Blackout blinds for naps?

[HarrietH84]

Hi my 8 week old is breastfed, not too bad at night at the moment although taking about 1-1.5 hour feeding to settle in the evenings. She's a very poor napper, very hard to get her to nap for longer than 30 mins. My husband had 2 months paternity leave which has been great as we have been doing loads together (walks, lunch out etc) but he's back next week so want to start working more on naps then - I've read that naps should be in darkened rooms from 8 weeks as they have become more sensitive to light - wondering what others think? Are blackout blinds necessary for naps at this age? I've definitely noticed she is more aware of light now but then again she will (sometimes ) still fall asleep in living room with telly on, curtains open etc.

We use blackout blinds for naps and night sleep. Started it at around 2 or 3 months and I believe it helps my baby to sleep.

I've never blackened out windows for naps x

Hi, yes we used the Gro anywhere blind which is OK. I'd shop for alternatives though as it lets in quite a bit of light round the edges. Something that Velcro's to the window frame would be better if uglier 🙈

We had lots of feeding & weight problems so I fed DD to sleep on me for all sleep till about 3.5 months, I then had a real job getting her to nap in her cot but sooooo glad we did.

Along side black out blinds we used white noise, and a short nap time routine (nappy change, sleeping bag on, song, bed). She 'got' it v quickly.

Good luck 🙌

I never did naps in the dark when DS was a baby. I felt quite strongly that I only wanted it to be dark at night for his circadian rhythm.

Apart from one nap mid morning when I tended to have my shower, when I would put him in his cot, I tended to have him sleep in whatever room I was in with all the associated sounds and lights. If anything I think he slept better with background noise, and even now at 2yo if he is unsettled he likes to go to sleep listening to audio stories.

My kids never napped with blackout blinds in the day but did sleep overnight with them partly because our bedroom and now the kids have them as DH is very sensitive to light

Both kids napped fine like this, night time was actually the most difficult time as they both we nighttime feeders

I think trying to make the room a total blackout place might backfire. My DD has an ordinary blind (which doesn't keep the light out) and blackout curtains from Ikea. There's light around the sides and top of the curtains so in the day the room isn't completely black. My DGS sleeps very well in the daytime in there. It's brighter in the afternoon as the sun hits the window, but that doesn't have an impact, he still sleeps.
When he stays at mine, he sleeps in a bright room that only has louvred blinds and is quite bright all the time.
He won't sleep anywhere else apart from his cot as a general rule though. (Never has done from about 3 months old)

I didnt use blackout blinds for naps. Wanted night time sleep and naps to be different. Seemed to work for us, but if they hadnt napped without blackout blinds I would have tried it.

Thanks all, that's interesting. I might try without and see how we get on and give it a go if she is not getting it

Don't use black out in the day- you need daylight to establish circadian rhythm and it just makes it harder to have them nap elsewhere if you need them to

But 8 weeks is very young for 'getting it' if you're expecting hours of sleep at a time. Maybe have a google of the 4th trimester

Plus she should be in the same room as you for ALL sleep til at least 6 months according to SIDS prevention guidelines