looks like. World Sleep Day, which fell on March 19 this year, is dedicated to helping people understand and implement this.
Most people only think about the amount of sleep that they’re getting. But it’s so much more than that. Some of the most critical components of healthy sleep habits include:
Achieving Continuous Sleep
Sleeping the recommended number of hours for your age group and doing it with minimal disruptions is important for cycling through all of the sleep stages. Continuous sleep is necessary for proper brain function and daily performance.
Timing Your Sleep Properly
Learning to set and follow your body’s internal clock is vital for maintaining a healthy relationship with sleep. Sleep timing, light, and our body’s natural cycles must be balanced and lined up precisely to get the most benefit from each night’s sleep.
4 Phone Apps to Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
One way the National Sleep Foundation is working to help modern people improve their sleeping habits is through SleepTech. This program works collaboratively with some of the world’s leading sleep experts and top tech companies to improve sleep health innovations. This is because many advancements in technology have been used to greatly impact sleep quality.
Some of these advancements and improvements can even be accessed by the everyday family through their mobile device. Did you know that many sleep applications have been endorsed by sleep specialists and doctors? Here are two that may help you.
1. Insight Timer
Created as an audio meditation app, Insight Timer can be extremely useful for people and parents who struggle with insomnia. There are many different meditations to choose from and they even have some options made especially for kids. Insight Timer is regularly used and recommended by Dr. Abhinav Singh, the medical director at Indiana Sleep Center.
2. Moshi
Like Insight Timer, Moshi contains a vast library of audio-only mindfulness stories and meditations to help prepare the brain for sleep. Unique to this app though, Moshi was designed with kids in mind. In partnership with researchers from NYU, this app has proven itself able to improve several areas of sleep health for kids, including “sleep duration, sleep timing and night wakings.”
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching Teaches Parents Sleep Confidence
Combining the importance of sleep knowledge with the modern approach that today’s parents need, Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching can help your family get on the right track to healthy sleep. We offer live, expert guidance to provide you an alternative to the “cry-it-out” methods that are often recommended.
With Blissful Baby, you will receive a personalized family sleep plan, daily phone guidance, and a sleep success guarantee. We use an evidence-based methodology to make sure your entire family gets a good night’s sleep.
Are you ready to reset your sleep habits?
References
Helping Your Baby Adjust to Daylight Savings Time 2021
Though the exact date varies by year, Daylight Savings Time begins sometime in early spring for those in the US. For 2021, the date will be March 14. And on this day, our clocks will spring forward one hour in the night, causing us to lose precious sleeping time. For most people, this will be nothing but a minor annoyance. But for parents of young children, a disturbance like this could result in weeks of sleep battles.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. With some proper preparation and gentle guidance, your baby can adjust to the time change without a hitch. And your entire family can get the sleep you need and deserve. In this article, we’re talking about the best ways to prepare your baby for Daylight Savings Time. Then, we’ll discuss two methods you can consider implementing to make the transition as easy as possible.
Preparing Your Baby Before the Time Change Even Happens
You know about the time change coming, but your baby doesn’t. And you’ve both worked so hard to get this bedtime and sleeping routine down. Make sure to give you and your baby some grace and patience. It’s also important to be prepared. This preparation state will look different for every family, depending on your sleeping styles and needs, but is smoother and more successful when your whole family is on the same page.
The Top Two Transition Methods for Adjusting to Daylight Savings Time
At Blissful Baby, we believe the most effective way to help your baby adjust to the time change that occurs in the spring is to choose between two transition methods. There are other ways, but they can sometimes be complicated and unreliable. The two methods we’re sharing, when done correctly, work time and time again. And I believe you’ll love them!
Transition Method #1 - Pretend Nothing Has Changed
Best for: families with early rising children & parents who feel rushed at bedtime
Transition Method #1 is the easiest, most effortless of the two transition methods. It’s also designed with easygoing children in mind. Simply do nothing.
It may come as a shock, but some kids do best when you just don’t make a big deal of things. These kids tend to be more go-with-the-flow in attitude, and you’ll know best if they’d take to a change like this easily.
But, for the most part, bedtime will be bedtime. And to your child, they will look the same on March 13, 14, 15, and so on. When the time change has occurred, allow your child to sleep as they normally would. They may try and sleep in, but if bedtime is at 7 pm, I don’t recommend allowing them to sleep in later than 7 am.
Now, bedtime could turn into a struggle. This has to do with the clocks being ‘behind’, and the fact that your child may have slept a little longer than normal, but just try and exaggerate the bedtime routine a bit, and offer your baby some flexibility. You know exactly what you’re doing, and will be just fine!
Preparations: With this method, you mostly just need to prepare yourself. Prepare yourself for a little bit of a bedtime struggle. Prepare yourself for a toddler that may be grumpy for a day or two. Prepare yourself for a baby who may want extra naps. As long as you’re prepared and willing to stay the course, the transition will be over in no time. It could be beneficial to grab some blackout curtains to re-instill the concept of day and night, but make sure to expose your baby to lots of natural light first thing in the morning to encourage the new sleep/wake cycle.
Transition Method #2 - Slow and Steady
Best for: kiddos who struggle with change and families who like to plan in advance
Some kids are much more rigid in their routines, especially the ones surrounding bedtime. That’s okay! We have a method designed for them, too.
For kids who struggle with bedtime changes or sleeping in general, we recommend that you begin planning about 6 days before the time change even happens. This means that changes to the bedtime routine will be implemented beginning on March 8.
And, because Daylight Savings Time is springing the clocks ahead, you want to know going in that you are preparing your child’s body to go to sleep one hour earlier than what they are right now. What is 7 pm today will be 6 pm after Daylight Savings, so you want to prepare their body for going to bed at 6 pm.
But, instead of sending your child to bed at 7 pm one day and “6” pm the next, you’re going to begin changing their bedtime in 10-minute increments.
Using the 7 pm bedtime example
Day 1 (March 8, 2021): Bedtime at 6:50 pm
Day 2 (March 9, 2021): Bedtime at 6:40 pm
Day 3 (March 10, 2021): Bedtime at 6:30 pm
Day 4 (March 11, 2021): Bedtime at 6:20 pm
Day 5 (March 12, 2021): Bedtime at 6:10 pm
Day 6 (March 13, 2021 - Clocks change tonight): Bedtime at 6:00 pm
Day 7 (March 14, 2021): Bedtime at 7:00 pm - used to be 6:00 pm
This method does require some more detailing and attention on your part, especially if your child goes to bed at a different time. But this is how many parents get through the time changes without completely losing their sleep and sanity.
In this method, you must be very strict with your child’s sleeping and napping schedule. Don’t allow for any unusual oversleeping, and make sure to ease into the bedtime routine for that time spent changing their routine. Always remember to allow for flexibility and patience - for you and your baby!