Why is my baby waking up so early after the time change?

Because your baby didn't get the memo. The clocks moved an hour, but your baby's body didn't. So the 6 a.m. wake-up you were used to now shows up at 5 a.m. on the clock. Same baby, same sleep, new number.

The good news: you can fix it. You just have to move your baby's day forward a little at a time instead of all at once.

If you're reading this before the clocks change, start with my daylight saving time and baby sleep plan instead. It's easier to prep than to fix. But if you're already in it, here's how to get out.

Here's how to fix a 5 a.m. wake-up after the time change

1. Treat 5 a.m. like it's still night. Keep the room dark, keep your voice low, and don't turn on the lights or start the day. If your baby needs a feed, feed them like you would at 2 a.m. and put them back down. Starting the day at 5 a.m. tells their body that 5 a.m. is morning.

2. Move everything later in small steps. Push naps, feeds and bedtime 15 minutes later every day or two. Small moves stick better than jumping a whole hour.

3. Get light at the right times. Open the curtains and get outside in the morning once it's actually time to get up. Keep the evening bright until the new bedtime, then dim things down. Light is one of the strongest signals your baby's body uses to set its clock.

4. Make the room darker than you think it needs to be. After fall back, the sun comes up earlier on the clock, and that early light can wake a light sleeper. Blackout curtains are worth it this week.

5. Don't go back to the old bedtime because they're tired. Your baby will probably be cranky at the later bedtime for a few nights. That's normal. If you give in and put them down early, you're back to 5 a.m. tomorrow.

6. Give it about a week. Some babies settle in a few days. Others take longer. Stay consistent and it will even out.

What about the spring time change?

Spring is the opposite problem. Clocks jump forward, so your baby isn't tired at their usual bedtime and fights it. Same fix, opposite direction: move bedtime, naps and feeds 15 minutes earlier every day or two, keep mornings bright and evenings dim, and give it about a week.

Here's how to make those extra-tired stretches easier

This week is a lot of holding on. A tired baby waiting 15 more minutes for bed. A baby who wakes early and needs to go back down. A pacifier your baby actually takes makes those stretches calmer for both of you.

If you don't have one picked out yet, or the one you have keeps getting spit out, start with a kit that has all three nipple shapes: Nursing, Standard and Orthodontic. You'll find the one your baby takes without buying three different brands.

Heirloom Sample Kit
Plastic-free, hand-finished, made in the USA.

Flex Sample Kit
The more affordable way in, same nipple system, made in the USA.

Both work together, so you can own both and go back and forth.

One more habit while you're at it

Change your clocks, check your pacifiers. Twice a year, the time change is a good reminder to look over every pacifier in the house. Here's how often you should really be replacing your baby's pacifier.

Quick answers

How long does it take a baby to adjust to the time change? Usually about a week if you shift things gradually. Some babies are faster, some take a little longer.

Should I wake my baby up later to fix it? No. You can't make a baby sleep in. Instead, keep the early wake-up dark and boring, and move naps and bedtime later in small steps.

Is it bad to do nothing? Not bad, just slower. Some families let their baby adjust on their own over a week or two. If 5 a.m. is wrecking your household, the small-steps fix gets you there faster.

Lindsay
Founder, Soothe Beginnings