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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
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Night light or pitch black?

vszappvszapp member
in Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
Just curious, for those of you with toddlers who sleep happily, do you go for total darkness, or do you either let some light in or have a night light? We have always done total darkness hoping that it would extend naps a bit, but she has been more and more panicky when she wakes up. That makes me think she might be a bit scared of the dark. Today she had a hard time going down for her nap, so I went in and opened her shades just a tad, and she passed right out. I'm not sure if it was luck or not... Is 17 months a common age to start getting scared of the dark?

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Re: Night light or pitch black?

  • Cherryblossoms07Cherryblossoms07 member
    We did pitch dark until the kids transitioned to a toddler bed, then we added a night light for safety.  We transitioned DD at 15 months and DS at 19 months.  Neither have ever acted scared of the dark and they play in our walk in closets without the lights on all the time. 
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  • meg_2006meg_2006 member
    How long has she been waking up panicky? DS did that around the same age for a week or so. If its been longer, I'd try a night light. DS has been fine with pitch dark, so we're just keeping it that way for now.

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  • vszappvszapp member
    It has been a couple of weeks. The nap seemed to go about the same - she woke up after an hour and 10 minutes screaming for a second. I thought maybe that was due to the dark but I guess not (that has been going on for many weeks now, ugh). I left a bit of light through her curtains at bed tonight and she did seem much more at ease. Hopefully it doesn't mean she'll wake up at 2am!

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  • foreverapartofmeforeverapartofme member
    My DD has had a night light in her room since she was born and she is fine with it.  She has always been a good sleeper and sleeps usually 12 hours a night since she was eight weeks old and has a good 2 hour nap in the early afternoon.  Good luck!
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  • vszappvszapp member
    I have NO idea if letting some light into the room (need to go out and buy a night light) made any difference, but she slept an HOUR later than usual! It definitely didn't hurt. Hopefully the trend continues.

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  • eyenigheyenigh member
    We have a night light but it's really for me, in case I have to go in there at night and I don't kill myself on something he tossed in my path before bed. He can go with or without with no difference.
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  • wychetswychets member
    We use a night light. We have always slept with the tv on just on mute (just a bad habit I've has since college) so she is use to some light.
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  • jenb_99jenb_99 member
    Total darkness. We use blackout curtains and even tuck a blanket around the edges of the window where light usually gets in.

    (DS is still in a crib.)


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    DS: 11/8/11 | 9 lb 7 oz, 22 in
    DD: 5/22/14 | 9 lb 9 oz, 21.5 in


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  • LemonlolliLemonlolli member
    DS had a night light on his monitor since he was born. We just moved that monitor to his little sisters room, and I've noticed him waking up panicky lately. He's 18 months. We put a night light in again, and he's slept through the night since. I think he's scared waking up in the dark, so its possible yours is too.
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  • smileybabyboysmileybabyboy member
    DS has never had a night light. I heard they "learn" to get scare of the dark if they always have a night light on so we don't use one. 
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