Blackout blind for new born - any solution?

[Juliejules33]

Hi

I am looking for blinds providing a perfect black out for a new born to come. Please would you have any recommendation? I have seen recommendations about blackout curtains that can be fixed with Velcro. It would be not super practical as my windows are very high. Any recommendations please?

Thank you very much,

In our old house for DS 1 we used a john Lewis blackout roller blind with their blackout curtains - this blocked out south facing sun + a streetlight right outside the window. The curtains got any overspill round the sides of the blind but also dressed the window.
This time round I realised we really didn't need to worry about it being pitch black and just have blackout Roman blinds which block the majority of the light. 4day old DS is currently fast asleep in the worlds brightest conservatory so obviously isn't bothered by light.

We have huge victorian windows so had the made to measure JL ones however I have the ikea ones in spare bedroom and they are fine too, not convinced that the mechanism will work forever but they are much cheaper

Groblind is fine if used with a curtain over the top. £20 from Amazon (inc Prime if you're a member).

It can be easily resized and moved (eg. take with you if on holiday or visiting parents overnight) as well.

Could I suggest not fitting them at all? We didn't, and now our two sleep anywhere- friends who followed Gina Ford and did blackout now find they have to even go on holiday with travel blackout blinds as otherwise the children struggle to sleep. It seemed to make no difference to how well our respective children sleep trained.

I also suggest no blackout. They should be sleeping in same room as you anyway until 6months min so that's in living area in the day and your room at night. You don't want the whole house in darkness all the time. And in the day you need them to sleep in daylight

We use easy blinds. They are amazing and really do block out all of the light! Would highly recommend!

In theory I agree with no blackout so they "learn to sleep anywhere" but mine are bad sleepers and I decided it was more important to get them to sleep at home even if that meant problems on holiday!

The best solution is a cassette roller blind (also called a blocout blind I think) which has strips down the side like a velux blind so there is no light at all. But it's quite costly.

We just ordered one from 247 blinds online, I'll let you know if it works when Dh gets it and puts it up. He has terrible trouble sleeping in summer, so we are fingers crossed this will help.
I pinned a piece of fleece blanket under the curtain when my kids were little for the summers or I'd never have got any sleep.

Argos. You can always cut to size.
Keep in mind to be safe with the blind cords and keep well out of reach when your baby is older.

The gro anywhere blinds have been pretty handy and only about £20 www.gro-store.com/gro-anywhere-blind.html

I bought black out material from amazon and fixed it to the window. It's great for the lighter mornings but l leave the bedroom door open a little for naps so it's not pitch black.

I did the same with dd1 until she was 2 and she sleeps anywhere, through any noise so making it dark doesn't necessarily mean they'll always need it so dark.

I would also say avoid blackout blinds as much as possible it really helps them sleep better in the long run. We only use the gro black out blinds in mid summer to avoid them thinking its morning at 4.30 if they happen to wake ups.

We have just started using our gro blind now DS is 3 as he is insistent it must be morning when it's light...