Anyone that knows me well knows how much I love summer! So each day that gets me closer to that warm sunshine makes my heart happy. But, I also deeply love sleep so I have spent a lot of time researching options that help me enjoy the best of both worlds!
Enter the blackout shades! Some are more permanent while some are very travel-friendly. Below I’ll break down my favorite and also give you a peek into what I’m planning on installing in my new home.
Travel Options
My favorite travel options depend on the baby or child’s age and how the room is divided up. If you have a baby or toddler still in a pack n’ play AND you are room sharing then my favorite is the SlumberPod. The SlumberPod is a quick-assembly blackout privacy pod that helps babies/toddlers get a good night’s sleep by keeping light out and offering their own sleep space. The SlumberPod is a bottomless design to enclose travel crib, mini-crib or select toddler cots (see the full list on SlumberPod). I love SlumberPod so much with our family that I’m also an affiliate and if you use my code NESTED$20 you’ll get $20 off your order.
In addition to the SlumberPod if you need something for older children, or even yourself, on the go to put on the windows if the room is not dark enough I love these portable blackout shades. They are really amazing and make a room pitch black (see full discussion in Instagram stories icon). Plus, you can amazon prime right to your location, easy peasy!
Nursery and Bedroom options
It’s very important in the newborn phase to keep in light during the day as they are developing their circadian rhythm and need to know the difference between daytime and nighttime (we don’t actually want them taking long naps at that age). As your baby grows it is important to keep it dark for naps as well because this will make the nap longer and more consolidated.
Within the nursery, some of my favorite reasonably priced and permanent ones are from the most mama-friendly store ever, Target. Pillowfort makes some really cute ones that I have in my daughter Cecelia’s room. Make sure curtains are wide enough over the window to cover the main light coming in. It won’t make it pitch black but absolutely will darken the room significantly.
If you want complete darkness, then roller shades are often your best bet. You can either do roller shades outside of the window casing or you can fit them to the window and add curtains on top for full light coverage.
In our new home, we are considering adding solar-powered roller shades by TILT smart home. The benefit of these is that you can set it to your child’s schedule from your phone and they will rise in the morning when it’s time to sleep and close when it’s time for nap and bedtime. Quicker nap and bedtimes? Yes, please! I’ll be sampling the different color options on Instagram so be sure to follow along!
Now if you’ve installed the best blackout shades and your child is still waking with the sun then you need my early morning awakenings ebook to help you solve those pesky wakeups with a plan! Check it out here.
Until next time, enjoy the sunshine and….
