How to get used to a time difference | ExpatWoman.com
 

How to get used to a time difference

7
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:07

Hello Ladies,

Just wondering if any of you can give me some tips on how to get my DD (7mths) to adjust to the time difference once we arrive home (Sydney, Australia). Sydney is 7 hours ahead??? I am really worried my DD wont sleep through the night anymore :-(

2340
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 March 2011 - 12:51
We always found that too shellly...that the adjustment takes a lot longer after the return flight to Dubai.
1403
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:42
Dxb housewife, when we arrived in Oz with DD (8 weeks old at the time) I took her into the sunlight to let her body know it was daylight. I stuck to my normal routine and allowed her the same sleep that she always had. She had no problem at all adjusting. It was on our return to Dubai that it took some time for her to adjust. 6 days for that but it wasn't tough, just not allowing her more daytime sleep than normal and she would wake once in the early hours of the morning but then re settle herself. The early morning waking only lasted for 6 days, thankfully! We are traveling soon (she'll be 6 months) and I plan to stick to my routine once landed. She has always been a routine baby and its worked wonders for her, so stick to your routine as mush as possible when you are on the ground. HTH <em>edited by shellly on 27/03/2011</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:41
we don't do much about time zones - carry on as normal and if anyone's tired they sleep, if they're not they don't...all comes right sooner or later lol
2340
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:33
I deal with this about twice a year when I go to the USA with my kids. It is either 8 or 9 hours behind Dubai. It is really horrible but you just need to be patient. I have two children and on our last trip back to Dubai, I found it took about two weeks for both of them to fully adapt but that was by my doing constant wake-ups in the morning and [b'>using antihistamines [/b'>to get them to sleep an hour earlier each night. They started off going to bed at 7 am (for the night) and I put them to bed an hour earlier each day! edited by AnonDubai on 27/03/2011 blimey, i'm quite shocked by this... is it common for ppl to give drugs to children for no reason ? when my youngest suffered an allergic reaction i had to give him anti-histamines but i wished i didn't have to...can't imagine dispensing them by [i'>choice[/i'>. With apologies to AD, I agree with you Sue. For me, there is no justification in giving medication like this for no medical reason. I hate putting that horrid stuff into my son's body every time he's just so itchy that he can't sleep. I could not do it to a healthy child. :(
5452
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:32
I deal with this about twice a year when I go to the USA with my kids. It is either 8 or 9 hours behind Dubai. It is really horrible but you just need to be patient. I have two children and on our last trip back to Dubai, I found it took about two weeks for both of them to fully adapt but that was by my doing constant wake-ups in the morning and [b'>using antihistamines [/b'>to get them to sleep an hour earlier each night. They started off going to bed at 7 am (for the night) and I put them to bed an hour earlier each day! edited by AnonDubai on 27/03/2011 blimey, i'm quite shocked by this... is it common for ppl to give drugs to children for no reason ? when my youngest suffered an allergic reaction i had to give him anti-histamines but i wished i didn't have to...can't imagine dispensing them by [i'>choice[/i'>. It is not common for me but I won't deny that I did it.
3901
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:30
I deal with this about twice a year when I go to the USA with my kids. It is either 8 or 9 hours behind Dubai. It is really horrible but you just need to be patient. I have two children and on our last trip back to Dubai, I found it took about two weeks for both of them to fully adapt but that was by my doing constant wake-ups in the morning and [b'>using antihistamines [/b'>to get them to sleep an hour earlier each night. They started off going to bed at 7 am (for the night) and I put them to bed an hour earlier each day! edited by AnonDubai on 27/03/2011 blimey, i'm quite shocked by this... is it common for ppl to give drugs to children for no reason ? when my youngest suffered an allergic reaction i had to give him anti-histamines but i wished i didn't have to...can't imagine dispensing them by [i'>choice[/i'>.
7
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:29
What time are you arriving? You'll need to decide whether to allow 'normal' naps on that first day then a normal bedtime, or if you're arriving late in the day, try to keep her up until a slightly early bedtime. Mine were allowed to sleep as late as they needed to on the first morning after arrival then the rest of that day follows our usual routine including regular bedtime. I always found our children struggled with the first 48 hours in Aus then settled quickly into the new timezone. we are arrive @ 6.00am
2340
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:26
What time are you arriving? You'll need to decide whether to allow 'normal' naps on that first day then a normal bedtime, or if you're arriving late in the day, try to keep her up until a slightly early bedtime. Mine were allowed to sleep as late as they needed to on the first morning after arrival then the rest of that day follows our usual routine including regular bedtime. I always found our children struggled with the first 48 hours in Aus then settled quickly into the new timezone.
2322
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:19
I do the day flight that way (via Oz to NZ) and find that by the time we arrive there, we can hang on til bed time, sleep normally (ish) and go from there. The other way (back to dxb) we do a direct night flight, sleep as much as we can and follow a normal (ish) routine for the day til we can go to bed early on the first night. Coming back to dxb you may find yourself having a few early morning starts. I avoid drugs, use rescue remedy if have to, and just try to keep my routine (especially for very small ones) as much as I can on the flight.
761
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:15
Yes I use the same waking method as Anon-Dubai. Usually on the first day I'll let them sleep into say 9.30am and each day I just wake them a half hour earlier until they're getting up at 7am (usually by then they adjust to their dreaded 6am!). Then I do the daytime routine as usual and they're usually ready for bed by around 7 or 8pm. Of course mine are older now but I did the same when they were younger. Really helps to stay on the right timezone from the get-go. Of course they'll be tired after a long flight(s) but if you can keep them up until bedtime it normally works well, good luck!
5452
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 March 2011 - 16:11
I deal with this about twice a year when I go to the USA with my kids. It is either 8 or 9 hours behind Dubai. It is really horrible but you just need to be patient. I have two children and on our last trip back to Dubai, I found it took about two weeks for both of them to fully adapt but that was by my doing constant wake-ups in the morning and using antihistamines to get them to sleep an hour earlier each night. They started off going to bed at 7 am (for the night) and I put them to bed an hour earlier each day! <em>edited by AnonDubai on 27/03/2011</em>
 
 

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