Sleeping question...

[Miss E]

A friend once told me that to minimise any problems you have with sleeping (setting up a routine, naps etc) that you need to make sure that the babies room is pitch black. She has actually gone to the extent of covering the windows in black plastic so that no light gets through. And, for her at least, it has worked. Her daughter is fabulous sleeper...

But I was wondering if anyone else has heard of / done this and if it has worked for you. In all the books and articles I've read I haven't ever come across this recommendation...

I love sunlight so am reluctant to go to the extent of covering the windows, but we only have wooden venetians in bubs room and they do let a lot of light through. If it really does make a difference then I think I will happily change the blinds and / or cover the windows, but I kinda just wanted to see if it is really worth it before I do...

[Indadhanu]

My opinion (and this is just my opinion) making the room pitch black is just setting up for problems. What do they do for day sleeps if they aren't home? Will their daughter only sleep in pitch black darkness?

Personally I have found no relation between the darkness of the room and sleep. Jazz has slept well on a rug outside at a picnic, and slept shocking at night in the darkness. And vice versa, she's slept well in the dark, and not well in the light. If she's going to sleep she's going to sleep with or without pure darkness.

[catherinemoses]

I have not heard this and I personally wouldn't bother to do it cos as Leasha said it is likely to cause more problems than it is worth!
I was encouraged that for daytime naps the curtains should be allowing a bit of light it. I believe it gives them a cue to know that it is just nap time and not bed time. Flynn's room is on the dark side of the house but I always have the curtains open for day sleeps to let him know that it is daytime and just time for a little sleep (that is what i always say to him when it is nap time).
Some kids are better sleepers than others and your friend may have had an excellent sleeper without blacked out windows as much as with them!
HTH

[indie24]

I just wanted to say I agree with Leasha and catherinemoses. My DD sleeps in a room that is slightly darkened during the day but still has some light coming in. That way she knows its not night time but it is time to rest. DD is a pretty good sleeper and sleeps anywhere... but I think that has more to do with her being so placid than anything

[Pandora]

It depends on the baby. SOme are a lot more sensitive to light than others. DS takesa lot longer to go to sleep at night in daylight savings, so somtimes we put shde cloth on his wondow, but it was still never pitch black.
Now hes afraid of the dark and goes to sleep with his table lamp on. go figure!

[Miss E]

Thanks ladies, what you're saying makes a lot of sense (and saves me having to buy new blinds )

[Snacks]

We have light vertical blinds in our place, so I did end up getting thicker curtains for DD's room.
I wouldn't completely black out the windows though - this seems like overkill to me.
ETA: Just remembered, the reason why I bought the curtains wasn't for the day sleeps, it was because DD started waking at first light when she was 1-ish, so the curtains were an attempt to get her to have a bit more of a sleep-in

[MamaPan]

yeah ialso bought black out blinds when DS was about 1 bc he wok at 1st light... but hesleeps with just normalblinds down etc when he has day naps.i think keep it all as natural as possible - they are just little people like the rest of us!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Wow the people you talk to seem very misinformed (in my opinion, and from my experience only)!! Maybe it works for them but there is no way I personally would do it. I even vaccuumed while baby slept from birth. Loud music, vaccumming, rainy and windy nights. This kid can sleep through anything, and anywhere, any level of light, darkening out the room is only encouraging difficulty!

[fionas]

DD has always slept in a room that is quite light during the day but she often put her arm over her eyes as a baby so that was her way of getting around it!

[Taurean]

Wow the people you talk to seem very misinformed (in my opinion, and from my experience only)!! Maybe it works for them but there is no way I personally would do it. I even vaccuumed while baby slept from birth. Loud music, vaccumming, rainy and windy nights. This kid can sleep through anything, and anywhere, any level of light, darkening out the room is only encouraging difficulty!

Well said!

Friends of ours do the whole 'quiet feeding', 'dark room', 'minimal noise (if any!)' and it's not only terrible for their baby (who is now very dependant on a lot of these factors) but extremely annoying when we're visiting them or vice versa. I will be doing what my sister and most of my friends have done and that will be getting bubs use to noise and different environments as soon as possible.

[JordieC]

Totally agree with all of the above! Noise, light and distractions (within reason) are important so the baby doesn't rely on perfect conditions. I also agree that it's quite annoying when friends have babies who do want perfect conditions and you have to tip toe around.

[Kitt3n]

Wow the people you talk to seem very misinformed (in my opinion, and from my experience only)!! Maybe it works for them but there is no way I personally would do it. I even vaccuumed while baby slept from birth. Loud music, vaccumming, rainy and windy nights. This kid can sleep through anything, and anywhere, any level of light, darkening out the room is only encouraging difficulty!

:yeahthat:

We one went to a party when DD1 was 3 months old, I put her in her cradle on the living room floor. The hubby decided to crank ACDC so loud that the floors were shaking. She slept through, no one could believe it.

I make a point of having loud music on at times so as to ensure laaa can sleep with/without noise. She usually falls asleep in the sling while I vacuum.