Getting ready for Daylight Savings

Daylight savings is ending in only two weeks time. On April 4th we put our clocks back one hour before we go to bed (and check our smoke alarms), this can result in early morning waking for our children, no one wants that! Heck - I can't with anything before 7am, anyone else? I'm no expert (I once paid for sleep advice for Sebastian) regardless, here are my 3 tips for a smooth transition;

1. Maintain a consistent routine
2. Invest in a Woolbabe sleep sack or suit
3. Make sure you have blockout curtains

We're all creatures of habit really. My husband Jeremy is trying to assist me in habit tracking but I'm fighting it. I know I need to smarten up but it's easier to keep the same bad habits than it is to create new ones despite all the negativity they're bringing me. Babies & children like a bit of routine too. Stick to normal bedtimes, rules & habits. I know it is hard to choose an easier route but those stick too, do your best to keep some routine. We have a 7.30pm bedtime in our home. All three of our children go to bed at that time. Every night we meet in the babies (Sebastian & Xavier's room) where we brush teeth, say prayers & I read them a book. Eli sometimes get's to stay up a little longer with us to watch a show or some sport otherwise he goes off to bed too & reads. Some nights it's chaotic, some nights they muck around for what feels like ages but the key is consistency!

Most often I think babies & children wake because they are cold, they're wriggly little things who kick off blankets & un-swaddle themselves & then wake or come trotting into our beds because they're cold. Woolbabe & a hot water bottle are your answer here. I deliberately only carry the front-zip sacks, been wondering why?! Personal experiences of little boys (Eli & Seb) standing up in their cots, popping the shoulder domes of side zip, sliding out of the sack & then climbing out of the cot. I wised up in time for Xav who enjoyed long warm sleep in a front-zip sack for 2.5 years. Woolbabe include a super handy room thermometer that will guide you on how many layers your baby should be wearing. Here are three more reasons a Woolbabe is the best choice for you baby;

1. 100% natural fabrics that help regulate temperature & ensure your baby is just the right temperature all night
2. The duvet bags are quilted with wool, rather than the usual cotton or polyester, which means they are warm & breathable
3. Lots of amazing customer feedback & 5 star reviews about why parents love their woolbabe. 3-season weight reviews can be found HERE & Duvet weight reviews can be found HERE

When we first brought our home there were very thin, very cheap curtains that my mum lined with thermal blockout liner. Those curtains keep the warmth in & the light out. Black out curtains are a must for adjusting to daylight savings. Blockout curtains are available expected retailers & blockout liner can be purchased at Spotlight if you'd prefer to add it to your existing curtains or portable blockout curtains can be purchased from specialist baby stores

Other useful tips;

• Start on the Thursday before daylight savings by moving sleep & feeds by 15 minutes instead of the whole hour at once
• As it cools off try popping a hot water in the bassinet, cot or bed to warm it. Cosy! 
• Try using a diffuser with essential oils beneficial for sleep
• I believe in children having a "thing" something they can positively associate with comfort & sleep. Two of my children had cuddly's & sucked their thumbs. One didn't. You can guess who were the better sleepers by MILES!
• When choosing a Woolbabe Suit know that you can size up, it is ok for the suit to be big & bunch at the legs
• Failing all of that - buy a Super King bed & safely bed share

Here's to long, warm sleep. Good luck! 

Ren. X