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Original poster

Blackout blinds - Do they *really* work ?

30 replies

hub2dee · 04/07/2006 20:51

ie. 4 / 5 / 6 AM waking baby suddenly started waking up later (6 or 7 would be nice LOL) after you installed them; or alternatively a 6 / 7 AM waking baby suddenly started waking up horribly early when you took them away...

TIA.

This week is 'hub sorts out the sun' week, LOL.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 04/07/2006 20:55

Um... BabyDragon slept better when I put thicker curtains over the nice cream ones inour bedroom. Does that count?

DarrellRivers · 04/07/2006 20:55

Blackout material taped to both children's windows worked a treat during summer months for us and stopped the 6am wakeups.
DD is now 2.5 and doesn't seem to need them, but Ds is just 1 and still benefits.

I love blackout blinds

Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 20:56

hub, I think you need an eclipse.

yomellamoHelly · 04/07/2006 20:57

Found the blinds leaked light all round the edges. Bought blackout lining for the curtains to boost it but the room still wasn't pitch dark.

Found consistency in dull-mummy attitude paid off though. He just gets returned to bed until it's wake-up time (ignored if only 10-15 minutes to go). When he was in his cot he just got ignored. (I can be a horribe mummy at times though)

Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 20:59

pmsl @ eclipse. Too right !

We've got lovely wooden slat blinds, but the light leakage at the signs / through the wood slats etc. is too great at the mo, and I reckon this is why dd is getting up earlier and earlier. At a hotel last week (thick curtains) she slept much later, but we were dining later so she was more tired and you know I do like to isolate the variables in my scientific world...

Might go with this or else knock something aesthetically shocking but very effective up.

OP posts:
poppy101 · 04/07/2006 21:00

We had blackout blind, didn't work, tried a pelmet didn't work, tried blackout curtains didn't work really.

Best thing was get some blackout lining material can get off ebay. Get some decent velcro stick on hoop and loop (buy proper make) and stick this around the frame of window. Best thing. You can take the lining on and off when you want and works well. We have this on and now use blackout curtains as a lining to baby curtains.

Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 21:08

You could always paint the windows like they did in WWII

Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 21:08

For the air-raids

Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 21:09

I bought blackout linings from Dunelm.
Still get lighty-leaky at edges.

Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 21:10

Have you thought about a dram of whisky in Camille's last bottle of the evening? No need for blackouts then [evil grin]

Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 21:10

Weak pelmet floor ?

OP posts:
KristinaM · 04/07/2006 21:10

We have full length curtains with blackout lining AND blackout blinds. Blinds do make a difference. V cheap from Ikea - cut to fit

BettySpaghetti · 04/07/2006 21:19

We've got Argos blackout blinds in the kids rooms. They were cheap, you cut them to size -OK, they let a little light in around the sides but TBH they are a damn sight better than just the curtains. Our two sleep til 7am (or later if we're lucky!).

Got to be worth a try -£20 is a small price to pay for a few hours extra sleep!

NotQuiteCockney · 04/07/2006 21:29

Hmm, I'm sympathetic to your scientific approach, but certain that the scientific explanation for nearly any baby behaviour is: they're contrary little buggers.

More usefully, I do find blackout makes a difference, particularly here where the sun comes up stupidly early in the morning. We have blackout, both kids sleep pretty late. When we're away, we tend to take sheets of blackout to put up, which help a bit. (We also go away further south, where the sun behaves more responsibly.)

It's possible your DD is waking because of a) hunger, b) outside noises (white noise machine helps loads, particularly good for travel, too), c) general schedule weirdness (does she nap early?) d) because she's a contrary little bugger, like the rest of them.

Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 21:39

you missed out e) teething f) heat g) daddy's farts.

I think I go with the contrary little buggers theory though.

OP posts:
poisson · 04/07/2006 21:44

no
thats jus babies h2d

NotQuiteCockney · 04/07/2006 21:54

You're right.

I also missed out:

h) angst i) weltschmertz j) l'esprit de l'escalier k) colic l) gas

Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 22:00

LOL, I had to google your 'esprit' phrase, and you will be deeply pleasured () to read the last post here

OP posts:
Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 22:02

None of you have experienced the potency of (g) though. Can wake the dead.

m) She is such a genius that she senses it is her first birthday in two days time and is so excited about her pressies she can't sleep

LOL

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 04/07/2006 22:03

Oh, no "l'esprit de l'escalier" is an English expression, not a French one. Never seen it in French, only in English.

Original poster
hub2dee · 04/07/2006 22:05

even worse.

LOL.

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 04/07/2006 22:06

l'esprit de l'escalier - a new fragrance from Calvin Klein.

Original poster
hub2dee · 05/07/2006 07:36

3 AM this morning for a nice drink of cool milk... then slept till 7.

Hmmm....

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 05/07/2006 07:39

More evidence for d)!

Original poster
hub2dee · 05/07/2006 07:52

... wonder if a sippy cup in her cot might mean less bags under the eyes for me then ?

OP posts:
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