Lights Out With Sleepout!

11/25/2021

I love my baby Lila and I think the entire world of her. She is sweet, funny, smart, resilient, determined and the list can go on and on. But oh boy is she a terrible sleeper!

I know it’s not entirely her fault that she can’t sleep independently… I am definitely guilty of rocking her to sleep longer than I “should” and probably not following her wake windows. I have done my research and I know that sleep is cyclical and developmental. I also know that parents need to create an ideal environment that will promote restful sleep. 

When my daughter was born, she was given a sound machine that played white noise throughout the night. Her collection of sleep sacks has also grown to the extent that she has an entire section of her closet devoted to these cozy garments which are also organized by size and TOG (thermal overall grade). Yet at 15 months she is still rising as soon as the sun comes up! Her naps have also been on the shorter side and when she wakes from these in her crib she doesn’t seem entirely rested. 

As the Director for Mommy Connections East Toronto, I have listened to countless discussions from sleep experts on the importance of creating darkness to help block out all light in order to not disrupt sleep. I don’t know why it took me so long but I finally decided to give a blackout curtain a try and see if this would help my daughter’s sleep.

I loved that Sleepout is a Canadian company that was developed by a couple who dealt with their own sleep issues (one co-founder suffered from insomnia for a number of years). Their mission is to help people sleep better while doing good for the environment. Their 100% blackout curtains are made of non toxic material and are Greenguard + OEKO certified safe from harmful chemicals. They even plant one tree for every Sleepout curtain sold. Sounded good to me!

When my Sleepout curtain arrived, it came in a compact, beautiful bag that was easily portable and contained all of the materials required for assembly. I was prepared to spend a good portion of my Saturday installing the curtain, but Sleepout saved time with ease of installation and I found it to be very dependable with its locking suction cup design. I was able to install it myself in minutes… even after a particularly bad night of sleep!

I was amazed by how dark the curtain made the room even in the middle of the day. It definitely solved the problem of light bleeds better and more safely than alternatives I’ve used before like tape, glue, or sticky tack. The material of the curtain is also thermal and I swear it made my daughter’s room feel warmer by a few degrees. 

I know that this curtain won’t magically cure my daughter’s sleep. I don’t expect her to start sleeping-in overnight, BUT I do know that thanks to Sleepout her room is now an environment much more conducive to restful sleep!

If you are interested in trying out the Sleepout Curtain please use voucher codes: MOMMYCONNECT20 to receive $20 off a single portable blackout curtain or MOMMYCONNECT30 to receive $30 off a two-pack or four-pack.

Both codes are available for a temporary period to pre-order during the holidays, so get yours fast!

Written By Alyssa Becker, Mommy Connections East Toronto Director