Baby won't be able to sleep in a dark room... Worried!

[minnumd]

I am a first-time-mum-to-be and a bit worried about the sleeping arrangements we'll have for our daughter when she's born. We live in a rental place (a two level house) and it only has airconditioning downstairs. We have had to move our beds downstairs and it will still be hot when the baby arrives. I am worried because there's a lot of windows and entire walls with windowglass downstairs and it's going to be impossible to block out all the light while we're still sleeping downstairs. It'll be way too hot and uncomfortable for her upstairs. Is this going to prevent her from getting in to a good routine. I know that the books are very keen on having the baby sleep in total darkness! Also, even when it gets colder and we can go back to sleeping in the bedroom upstairs, we were still planning on letting her nap downstairs even if it isn't dark to help her distinguish between daytime sleeps and nighttime sleeps. Do you think that's a bad idea??? Would it be better to put her in the dark bedroom for naps as well and just use a monitor???
Thank you for your help 

[mickymuscles]

when they are first born...most babes will sleep in light or dark conditions.  it's usually not until they are a little more aware of their surroundings that the light conditions play a factor.  With us it wasn't the light at a young age that bugged Jackson but noise.  We had to find a way to block out noise for him  :roll: .  But when your lo get's older (3 1/2 months-4 months) ...depending on her temperment....but most likely she'll then need to be moved to a darker room to settle.  Your lo should be switched to proper daytime/nighttime within a week of first coming home so I don't think that should be a concern for you once you can move back upstairs. HTH

[Jaime]

i think it depends on the temperment of the baby.  my first was textbook, and would sleep anytime, anywhere, no matter what.  so i would put her in different places during the day.  but at 3 weeks old, we were having some crazy nighttime crying in the bassinette, so off into her crib she went.  what ended up happening (cause i didn't know any better) was she slept in the swing for her morning nap, her crib for her afternoon nap & nighttime, and her catnap anywhere (and that IS okay!).  but, again, she was textbook, so it was okay. 

now, with my second, he let me know in no uncertain terms that he was only sleeping in his crib (was out of the basinette in 2 weeks!).  it was to be dark, and i was to have white noise.  and eventually, life was much better for us all.      once i had him sorted out on night & day in general, he never had a problem distinguishing. 

btw, both aluminum foil & posterboard are great cheap ways to cover windows.   :wink:

HTH 

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

DD was used to sleeping in a pretty dim room during the day when I went to my parents house for 2 months, she was 6 months old. What my Mom did was buy a piece of black out lining bigger than the window and we just stuck it up, no need to have curtains lined or special curtains made and we just removed it when we left. We stayed with my Aunt for a few days and she just put a heavy old wool blanket hanging over the curtain pole which blocked out the light, the room doesn't need to be pitch black but just enough to induce relaxation and sleep.