Does your toddler need it really dark to sleep?

[Gooseberry]

It's getting lighter and lighter these days, and my 18 mo old isn't falling asleep until 8:45.  We have to get up early, so that really doesn't give me any adult time, as I have to head to bed not too long after that.  I suspect that it's the light.  She has blinds and curtains on her windows, but they both let in a lot of light.  She doesn't nurse to sleep anymore, so after she's done nursing I feel like I'm held hostage until she falls asleep.  She's wired! Talk, talk, talk.  If she's on my lap she pounds her heels into my legs.  If she's on my shoulder she tugs at my hair.  If I put her in her crib she's up, she's turning circles, she's kicking the sides.  She's in a good mood the entire time, unless I ask my husband to trade places with me.  Then she gets very upset.  I'd consider moving bedtime back a bit (though not happily) except that she usually has a total meltdown when she's ready to nurse - which could be anywhere from 7:30 - 8:00 - and she won't let me delay nursing at all.  Plus, her older sister's a morning grouch, and doesn't fall asleep herself until 9ish.  I don't want to move her bedtime too.

Did you notice that light affected your kiddo?

Did you ever try blackout curtains?

Is this just a phase? (It's been going on for about two weeks.)

Thanks!

[SunRise]

My toddler needs it to be very quiet - she is too curious/distracted by noise. A dim light wouldnt bother her though. For my son, when he was little, I always looked forward to the time change in the fall, so it was darker earlier, which would help us work an earlier bed time. My son could easily fall a sleep on an airplane, the other couldn't, at all. Personalities.

I dont think (the setting of the room for sleeping) is a phase, but perhaps her "wiredness"/curiousity at this age is a stage!  If you believe its a matter of needing black out blinds I would give it a try.

[Peony]

Black out blinds!!! We originally just had them in the master bedroom because all my kids sleep with me until they get older. A couple summers ago we ended up installing them in every bedroom because everyone sleeps better with them. There is no way my 3 year old would go to bed these nights (at 7:30pm) without them. Anytime we travel it is a nightmare to get any of the kids to sleep without the darkness.

[graciegal]

We hung a thick blanket up until we can find some blinds. She was getting up at 5:30am... now she is getting up more normally before daylight savings time. 8am. Yeeeees! :)

[Erin77]

We live in Hawaii, where it's always sunny, and my 20 month old goes to bed EARLY so we have a shower curtain-blackout curtain over his window. The darker it is, the better and longer he sleeps. We also have a sound machine, because we live in a busy apartment building and his bedroom faces the hall where the neighbors walk. I'd get blackout curtains ASAP! 

I think as soon as they outgrow the infant/sleep anywhere phase, the darker and more soothing you can make their sleeping area, the better.

[JudiAU]

A darker room makes a big difference for my kids. You can use purchased blackout liners, or shades, or add layers of heavy fabric to your current curtains.

[brneyedmama]

DD also needs it dark -the darker the better.

[KellyandBean]

We literally have resorted to nailing a thick black blanket over her window. She is and has always been very much effected by the light. We need pitch black.

[BellyBean]

Black out blinds and sound machine are a must in every bedroom we have :) including ours!  Also very helpful for mid-day naps!  But my MIL is always asking if we have conditioned DD to "need" these things to sleep.  I always tell her that DH and I do too, and we are okay :)

[Gooseberry]

Thanks everyone.  I think we need to go dark.  She nursed to sleep a few nights last week, and I thought she might be trending in that direction, but she was up until 9:30 last night.  She allowed my husband to swap places with me at about 9:00, but I really can't put up  with this all summer.