Longer summer days are here, which inevitably means more hours of daylight. The good news is your summer plans don’t have to throw your little one’s sleep routine out the window.
This blog covers off five helpful tips that will see you confidently manage your child’s sleep throughout summer.
With the festive season and sun-soaked days seeing you out and about more (and invariably out longer), there are ways to ensure you step into the season feeling more organised for how to handle your little one’s sleep routine.
Yes, sleep might look a little different in summer but that’s ok. I encourage you to still visit family and friends and enjoy the delight of late sunsets and extra hours of play following my 80/20 rule for routine and predictability without completely derailing your little one’s healthy sleep habits you have worked so hard to achieve.
This blog will reassure you that you can be flexible with your little one’s sleep routine and still maintain healthy sleep habits.
Mostly it’s a balance of respecting both your little one’s need for sleep and the need to get out of the house.
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Summer Sleep Success Tips – Practical tips to navigate sleep routines on longer summer days
Keep It Cool
Babies struggle to self-regulate their body temperature, this coupled with their inability to add or remove blankets means it’s up to you to control the external temperature as much as possible.
Expert Tip: There’s no perfect room temperature recommendation from Red Nose Guidelines as they encourage you to dress your baby appropriately for the temperature of the room. In my experience, around 20-22 degrees Celsius is considered ‘comfortable’ for summer; keeping in mind your location needs to be taken into account as elements like humidity can also be an influencing factor.
Strip Down
Check the TOG rating of your swaddle or sleeping bag for your little one. Remember to only use cotton or bamboo-based materials for sleeping as these are breathable (this includes baby’s bedding too).
My Choice: Ergopouch is my go-to for breathable baby sleepwear and sleepsuits.
Block It Out
If you’re at home, block out blinds are your best friend throughout the longer summer days/nights as they encourage the mind to think it’s dark outside. Remember our circadian rhythm (body’s internal biological sleep clock) is influenced by food, light and social interaction.
My recommendation: Easy Night Baby Black out Blinds available through Sleep Tight Babies
Don’t Be Tempted To Miss Naps
This always leads to an overtired and grumpy baby or toddler. Naps may be shorter on the go, but try your best to accommodate their regular nap routine and buffer with an extra nap or earlier bedtime to compensate for lost day sleep from the day. This will equal a happier baby and allow them to get back on track sooner rather than later.
Expert Tip: Avoid planning too many days out in a row as we need to respect our little one’s need for sleep – even if it is a little inconvenient.
Keep Your Regular Wind Down Routine
Although tempting when everyone’s had a big day (including mum and dad), don’t try to skip or rush the bedtime routine, especially if your little one has had a big day socialising, interacting and being more physically active.
Expert Tip: Remember to “turn down” the house in the hour prior to bedtime to signify to your little one’s body that night sleep is approaching.
Approaching this season with a balance of equal parts calm and commitment to your baby’s sleep routine is a fantastic way to enjoy the best of both worlds throughout the warmer months.
Looking to learn more about making a routine work for your baby? Take a look at my package options to find the level of support that works for you and your family.
Check out additional resources with my Holiday blog here and camping blog here.
