Helping Your Baby Transition Smoothly to Daylight Saving Time
Baby’s Need Support to Transition to Daylight Saving Time
Parents can support babies by continuing to follow their daily rhythms.
Daylight Saving Time can be a tricky shift, especially when caring for a young infant who’s just starting to build their own sense of routine. The hour shift can feel small, but to a baby, it’s big enough to affect sleep patterns, feeding times, and general mood. This disruption to their rhythm may lead to fussiness, increased night waking, or difficulty settling at nap time. Babies thrive on predictability, so even minor changes in timing can feel disorienting as they try to adjust. In this blog, we will take a look at why infants may struggle with this change, and how you can support their mental health and comfort through it.
Why the Time Change Affects Infants So Much
Infants are still developing their circadian rhythms, the natural internal “clock” that guides sleep and wake cycles. This rhythm is highly sensitive to light, sleep timing, and consistency, so even a one-hour shift can feel jarring to them. From an infant mental health perspective, predictability and a consistent environment are critical for building a baby’s sense of security. When routines are disrupted, infants may show signs of fussiness, increased difficulty falling asleep, or waking up more frequently.
Why Letting Your Baby Lead with Sleep is Important
Follow your babies cues for sleep.
Babies’ bodies need time to adjust to new sleep patterns, and they often know best when they’re ready to wake. Forcing a wake-up time or nap can disrupt this natural rhythm, making it harder for them to settle into a predictable sleep cycle and potentially increasing fussiness.
If your baby is still asleep at the suggested times on the sample schedule below, you don’t need to wake them. Simply adjust the next sleep time to fit around when they naturally wake up. This approach supports their mental health and overall well-being by respecting their biological needs. Let your baby’s cues be your guide, and use the suggested times as flexible benchmarks rather than strict rules. You may find that by following their lead, you’ll both have a smoother, more connected experience adjusting to the time change.
Encouraging Healthy Sleep as the New Time Takes Hold
The first few days may be a bit challenging, but with a consistent rhythm and a patient approach, your baby will adjust. Remember that your calm and regulated response to their needs during this transition is key to helping them feel safe and secure. These transitions are also an opportunity to practice responding to your baby’s cues and helping them navigate changes in a healthy, supportive way.
With time and patience, you’ll find that your baby’s routine will settle into the new schedule. Supporting them through it is another step on the parenting journey, helping them build resilience and trust in you as they grow.
Considering Additional Schedules Beyond That of Your Baby
If you’re managing a schedule, like getting to paid work on time, and need to support your baby’s earlier wake-ups, rest assured that they will adjust gradually over a few days. Babies are resilient and adapt well with a bit of time and support. When outside commitments require adjustments to your baby's schedule, consider the sample schedules below as a flexible guide for approaching the time change. Staying consistent with the rhythm and flow of bedtime routines and being patient with any changes will help your baby feel secure during this transition.
See the bottom of this blog for two sample schedules.
Ways to Support Your Infant’s Transition
Here are a few strategies that can ease your baby into the new schedule with minimal disruption:
Start the Adjustment Early
Try adjusting their bedtime and wake-up time by 10-15 minutes each day, starting 4-5 days before the time change. This gradual transition can help your baby ease into the new schedule without feeling a drastic shift all at once.
If that timing is difficult to plan, a 3-day adjustment period is also effective.
Leverage Natural Light
Exposure to morning light is key to resetting the circadian rhythm. In the days following the time change, make sure your baby gets plenty of sunlight in the morning, which helps signal that it’s time to start the day.
Keep the room dimmer in the evening and close to bedtime, even if it’s still light outside. Using blackout curtains can create a calming environment that signals it’s time to wind down.
Keep Routines Consistent
Routines provide security and predictability, both of which are essential for infant mental health. Stick closely to your usual bedtime routine, whether that includes a bath, story time, or a lullaby. This consistency helps your baby feel anchored, even if the timing of the routine has shifted slightly.
Aim to keep feeding times as regular as possible too. Babies rely on cues from feeding as part of their daily rhythm.
Be Patient with Fussiness
If your baby struggles with falling asleep or seems crankier than usual, know that this is a natural part of adjusting to the new schedule. Give them a bit more comfort and connection to help them adjust emotionally.
Fall Back When Daylight Saving Ends in the Fall
For the fall “fall back” transition, since clocks go back an hour, many parents aim to move their baby’s schedule earlier leading up to the change, which helps babies adjust to the extra hour without major sleep disruptions.
Here's an example for a fall transition:
Sample Fall Schedule to “Fall Back” for Daylight Saving
If the time change falls on Sunday, this sample schedule adjusts the sleep and wake times earlier by about 10-15 minutes each day:
Thursday:
Morning wake-up: 7:00 AM
Morning nap: 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Afternoon nap: 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Bedtime: 6:45 PM
Friday:
Morning wake-up: 6:45 AM
Morning nap: 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Afternoon nap: 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Bedtime: 6:30 PM
Saturday:
Morning wake-up: 6:30 AM
Morning nap: 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Afternoon nap: 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Bedtime: 6:15 PM
Sunday (Daylight Saving ends, clocks fall back one hour):
Morning wake-up: 6:00 AM (new adjusted time)
Morning nap: 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Afternoon nap: 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Bedtime: 6:00 PM
Letting your baby wake up naturally during this shift is still beneficial, as their body’s natural rhythm will ultimately guide them through the transition, just at a slightly earlier schedule. Following their cues while gradually shifting sleep times can help you both settle smoothly into the fall time change.
Sample Schedule to Ease into Spring Daylight Saving Time “Spring Forward” when daylight saving begins in the Spring
Here’s a sample schedule that gradually adjusts to the time change over a few days. Adjust as necessary for your baby’s age and sleep needs.
If Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday:
Thursday:
Morning wake-up: 7:00 AM
Morning nap: 9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Afternoon nap: 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Bedtime: 7:15 PM
Friday:
Morning wake-up: 7:15 AM
Morning nap: 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Afternoon nap: 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Bedtime: 7:30 PM
Saturday:
Morning wake-up: 7:30 AM
Morning nap: 9:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Afternoon nap: 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Bedtime: 7:45 PM
Sunday (Daylight Saving Time begins):
Morning wake-up: 8:00 AM (new adjusted time)
Morning nap: 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Afternoon nap: 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Bedtime: 8:00 PM
This schedule provides a gentle adjustment to the time change, keeping in mind the importance of predictability and balance for your baby’s mental well-being.
Supporting Your Baby
As you and your baby adjust to the time change, keep an eye on their natural waking times and sleep cues, which may look a little different initially. Their wake times or signs of tiredness may not align perfectly with the clock right away, and that’s okay. Use the sample schedules as a proactive option, but remember that your baby’s internal clock will ultimately guide you both.
If you can set your rhythm to your baby’s sleep and wake cycles, these will feel steady—even though the clock on the wall has shifted. Trust that it’s okay to go with the flow and follow your baby’s lead; in time, they’ll settle into the new schedule naturally.
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