STMS- Blackout curtains in nursery?

TRS48 · May 2014

It just occurred to me that our nursery has 3 windows (one is huge) & we were lucky that the previous homeowner installed nice (& very expensive) window treatments in the room however they are a sheer white fabric, blind style, window covering. They are professionally installed & I can't mess with them, nor would I want to. That being said, they let a lot of light in, even closed. I'm reading things online saying that babies can have trouble napping during the day if it's not totally dark in their room. Is this true? I really don't want to go buy curtain rods and curtains to put over every window but I'm contemplating buying some blackout fabric to put between the window itself and the blinds. However it won't look great... So I'm torn. Is this even necessary?

AMcLaws · May 2014

We put blackout curtains up, and she's been a fantastic sleeper since 5 weeks old. Slept through the night, and takes 2 hour naps still, at 2 years old. We have one in our room also.

eortman · May 2014

My babies didn't sleep better or worse depending on light or no light. I wouldn't worry about it unless your LO has a problem with light when he/she is born.

bullybutt · May 2014

DS won't go to sleep unless it's dark in the room. I put a box fan on and have the blackout curtains and all doors shut when he goes down.

jnnfrrose6 · May 2014

I wouldn't worry about it. I'd rather LO know the difference between napping during the day (when there will be some light in the room) and night time when it's dark (and should stay asleep longer). Also, LO probably won't be napping every single time in their room, so are you going to put black out curtains in every room?

mrscurlygurl · May 2014

We have blackout curtains in DS's room and I'm getting them for the new baby. May not be necessary, but I prefer to have them. As others said, you can always wait and see if it seems to be an issue.

seells · May 2014

I didn't use them for the same reason I didn't turn down tv/music or ask people to be quiet. I wanted DD to get used to napping in bright loud situations. If she was only used to napping in a quiet dark room I was afraid she would be a difficult napper in other circumstances. As it went DD was always an amazing napper. She would sleep anywhere and everywhere. Noise, lights, people, never bothered her or disrupted her sleeping.

mcvgal · May 2014

DS has to have it completely dark at night, even when he sleeps at 7pm and still pretty light out, however he's never had a problem with naps. My mom watches him during the day and the room he naps in lets it a pretty good amoutn of light.

AutumnBonfire · May 2014

DS didn't have an issue sleeping in any well lit room when he was small. His room does have dark brown curtains, which are not black-out, but do block the light. I'm happy he has them now that he's older, specially since he goes to bed at 6 and it still looks like day time outside. I plan on buying black out curtains for his new room.

aimeepigott · May 2014

We have blackout curtains in all of our bedrooms! We like them! I guess it's personal preference. DS naps just fine if he's at my parents and they do not have blackout curtains

BPer · May 2014

I plan on getting them for this baby and also DD's room in the new house. We had such issues with DD and napping, and I do not want to go through that again. No naps longer than 30 minutes for 5 months. Horrible.

tourqeyes · May 2014

It wouldn't hurt to get it.

But your child will probably be fine without it. Similar to others, we have gotten them though because it helps our child nap during the day.

LyndseylovesHugh · May 2014

We have them in DDs room but don't close them for naps, just at night. She has no issue napping with the regular blinds closed but this time of year it starts getting light really early so if they are not closed at night I notice she wakes up earlier than she should.

I got some for the nursery too for the same reason.

jcartz · May 2014

Do it. Especially if the baby will stay in that room through toddlerhood... We just moved DD1 (4.5 years old) into another room and put in blackout blinds and drapes and she is sleeping SO much better. I cant' even tell you what an awful sleeper she's always been... I wish we had put the curtains in immediately in her nursery, then when we put her in a twin bed. OMG Do.It.

Skeemer · May 2014

We only had a problem with this when DS got older & wanted to play instead of sleep.

LenaLove · May 2014

I think this is one of the many things that depends on your childs preferences/needs. My DD has never been a great sleeper, so we put them up so she would sleep better at night. It stays light pretty late and gets light really early here in the summer. They definitely still help her sleep longer at night. For naps, we kept them down at home, but she napped in a much brighter room at her dayhome without issue.

They are fairly inexpensive and quick to install, so I would wait and see what your babies need. Fwiw, we got some that hang in front of the blinds that are on the windows already, so we didn't have to interfere with the already installed window treatments.

TRS48 · May 2014

Thanks ladies! It's seems so 50/50 each way... I guess we truly won't know until the babies are put to the test.

If I can find them for a good deal I may just buy them now to be safe & save receipts. @LenaLove‌ I think that's what would work best for ours too... I had no clue they existed for over the blinds! Do you know what kind yours are or where you got them?

AKB090609 · May 2014

DD sleeps longer in a dark room, like over an hour longer. For me blackout shades are essential.

runrinserepeat · May 2014

We never had blackout curtains and it was never a problem. I'd be worried about conditioning the kid to only sleep in a pitch black room, and then having to deal with problems if/when you travel.

kxk243 · May 2014

We have blackout shades for both DD and will again for DS. It really makes a difference for her napping at home during the day. I highly recommend it. I'm not worried about conditioning them to sleep only in a dark room, because frankly I feel as though it's kinda common, and even hotels have blackout shades. I do however draw the line at the sound machine/white noise stuff, because I can't always have that around. But definitely do it - blackout curtains are worth it in my book. My 2.5 year old still naps on weekends during the day for 2-3 hours, and I do think it's because of the shades...

cookieinva · May 2014

We have blackout curtains for DS and will be getting more (have them for us too). DS has always been a great sleeper, may or not be related. He can sleep without them, like when we travel, but he wakes much earlier when the sun wakes him.

runrinserepeat · May 2014

FWIW, my 2 year old takes 3+ hour naps without the blackout curtains (heck it was 4 hours on Saturday, that was amazeballs). I think you'll hear anecdotal evidence on either side, but it's nice to know my kid can fall asleep just about anywhere.

lindslalala · May 2014

We just have wooden blinds in DS's room and there is still a decent amount of light that comes through with them shut. He is and has always been an awesome sleeper. I would wait and see if you think your baby needs the extra dark room or not until after they arrive.

shanaynerz · May 2014

We have wooden blinds throughout our house (our room has blackout blinds b/c I'm crazy) and DD was able to nap and sleep easily. They keep her room pretty dark, but let a smidgen of light in. That said, she was an October baby, so there wasn't a ton of sun to deal with; however, as she got older, she still was/is an amazing sleeper. As PPs said, wait and see how your LOs are. I'd get something that at least isn't sheer though tbh, but maybe not blackout per se.

Kohler2009 · May 2014

When DS was born, we had a blackout blind installed in his room. The room he is in now had a normal blind that let way too much light in so I ordered blackout panels from PBK. They were pricey but worth every penny for us because DS likes his room dark!!

jnnfrrose6 · May 2014

kxk243 said:

I do however draw the line at the sound machine/white noise stuff, because I can't always have that around.

We've never had this problem. It's easy enough to pack when we're going on a trip, and there are plenty of white noise apps out there, too, as a back up.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

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drunkenhandstand · May 2014

Every child is different and if you train them to sleep in the light, they most likely won't have any problems. My boys always slept in the dark though and that's the only way they will sleep now. Blackout curtains were a must in my nurseries. We'll do the same this time too.

LenaLove · May 2014

TRS48 said:

Thanks ladies! It's seems so 50/50 each way... I guess we truly won't know until the babies are put to the test. If I can find them for a good deal I may just buy them now to be safe & save receipts. @LenaLove‌ I think that's what would work best for ours too... I had no clue they existed for over the blinds! Do you know what kind yours are or where you got them?

It was a long time ago, but I think it was something like this, only instead of having them cut to size we hung them on the outside of the window frame.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/levolor-cut-to-size-white-supreme-room-darkening-vinyl-roller-shade-37-inch/858088

pfeilele · May 2014

I only close the blackout curtains at night so he doesn't wake up at the first sliver of light. He actually naps better when the curtains are open.

AMcLaws · May 2014

FWIW, my DD also sleeps well in bright situations. (Girlfriend passed out hard in her stroller at Disneyland

). And they really don't block out ALL the light.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

My kid was a crap sleeper from day 1 so we use blackout curtains to help, especially in the summer when it's daylight out until after 9. He can still sleep with some light coming in but sleeps better with the darker curtains.

The previous owners had just used blackout paper behind their blinds for their LO in her room so that may be a cheaper option if you don't want to do the curtains at this point?

Jing22 · May 2014

We use them and they are really necessary with our daughter. Closing those curtains is one of the signs its bed or nap time. Well be getting a second set!

alyss0nl · May 2014

Babies will sleep whenever. Our house is a north/south exposure, and DS2's room has a west facing window, so afternoon/evening naps can be difficult. We have plantation shutters so it keeps out most of the light.

abchittam · May 2014

Once DS swapped to a toddler bed, we pretty much had to have the black out curtains. If there was the slightest bit of light, he would get up and play. They definitely help with our nap times now, but not sure what kind of difference it would have made in him as an infant. We have already installed the blackout blinds in the new nursery.

I didn't read all the comments, so I have no idea if this has been mentioned or not. We found some cheap blackout curtains for a little over $5 a panel at Walmart. They are adjustable and just stick to the window frame.

Acsim · May 2014

We will be getting them for a few reasons. We have them in DD's room and in our kitchen. Our house is old, the windows are seriously old and let in an insane amount of heat/or cold. So we did do the plastic insulation stuff, which helps, but we also have thermal/black out curtains. Got them at Target and they're amazing. The only room we don't have them in is ours and it's insanely hot right now and gets bright super early. Baby will be in our room, so, baby gets them whether she needs them or not.

AKbadwolf · May 2014

My DD still doesn't need dark curtains. We have had to explain to her starting this year that just because the sun is still up, doesn't mean it isn't night night time. She will sleep though even in the light.

darkangel42 · May 2014

I never bothered with this.

She learned to sleep through pretty quickly with the light as-is through the window and never had trouble napping in daylight (not direct sunlight, obviously) so I didn't really see the point.

This one won't be having blackout binds either, she's going to be sleeping in the room with me which gets sunlight first thing on a morning and that's how it's going to be.

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