help baby sleep when it’s light outside

There is a lot of confusion around darkness and baby sleep. Many parents ask if darkness will confuse or frighten their baby. The short answer is the darker the better.

Why is darker better?

It’s true: the darker the room, the better the sleep. Napping your baby in a dark room will not create day/night confusion but it will promote longer stretches of sleep so it’s definitely worth pursuing.

Light disrupts the production of our natural sleep hormone (melatonin) while darkness reduces distractions for your baby which, in turn, promotes sleep.

Making the room darker will not only help with bedtimes and naps but it can also help your child sleep later in the morning — talk about a win, win!

how dark is dark enough?

Assess how dark your child’s room is with the curtains closed in the day and at bedtime. How dark is it on a scale of 1 to 10 (if pitch black is 10/10)? We want the room to be at least a 7. If it’s not, then make it darker.

how to make the room darker

You can buy thicker or lined curtains (some are even lined with blackout fabric) or you hang another layer of fabric if your curtain rod or rings or drape system allows.

Some families have success with taping card board, garbage bags, or tinfoil into the windows. This means you can’t really open the curtains the rest of the day, but for those who only use the room for sleep times, it can be a good temporary solution.

Another option is to use blackout blinds. There are all kinds on the market from kinds that stick to the window to actual blinds you can have installed. There are even travel options that have suction cups and Velcro to fit various sized windows (this is my fave).

If your child’s room has a sky light or windows that are not coverable then you can find crib darkening canopies that attach to your child’s bed or pack n play.

It’s normal for a room to be lighter at naps and bedtime than in the middle of the night; simply do your best to make it as dark as possible. If you can make your child’s room even 10% darker, I suggest you do.

will a dark room ruin him for camping?

Sleeping in dark room will not condition your child to only be able to sleep in a dark room but it will ensure the sleep quality is better more of the time.

When sleeping in a light room (or tent) is necessary you can use the darkening canopy mentioned above or you can try the Kid Co Pea Pod or use a blanket over the crib or pack n play until your child falls asleep (stay awake nearby if covering their bed).

what if my child is afraid of the dark?

Babies are not afraid of the dark so if your baby cries when you place her in her bed it’s not likely a dislike of the dark or even her crib, but an uncertainty around how to find her way into sleep. It takes practice to learn how to fall asleep in a bed, especially if your child is used to being rocked or fed to sleep.

If this is the case for your child, reach out to learn how you can make sleep easier and get 12-hour nights and reliable, long naps.

Always here to help,

Sierra

sierra@sweetsleepconsulting.com