As parents, we always fear disrupting our baby's rhythm of life.
But when the change of season arrives and more particularly the time change, it can be difficult for both baby and parents. We dread the spring time change all the more, the one where we lose an hour of sleep... Such a precious hour!
But with a baby, you have to know how to keep a well-ordered rhythm of life so as not to disrupt your habits and your cycle.
How to cope with the time change with a baby?
That's it, the fateful time of the year arrives. We lose an hour! A while ago this didn't bother you that much, but today, with a little baby under your roof, it's very different.
Before baby is 6 months old, jet lag is not that bothersome for them. They have their own rhythm, which is not yet regulated with the cycles of the sun like the older ones.
When you're an adult, you recover pretty well from the time change. For children it's another matter... As a general rule, they take 3 to 4 days to get into the correct time zone. The ideal is to go there gradually.
There is no magic formula for successfully experiencing the time change with a child, but there are a few easy methods to implement:
You should not force your child to eat at 7:00 p.m. if he or she was used to eating at 7:00 p.m. before. If you see that he is hungry, give him a small snack to help him wait. A compote, a small biscuit or a piece of fruit may be enough. If he's still not hungry, it doesn't matter, it will come. He doesn't necessarily need to eat large quantities. But always make sure you have on hand or in your diaper bag a snack and water to keep him hydrated regularly.
To better experience this time change with a baby, you need to start a few days before the official time change. Gradually start to shift meal time, bath time, bedtime… every day try to shift the dial by 15 minutes. For example, if you usually feed your baby at 6 p.m., move the meal time to 5:45 p.m. on the first day, then to 5:30 p.m. on the second day, then 5:15 p.m. on the third day…. Until D-Day.
By starting this new rhythm slowly, three or four days before, the time change will be less felt.
As is often said, all children are different, what works for one may not work for another. The key is patience!
