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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Heat and Blackout

14 replies

NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 11:27

Our DS1 (3.5) sleeps in a loft room, with lovely blackout blinds on the velux windows. It's really really dark up there, and he sleeps well.

But in this heat, it's sometimes 30C up there when he goes to bed. It doesn't seem to be bugging him, but it can't be good for him, surely? There are vents on the windows, so he's not suffocating, and he gets two sippycups of water in his bed, so he can drink all night, because of the sweating. He's not complaining, but it seems wrong ...

The other night, I went up after he was asleep, and opened one window a bit, and also left the hatch open. At 4am, he was downstairs, ready to start the day. He did not go back to sleep. So I can't do that.

We're having the builders in next spring, and I think I'll get a bathroom-style exhaust fan installed, and then I can leave it running at night. We might even get a radiator put up there, as it was often 10C up there in the winter, again it didn't seem to bug him.

My current solution is to leave the windows open during the day, and also go up after he's asleep, open a window and the hatch, and then go up later, before I go to bed, to close them both. Not great, but what else can I do?

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basketcase · 19/06/2005 11:29

I would go out and buy a nice large fan to get ait flow going through the room. We bought some great ones for only £15 each - one for each bedroom, the office, kitchen and living room and has transformed hot stuffy days. We can?t open upstairs windows as not safe enough for the girls so the fans are a godsend.

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toothyboy · 19/06/2005 11:32

See "27 degrees in ds room" on Chat from last night - it was a similar sort of thread!

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 11:47

Ah, thanks toothyboy, I knew I couldn't be the only one. Yeah, I sprinkle water over DS1 sometimes, gently, before bed. That often helps. At least he's old enough that cot death isn't a risk.

I did leave a fan up there, but it wasn't really pointing at him ... maybe move it closer tonight.

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mysterygirl · 19/06/2005 11:48

fill a hot water bottle with cold water and give him that to keep by his feet which will help cool him down

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 11:50

Oooh, that might help, mysterygirl.

I'm thinking about giving him a cold wet flannel, too. Sometimes I chill his sippycups, so he's got cold water to drink, which has to help, too.

I don't know why, it doesn't bother me at all when it's 10C up there, sleeping in a cold room is easy, he has a nice warm duvet. But 30C is just gross.

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mysterygirl · 19/06/2005 11:52

or you could buy one of those tower fans or even if the problem is too great buy a cheap air conditioning unit

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bakedpotato · 19/06/2005 13:00

How about the continental trick of closing blinds and windows for the heat of the day, to keep the worst of the sun out, then opening up again as things cool down? Know it seems counterintuitive but it does work.

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 13:37

bakedpotato, that exact technique is under debate in our house today. DH is sure that just leaving all windows open at all times is best. I think we should have them closed when the sun is on them, with blinds closed. We'll see what temperature DS1's room is at 6:30 tonight and see what works best.

I really hate this weather.

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bakedpotato · 19/06/2005 14:26

NQC, we are sitting here in the dark, squinting at the papers...

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sparklymieow · 19/06/2005 15:11

I have the curtains closed and its so cool in my house atm

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Hazellnut · 19/06/2005 19:30

Just put dd to bed and its 31 in there !!! Yikes !! She's only in a nappy at the mo and if it cools down will put her into her 0.5 tog sleeping bag with just a nappy on. There is also a fan in there but it IS such a worry - will be up half the night checking on her .....Again, when she was born (end of Jan) it was really really cold so I worried about that too but not so much as when its this hot....

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 20:12

I think it's 33 in DS1's room. He's over 3, so at least I don't really worry, I just suspect he won't sleep as well.

I'll go up when it's dark and open a window and the hatch, then go close them later. At least this is ending today.

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TracyK · 19/06/2005 20:15

just wondering the sme. Fan is on in ds room but its really only blowing around arm air. Still too light to open his curtains to let some air in from the windows. So shall tiptoe up later and open curtains and then prob have to wake myself at 2 or 3 ish and close curtains and pop blanket over ds. (in vest and nappy only)

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/06/2005 20:18

Just be sure to go close them again - we opened a window and the hatch on Friday night, figuring we'd close them when the baby woke us at four, only the baby slept to 5:30. DS1 got up at 4, though, and was up and awake and ready to go then!

Not the best start to the day.