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Original poster

Content and calm cot canopy - Sheer brilliance or stupid waste of money?

21 replies

angel1976 · 03/08/2009 21:55

DS is 17 months old and a great sleeper BUT usually when he is in his own room and in his cot (and with blackout blinds). When we have had to share a room, it's ended up in repeated wakings. We are going on holiday in less than 2 weeks and I am slightly worried about sleep arrangements. We will be in a 'deluxe' room, which means there is a separate bedroom and living area but it is fairly open plan. I am worried about his sleep.

I just saw this in the Jojo Maman Bebe catalogue. Has anyone seen or use this before? It sounds good to me but I don't know if in the long term, I am creating more problems by creating such strict 'conditions' for his sleep iykwim? Am I best just to suffer it and hope he sleeps more soundly as he gets older???

Content and calm cot canopy

Opinions please? Thanks!

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Housemum · 04/08/2009 17:00

How much??!! If I was a "dragon" I'd be telling them to get lost - to be honest, it seems an awfully expensive gimmick - he may feel claustrophobic in there. Children need to get used to being able to sleep in different places, and they do (usually) get out of the night waking habit - DD3 is 19 months and she will occasionally squeal and mumble in her sleep but now she'll just roll over and settle again.

I'd go for the cheaper option of making sure he has tons of exercise in the afternoon by running/climbing/swimming/whatever so he's physically tired at bedtime (we've had problems on hols where we've gone to look at stuff with DD in pushchair, so she's not been able to physically tire herself in the afternoon and she has then been a sod to get to sleep).

undomesticatedgoddess · 04/08/2009 20:06

We used to use towels to block light out . Can use on windows or the cot.

Much cheaper than canopy

Original poster

angel1976 · 04/08/2009 20:09

Thanks both. After I had a sleep, it does look like a stupidly ridiculously amount of money (not to mention no matter how 'light' it is, you still have to carry it everywhere!), not to mention that DS is 17 months old and can easily reach it to pull it all down!

I know I have been too precious with DS's sleep, so much so that he is obviously used to sleeping in his cot in darkness. Gulp! Wish me luck on holiday! Thanks for both your opinions.

OP posts:

undomesticatedgoddess · 04/08/2009 20:15

Good luck with your holiday.

I've got to the point where we can't be arsed to go on holiday as the disruption to sleep just isn't worth it.

Original poster

angel1976 · 04/08/2009 20:26

Don't tell me that!

We've been longhaul twice before with DS but that was to visit family on the other side of the world, not sure how he will be now... He started sleeping better at my inlaws (which he never did before) so I am hoping this wouldn't be too much of a disruption!

OP posts:

Original poster

angel1976 · 04/08/2009 20:27

I NEED THIS HOLIDAY!

26 weeks preggers and very, very tired from the commuting... Two weeks relaxing in the Maldives is just what I need... Anyone wants to 'adopt' a very cute and mischievous boy for two weeks?

OP posts:

Original poster

angel1976 · 04/08/2009 20:27

I NEED THIS HOLIDAY!

26 weeks preggers and very, very tired from the commuting... Two weeks relaxing in the Maldives is just what I need... Anyone wants to 'adopt' a very cute and mischievous boy for two weeks?

OP posts:

Thinkstoomuch · 04/08/2009 20:34

My DS2 likes it really dark too, so we take a roll of black bin bags with us on holiday plus some masking tape. We stick the bags up at the windows to make sure no light gets into his bedroom.

undomesticatedgoddess · 04/08/2009 20:34

Now I'm

Two weeks in Maldives and sleep disruption = worth it.

Two weeks in a tent (slightly bigger than the cot canopy) and sleep disruption = NOT worth it

MrsBadger · 04/08/2009 20:38

man that is pricey

wear ds out as housemum suggests then put him to sleep in darkened bedroom at his normal time.
then you and dh drink wine / read books / watch tv / have a well-earned shag in the living room / on the balcony (though maybe not for the shagging)

at midnight sneak in and go to sleep without turning any lights on

you were wise to get a suite, sharing a hotel room is hell
NQC always suggested putting the travel cot in the bathroom so at least one can have a light on.

Original poster

angel1976 · 04/08/2009 20:41

LOL, you made me laugh undomesticatedgoddess!

We had such a dilemma deciding where to go, we wanted a nice break (DH had worked damn hard all year to earn his bonus!) but everywhere in Europe was ridiculously expensive. So we decided to go all out to the Maldives and throw caution to the wind (with regards to travelling long haul with an 18-month-old and me at 27 weeks preggers!).

Thinkstoomuch - Thanks for the tip!

OP posts:

luvaduck · 04/08/2009 20:55

these blackout blinds are really brill. even better than baa baa blackouts.

totally solved our problem of too much light in hotel rooms

have fun!

jocie · 05/08/2009 20:24

we've used black sugar paper and blu tac. We've also let him sleep in buggy ( lies flat) in bathroom then transferd to cot when we went to bed.(only 1 night and small hotel room).
When we went camping earlier this year he slept in his buggy again till we went to bed as we had a shade a babe which made the buggy nice and dark.

Milsy · 09/08/2009 19:18

www.magicwhiteboard.co.uk/news/magic-blackout-launched-baby-show-earls-court/

This is THE BEST! Light weight, totally blacks out the light and so small to take with you.

Lizbub · 12/08/2009 14:37

This Cot Canopy thing is a total result - I used it on hols last week and the only one not to get bitten by mossies in the night was our 14 month old - she had the canopy over the cot the hotel supplied. She also slept way longer than the rest of us when it got light in the morning and we could use light in the room when she went to bed. I am not going anywhere without it! Can't wait to use it when we go camping.

ChocOrange05 · 20/08/2009 13:18

Well I've just bought one - got a discount code in Baby Surrey magazine so it cost £110 (code is ro71) - we go on holiday next week and I booked a one room cottage for us to stay in thinking one week sharing a room would be ok - well it would except I didn't read the details properly and its a mezzanine bedroom - i.e open plan and has no door to shut it off! I don't see DH and I wanting to go to bed at 7pm with DS!

I will let you know if its any good, I hope its better than using blackout blinds/masking tape and fumbling round in the dark as usual!!

shortie3 · 25/08/2009 11:23

Chocorange,

Where did you get for canopy? You mention the code but not where from. We are thinking of getting one of these for the new baby when they are in our room. Past experience with DS has shown that it was hard to keep it dark and not disturb them.

Thanks

ChocOrange05 · 26/08/2009 19:14

Shortie I got it from the company's website here.

I started using it on Monday for DS's naps and so far he has all his naps as usual, except for todays lunchtime nap when he woke after 1 hour (usually has 2). Its been so weird walking past his room seeing light under the door!

One thing you should know before buying it is that its not completely blackout, one of the bottom sides is only mesh not blackout material too (we put this side next to the wall) and they also recommend leaving one of the top blackout closings open for ventilation however DS has slept in a light room with it which he has never done before. (We haven't tried it at night yet and are still using his blackout blind/curtains as fear an early morning wake up call - will let you know how this goes on holiday next week)

HTH

MGD75 · 02/09/2009 12:48

Hi, We have the Content & Calm cot canopy and really like it.

We don't use it at home (as the room is dark enough) but have used it when staying away from home. Especially useful when we have our son in the same room, as we don't have to stumble around in the dark for fear of waking him! (I am a messy packer, so it would be a NIGHTMARE for me to find anything!)

We have a video monitor, and it fits very easily into one of the internal zips - which means that we can keep an eye on him in the usual way (it's infrared, so fine in the darkened canopy).

The added bonus is knowing that our son won't be bitten by mosquitoes or any other bugs.

It comes with a great carrier bag, and is easy to put up and take down. We just rolled it and stuffed it back in the bag - just my sort of thing!

It may seem pricey for use only when we are away, but when we are staying with friends or away on holiday, the LAST thing I want is a baby that can't sleep!

Hope this helps!

ChocOrange05 · 07/09/2009 11:27

Brilliant!! 12-13 hours sleep a night on holiday in a completely light open plan apartment and daytime naps when we were there.

Well worth it! Now if they could just make it soundproof so we don't have to whisper!!!

Sharoncymru · 01/05/2013 16:55

I know this is an old thread but just wondering if any of you ladies wanted to sell a cot canopy? I'm really keen on the idea but just can't afford a brand new one at the moment. i'm hoping one of you might have finished with yours by now and been up for a sell?!!

Fingers crossed!! :)

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