Your Child's Routine and the Beginning of Daylight Savings

If you live anywhere where daylight savings starts on 4th October, I have some tips on how to adjust your child’s routine. (Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania).

Our bodies take about a week to adjust to a time change.

You can start to prepare your little one the week before daylight savings starts or begin to adjust their routine on the day it starts.

The first way is called the Proactive Strategy.  You begin to push their whole routine forward 15 minutes every 2nd day so that when they wake on Sunday 4th October their routine is in line with the new time.

So beginning tomorrow (Monday 28th September) push all sleeps and all food and milk 15 minutes later.  On Wednesday push all sleeps and all food and milk 15 minutes later.  On Friday push all sleeps and food and milk another 15 minutes later.  On Sunday when they wake the time will be moved forward 1 hour due to daylight savings, this is where you push everything forward the last 15 minutes so it lines up with the new time.

If we look at naps to help demonstrate:

If your little one has their nap at 9:30, on Monday push it out to 9:45, on Wednesday push it out to 10:00, on Friday push it out to 10:15, on Sunday push it out 15 minutes so that it would be 10:30 pre-daylight savings time, but 9:30am daylight savings time (new time).

Black out blinds are a wonderful tool.  Keep your child’s room so dark that you struggle to read in there, then you can be sure sunlight is not wreaking havoc on their sleep.

The other method is called the Reactive Strategy.  You wait until the day daylight savings starts before you make any changes.  Then you bring all feeds, naps and wake up time backwards by 15 minutes according to the new daylight savings time. Do this every second day until the routine is as it was before.

So on Sunday 4th October a 9:30am nap will begin at 10:15am new time, then on Tuesday the nap would begin at 10:00am new time, Thursday at 9:45am new time, then Saturday back to 9:30am. 

Don’t panic if it doesn’t all go as smoothly as planned, just keep in mind that our circadian rhythm (our 24 hour body clock) can be re-set by food, light and social interaction.  Change the times that these things are offered and you can adjust the times your child sleeps and wakes.

Now for children who are early morning risers.  Daylight savings can be a wonderful thing!  On Sunday 4th October get them up at 7am (new time) if they are not up already.  Have feeds and sleeps according to the new daylight savings times.  You will need to watch for tired signs in the evening and move bedtime a little earlier for a couple of days.  This should fix the early rising!

Pre-Sleep or Wind Down Ritual- important for all ages

One simple way to help babies and older children alike to fall asleep is to introduce a pre-sleep routine / wind down ritual. It's easy to do and can make a big difference in how well your child settles to sleep.

A pre-sleep routine or as I call it, a wind down ritual, creates a buffer between awake and asleep.
It is a peaceful time, a time of emotional connection between you and your child. It can be as short as 10 minutes and helps your child to understand that sleep is coming.

What constitutes a wind down ritual?
😔 Going into your child’s sleep space
😔 Dimming the light
😔 Putting them in a swaddle or sleeping bag
😔 Lots of cuddles
😔 Reading a book
😔 Singing a song or lullaby
😔 Bouncing or rocking until calm for newborns who need it
😔 Saying goodnight to all the teddies
😔 Giving your child their special teddy, lovey, blanket, comfort toy, dummy
😔 More cuddles!
Every family can create their own special wind down ritual that is perfect for them.

Having a consistent wind down ritual will help your child begin to relax and calm. Each action, done in the same order is a cue to them, a positive sleep association. It allows them time to transition from being awake and full of energy to being calm and ready to sleep.

The time spent during the wind down ritual engaging with you helps strengthen their emotional connection with you. Your child will find falling asleep easier knowing they are loved and connected to you.

A wind down ritual is just as important for newborns as it is for pre-schoolers. It can be very confusing for a baby to be placed in their cot and expected to sleep if they have had no warning that a nap or bedtime is approaching. It is a gentle transition for them.

A wind down ritual is beneficial before naps as well as at bedtime at night.

Try a wind down ritual tomorrow if you don't have one yet!

No one wants to start their day before 6am! Help for Early Morning Wake Ups.

Starting your day before 6am is not fun for anyone! 

When we first go to sleep, we have a long period of deep sleep, from which it is difficult to be woken.  As the night goes on, our sleep drive decreases.  Sleep from 3am onwards is only light, we drift in and out of light sleep, so even small things can wake us.

Let’s explore some reasons why early morning wake ups may be happening and how to prevent them.

Is something waking your child in the morning?

Even a small sound can be enough to wake them- birds, the neighbours, a truck, a parent getting ready for work.  Sounds that would not wake them early in the night will wake them in the early hours of the morning.  You can check by listening in the room your child sleeps in at the time they wake for any noises. 

Solution- use white noise on an app or a white noise machine to block out external sounds and create a consistent sound for the entire night sleep.

Are they cold?

Our core body temperature is at its lowest at 3-4am, the external temperature is at its lowest just before sunrise.  Their clothing and bedding may be perfect for the beginning of the night, but not once the temperature drops.  Until the age of 3 very few children have the ability to pull up a blanket, quilt or doona to adequately cover themselves, so will often wake because they are cold. 

When your child wakes do a quick check to determine if their wake up was due to being cold.  Place your hand under their sleep clothes, on their skin, on their back or tummy.  They should feel nice and warm, not hot and sweaty, not sticky or cold.  Do not use temperature of hands and feet as a guide, they are often a lot cooler than the rest of the body- we want to test their core.  

Solution- try not to have the bassinet/cot/bed under or next to a window to avoid any draughts.  The ideal room temperature for sleep is 18-20°C, regulating room temperature is ideal.  Other options are to use pyjamas and a sleeping bag that are made from Merino wool or other natural fibres that can help your child regulate their temperature.

For more ideas check out my blog post on TOG ratings and sleeping temperature

Is there light coming into their room?

Even just a small amount of light can be enough for your child’s circadian rhythm to adjust their wake up time.  Light is the number one factor in entraining our sleep-wake cycle.

Solution- invest in some black out blinds (Sleepy Sundays is a great brand) or buy black out fabric from Spotlight which you can attach to the window frame.  For a short term solution stick foil or garbage bags on the windows.

Are they Hungry? 

Some children still need a breast feed or bottle overnight until they are 9 months old.  For older children a hypoglycaemic dip in blood glucose levels or a deficiency in certain nutrients can cause a wake up. 

Solution- try to include lots of protein, low GI carbohydrates, foods high in iron and magnesium in your child’s diet. 

Is Bedtime too late or too early?

Overtiredness can cause early morning wake ups.  Is your child overtired by the time they go to bed?  When we become overtired our bodies are flooded with hormones like adrenalin and cortisol to keep us awake.  You may notice your child gets a “second wind” or becomes a bit “hyperactive” in the evening.  This is a sign that they are overtired. 

Solution- try an earlier bedtime, but not before 6pm.  We can expect children to sleep for 11-12 hours overnight, so if they are consistently going to bed at 6pm, then we can’t reasonably expect them to sleep beyond 6am.  6-7pm is the ideal bedtime for a child aged 3 months to 5 years.

Are naps too long? Too early in the day? 

A long or early nap in the morning is like a continuation of night sleep and it can reinforce the early morning wake up. 

Solution- try making the nap a little later.  Reduce the length of the nap so they are not catching up on missed night sleep by having extra nap time.  You need to break the cycle for them.

Is there social interaction and food as soon as they wake?

Do you go straight in to your child as soon as they wake?  Do you feed your child as soon as they wake?  Our bodies become accustomed to wake up time being the time when social interaction and food becomes available.

Solution-  delay going in to your child for as long as possible.  If you need to go in to comfort them, do so in a very calm, quiet manner, still in the dark.  Delay giving a milk feed or breakfast until closer to the time that you would prefer your child to wake.

Not knowing when it is okay to get out of bed?

Toddlers just get out of bed when they wake up!  They do not understand when it is still time to be in bed, especially once it is light outside.  Solution- for toddlers a sleep trainer clock is a great tool.  It is a visual cue that it is wake up time.  They know that when their clock is “awake” they are allowed to get out of bed.  Some great brands are Groclock and Momo.  A small light attached to a timer that turns on at wake up time (can be bought from Bunnings) is also effective.

Early morning rising can be difficult to resolve, especially if it has been happening long term. 
I would love to help you one on one with your unique early morning riser.

Heidi Beech



I am the owner and founder of Family Harmony, certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant, Early Childhood Teacher and mother of 3.  I work with families to improve their children’s sleep- children from 3 weeks to 5 years old. With a strong focus on the holistic nature of sleep and taking the time to understand your child and unique family. Learn more about me

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Dressing your Baby or Toddler for Sleep

What is a TOG rating?

How do I know if may baby is waking because they are too hot or too cold?

It is true that babies can’t regulate their body temperature?

How can I keep my baby warm through the whole night?

The answers to these and other common questions about dressing your newborn, baby or toddler for sleep…

A great rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one layer more than you are comfortable in, in the same sleep space.

The ideal room temperature for sleep is 18-20°C. It is a good idea to have a room thermometer so you can dress your child appropriately for the temperature of their sleep space.

What is a TOG rating?

Clothing, infant sleeping bags and swaddles are given a TOG rating according to the warmth they provide. TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade. It is a way of measuring the thermal insulation of a product. The higher the TOG rating, the warmer the product is.

0.5 TOG is equivalent to one layer of T-shirt fabric or 2 layers of sheets.

1 TOG is about the same as 1 light blanket or 2 layers of T-shirt weight fabric.

2.5 TOG normally has some sort of filling and is warmer, better in temperatures 20°C or under.

3.5 TOG is only for room temperatures below 16°C .

You can use my chart to help you choose the best TOG rated sleeping bag and as a guide for what to dress your child in for each different temperature.

What if my baby is swaddled?

If you are swaddling your baby remember to include the swaddle as an extra layer or 2 when working out what to dress your baby in. Most swaddles will have a TOG rating. As a guide, a muslin swaddle wrapped around twice is 2 layers, the Miracle Blanket is also 2 layers (so the equivalent of 1 TOG).

In a room 20-22°C just a swaddle (wrapped around twice, or with a rating of 1 TOG) and a singlet suit are needed. The swaddle replaces the 1 TOG sleeping bag recommended for that temperature. If necessary, you can put a sleeping bag under your baby’s swaddle to keep them warm. Put the swaddle over the sleeping bag so that the sleeping bag cannot be pushed up over baby’s face if they wriggle out of their swaddle.

To keep baby cooler in summer you can swaddle them with their legs free. Check out my video on the ‘penguin swaddle’ for really warm days.

Is my child too hot or too cold?

You can check when they wake during the night, when you feed them, or get them up in the morning. Place your hand under their sleep clothes, on their skin, on their back or tummy. They should feel nice and warm, not hot and sweaty, not sticky or cold. Do not use temperature of hands and feet as a guide, they are often a lot cooler than the rest of the body- we want to test their core. It doesn’t affect a baby’s sleep if their hands are cold.

Babies can’t adjust to temperature changes as well as adults.

Babies, toddlers and most pre-schoolers do not have the physical skills or the understanding to make changes to prevent them from becoming too hot or too cold. We are responsible for doing this for them. Our core body temperature is at its lowest at 3-5am. The external temperature is lowest just before sunrise. If your child is waking at this time do a quick check to determine if their wake up was due to being cold.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE- A baby will not wake if they are too hot. As overheating is a SIDS risk please be careful not to overheat your child. Start with less layers and add more if needed. Regularly check how warm your baby is in bed. Do not use a hat or hood as this can cause a baby to overheat. They regulate their temperature through their head and face.

Ways to regulate room temperature

Black out blinds are not only amazing at creating a dark sleep environment, they also keep the room cooler in summer and warmer in winter. A standing fan set to oscillate past the cot can be great when the room is very hot. Use a timer so that it turns off automatically later in the night when the temperature drops. In winter an oil or column heater with a thermostat can be used- with caution of course.

Why use a sleeping bag?

Something I highly recommend! A sleeping bag is safer than blankets, doonas, sheets and duvets. Anything loose in a baby’s sleep environment becomes a risk for suffocation or strangulation. Sleeping bags are not just for babies- they are great even up until the age of 3. As babies learn to roll, crawl and stand, their blankets and sheets will not remain on them for long! Until the age of 3 very few children have the ability to pull up a blanket or doona to adequately cover themselves, so often wake during the night because they are cold.

If you choose the correct TOG rated sleeping bag, then no other bedding is needed. It is safer to use a sleeveless sleeping bag, it can prevent overheating by not trapping in as much heat.

A sleeveless bag is more versatile, so is the most economical option. If you live somewhere very cold- regularly under 16°C then a bag with sleeves may be a better option.

What is the best fabric for sleep wear / sleeping bags?

Natural fibres- Merino wool, cotton, bamboo, silk, linen. Merino wool is the best option because it is more forgiving in the temperature range you can use it in and it helps to regulate temperature. You don’t have to worry as much about getting the clothing underneath it perfect. Using natural fibres will allow your child’s skin to breathe and will absorb any moisture. Merino wool in particular is known for wicking moisture away from the skin. This stops a sweaty child waking later from being cold and clammy.

The Sleep Store has a very comprehensive guide to help you choose a sleeping bag.

If you feel you need to add a blanket, use one made from a heat regulating natural fibre such as Merino wool or cotton. Make sure your baby is positioned at the foot of the cot, tuck the blanket in firmly under the mattress on both sides and the end of the cot and never past your baby’s shoulders. This will guard against having the blanket ending up over baby’s face.

Eliminate difficulty with sleep due to being too warm or too cold by checking the temperature of your child’s sleep environment, choosing the correct TOG rated sleeping bag and dressing them appropriately for that temperature. Use my guide! If in doubt, just check your child’s temperature by touching the skin on their back or tummy any time they wake. Choose natural fibres, it is harder to get it wrong! One layer more than you would need is always the best place to start when working out how to dress your child for sleep.

5 Common Reasons for Overnight Wake Ups

1. Sleep Associations

   A sleep association is something that you rely on to fall asleep.  Some common sleep associations are being rocked, fed, bounced or held to sleep. Also a pillow, a sleeping bag, white noise, a dummy, a favourite comfort item (teddy, blanket, lovey).   A sleep association can be both a blessing and a curse as you will see from the scenarios below.  If your child has a strong sleep association- then the conditions you create at the beginning of the night when they fall asleep need to be re-created during the night in order for them to go back to sleep when they wake.

   To help demonstrate what I mean, imagine…..

   Scenario One: you place your baby calm and ready to sleep, but awake, in their cot.  They have their sleeping bag on and are holding their comfort toy.  When they wake, they look or feel around for their comfort toy, find it and go back to sleep.  No need for you to help them! 

   (Newborns are the exception, they don’t yet have the ability to fall asleep without our assistance)

   Scenario Two: your baby falls asleep being rocked in your arms.  When they wake they find themselves in a motionless cot and you are nowhere to be seen-  ahhh!

2. Hunger

   Young babies still need to feed overnight, they cannot take in enough milk to sustain them until morning.  By 9 months, if there are no underlying medical or feeding issues, your child should be able to sleep through the night without needing a feed.  Older babies and toddlers can wake during the night if they are low in certain nutrients, or if they have a drop in blood sugar levels during the night.  A varied diet, high in protein, low GI carbohydrates, iron and magnesium is very important for sleep.

3. Timing and Length of Naps

   If you follow an age appropriate routine your child should be tired enough to sleep but not overtired by bedtime.  If your child is having too much sleep during the day they will not be tired enough to stay asleep overnight.  If their naps are taken at the wrong times of the day, this too can cause overnight wake ups.  Newborns require 3-4 naps a day minimum, 3 naps a day until about 8 months, 2 naps until 15-18 months, 1 nap until about 2 1/2 to 3 years.

4. A Late Bedtime

   Your child may be going to bed overtired.  When we become overtired our bodies are flooded with hormones like adrenalin and cortisol to keep us awake.  You may notice your child gets a “second wind” or becomes a bit “hyperactive” in the evening.  This is a sign that they are overtired and will have difficulty staying asleep.  The ideal bedtime for children aged 3 months to 5 years is between 6 and 7pm.

5. Stop and Listen

   You may hear your child make a noise- a little sound or short cry during the night.  Are you responding too quickly?    We all wake several times overnight. Mostly we don’t remember, we just roll over or adjust our pillow and go back to sleep. Try hitting the pause button briefly before you go in to your child.  They may surprise you and just go back off to sleep.

   These are the most common reasons that I see for over night wakings. 

   There are of course more than 5 reasons why your child may be waking overnight- diagnosing the root of sleep issues is both a science and an art! Book in a free chat with me if you would like more assistance with overnight wake ups.

As with all advice I offer, I encourage everyone to do what is right for their own family and what fits with their own unique parenting style. If you are struggling with your current situation, please get in touch.

Daylight Savings is ending. How do I Adjust my Child's Routine?

Heidi Beech- Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant

On Sunday the 5th of April in Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania, daylight savings ends.  At 3am we put our clocks back to 2am.

We can adjust our children’s routines in small increments over a week.  There are 2 options:

1. You can be proactive and begin the week before we move our clocks back. 
   Every second day begin your child’s day 15 minutes later.  Use the Proactive chart.  It is based on a 7am wake up and 7pm bedtime- you can adjust these times to reflect your child’s wake and sleep times.

2. Or you can be reactive and make changes after the time change beginning on April 5th.  Use the Reactive chart.  It is based on a 7am wake up and 7pm bedtime- you can adjust these times to reflect your child’s wake and sleep times.  The times listed are the new times as of April 5th.

   Hints and Tips:

   Our circadian rhythm (an internal body clock that controls the sleep wake cycle) is
   reset by:

⏰Light

⏰Food

⏰Social Interaction

Keep this in mind when changing your child’s routine.  By changing the times that you make these
things available, you can slowly re-set your child’s circadian rhythm.  When your child should be sleeping keep their sleep space really dark, then when it is wake up time open the curtains or turn on the light.  Spend time in the sun in the morning and late in the afternoon.  Use black out blinds to keep their sleep space really dark. 

Wait until the adjusted times to offer food. 

When getting them up at the adjusted time in the morning and at the end of a nap, make it dramatic!  Lots of social interaction at times they should be awake- talking, cuddling, playing.

If your child is having trouble staying awake use, try changing environment- go outside for a walk, go into another room.  Lots of cuddles and quiet games with you to keep them awake.  Offer older children extra books, smaller babies some time playing with their toys with you. If you have an early riser, this can work to your advantage.  You now have an extra hour to work on getting back to sleep when they wake early.  It is hard work in the beginning, but with persistence from you it can be a blessing, getting them to sleep longer.

The best advice I can give is not to just hope it will all fall into place without any help from you.  Do not start letting your child get up at what will be one hour earlier than they were previously.  Use the charts to slowly make the changes.  If your child wakes before you want them to- do not offer the 3 things that re-train the circadian rhythm- so no light, no food and no social interaction until the adjusted time.

If you need help with your child’s routine, check out the ways I can help

Planning a Holiday? Here are some tips for travelling with babies and toddlers.

✈️ Aeroplane Travel

For a long flight, book a night time flight if possible. It is darker and your
child will have more chance of falling asleep at night, than during the day.

Bring with you all the portable things your child has at sleep time- soft toy,
special blanket, dummy, swaddle, sleeping bag. Things that signal to your child
that it is sleep time and that comfort them as they fall asleep.

Don’t panic about 5-10 minutes of crying as your child goes off to sleep. Sharing a
flight with a child who has had a good chunk of sleep will be better for other
passengers than a cranky baby or toddler for the entire flight!

For easier hands free travelling you can use a front pack (baby sling, baby
carrier).

Forget about the usual associations we try to avoid- feeding, rocking, cuddling to sleep. No rules here! For younger babies you can walk up and down the aisle to soothe them to sleep.

Breast or bottle feed your child upon take off and descent for landing. Give an older child a chewy lolly or chewy dried fruit. These help your child’s ears to
equalise and distracts them from the discomfort when changing altitudes.

Bring lots of snacks- a great time filler and they are often not available on the
flight.

Try to get an aisle seat so you can easily get up and walk around and take toddlers to the toilet.

Buy a whole heap of small toys / games from a $2 shop, Kmart or Op shop. Wrap them and give one to your child whenever they need a distraction in the plane!

Pack lots of activities for your toddler- sticker books are great. Also an iPad or
tablet with lots of family photos on it.

With toddlers, wait until the last minute to board the plane- the less time they are in a confined space for, the better.

Pack extra everything, just in case. Extra nappies, bottles, clothes.

Pack a spare set of clothes for you too, you never know if you will end up covered
in spilled milk, or vomit that missed the air sick bag.

Get in touch with the airline to find out about seating. You can possibly bring a
car seat to put on the seat next to you or even hire a bassinet on a long haul
flight.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst!

🚙 Long Car Trips

Plan long car trips to begin 30 minutes before your child is due to sleep. This is
usually how long it takes for them to fall asleep. Try not to let your child
nap all day. Make stops at their regular feed times.

💼 General Tips for Travelling with Babies and Young Children

Bring as many things as you can from home that will make sleep time familiar. Sheets that smell like home, portable black out blinds, white noise. Don’t forget all the important sleep associations- dummies, comfort item, soft toy, special
blanket, sleeping bag and swaddle.

If you are taking a port-a-cot with you, help familiarise your child with it. For
a few days before you go, use it for 1 nap a day.

Stick to your child’s routine as much as you can, without sacrificing fun on your
trip. If they haven’t napped much, put them to bed early.

Try to have the bedtime routine the same as at home- bath, book, cuddles, song,
feed….

When you get back home try to get back to your normal routine ASAP. It usually only takes a few days to get back on track.

Some great travel products are: SleepySundays black out blinds, a Snooze shade to go over the port-a-cot or a Slumber Pod to put the port-a-cot inside.

It can be tricky for your child to sleep well when travelling, try these tips and let me know how you go!

If you have returned from a holiday and are having difficulty with returning to old routines, book in some one on one support with me.