Clocks going back: how do you help your baby's sleep?

Twice a year the clocks change, and parents of small babies feel it most. Here is what the October change means for your baby's sleep in Ireland, with the HSE sleep advice that helps whatever the clock says, checked in October 2026.

When do the clocks go back in Ireland?

The clocks go back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October, which in 2026 is Sunday 25 October. At 2am the time on the clock changes to 1am, so you get an extra hour. They go forward again at 1am on the last Sunday in March, which in 2027 is 28 March.

Phones change by themselves. The clock on the cooker, in the car or on a baby monitor may not, so check them on Sunday morning.

What does the clock change mean for my baby?

Your baby's body clock does not move overnight. A baby who usually wakes at 7am will often wake at about 6am by the new time, and will be tired an hour earlier in the evening. So for the first few days, a 7pm bedtime on the clock feels like 8pm to your baby.

The early start is usually what parents notice first. If your baby is a newborn, see the newborn question below: you do not need a plan.

Should I move my baby's bedtime before the clocks change?

You can, but you do not have to. There are two simple ways. Some parents move bedtime, naps and meals 15 minutes later each night for the four nights before Sunday, so their baby is on the new time by the change. Others change nothing until Sunday morning and then follow the new clock.

The first way, for a baby who goes to bed at 7pm:

Whichever way you choose, keep the rest of the routine the same and in the same order. Pick the way that suits your family.

How can daylight help my baby's sleep?

The HSE advises bringing your baby outdoors early in the day, because daylight helps them make melatonin, the hormone that is good for sleep. In the evening it suggests a yellow or red dim light rather than a bright or blue one. Both are easy habits to keep in the week the clocks change.

For older babies and toddlers, the HSE also suggests turning off screens and the television an hour before bedtime.

What bedtime routine does the HSE suggest?

The HSE suggests starting a bedtime routine when your baby is about 3 months old. It might take about 30 to 45 minutes, done the same way at about the same time each night. For a young baby that can be a bath or sleeping clothes, a feed, then the cot, drowsy but awake.

The HSE also suggests waiting half an hour after a feed before putting your baby to bed, and a dim night light for a calm atmosphere. From about 6 months, it suggests an hour of wind down time with dimmed lights and quiet talking, then a bath, teeth, a clean nappy and a short bedtime story. It advises that babies go to sleep and get up at around the same time each day.

What about naps when the clocks change?

Go by the new clock from Sunday morning. The HSE says babies over 9 months should not sleep after 3.30pm in the day, and that for older children a nap after 3.30pm can lead to a later bedtime. A steady daily routine also helps babies know when it is time to nap, the HSE says.

For how long babies are usually awake between naps at each age, see our guide to wake windows by age.

What if my baby is a newborn?

Then you do not need a plan. The HSE says newborns are too young to follow strict routines and do not know the difference between day and night yet; their sleep is more affected by hunger. Keep feeding and settling your baby as you normally would, before and after the change.

The HSE says it often takes a few months for a baby's day and night pattern to settle, and that you can start to bring in a bedtime routine at about 3 months. Whatever the clock says, the safe sleep basics stay the same: see our safe sleep guide.

Will my Lullagram reminders change when the clocks go back?

No. Daily reminders in Lullagram, such as feeds or medicine, stay at the same Irish clock time, so a 9pm reminder still comes at 9pm after the change. The sleep log also shows when your baby goes down and wakes each day, so you can see how the new time is going.

Lullagram is the Irish baby tracker for both parents: feeds, nappies, sleep and medicine in one place, on both your phones. The baby tracker is free for 7 days.