Say what?!?
Yup. You heard me or was the white noise on too loud? (lame joke). Not just any noise however, I’m talking about white noise.
Our babies are used to loud noise 24/7 while in the womb. So it’s no surprise that newborns sometimes sleep better in a noisy room. They are used to the sound of blood rushing through your body, your breathing in and out and mom’s heartbeat. It’s an orchestra in there! As loud at 80-90 Decibels. Silence can be unnerving.
White noise can help create this womb-like environment. No only does it help calm babies but it helps them fall asleep faster and sleep longer.
How it helps babies sleep longer: As babies cycle in and out of sleep there are partial sleep arousals, or times when sleep is so light that it’s very easy for babies to wake up fully.
So not only does it help calm your baby, drown out ambient noise around the house but it helps them sleep longer by naturally encouraging them to not wake fully and go back to sleep on their own.
How loud is too loud?
So we’ve established that white noise is extremely helpful in helping your baby sleep but what are the safety guidelines around this?
You obviously don’t want to take any chances in affecting your child’s hearing in any way. There are so many different recommendations and the most popular is: as loud as a vacuum cleaner in the room or as loud as a shower…still no idea? Not to worry, I’ll give you some concrete guidelines.
So here are the guidelines I suggest, they are pretty conservative and I’ve seen extreme suggestions on both ends. I always follow the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines of 50 db. (that is about us having a regular conversation without raising our voices) - there are free apps you can download on your phone that tell you what decibels you are at.
Although I find these guidelines pretty conservative, if your baby is crying I usually turn it up to match the cry/or a little above but turn it back down once baby is calm. You can also just SHUSH loudly until they calm, this will help to get their attention and bring them down to a more relaxed state.
Sound machines should also be at least 6-7 feet away from the baby’s crib, never put them in the crib or close to their ears.
You want to leave the sound machine on all night or for the entire duration of sleep. If the sound machine turns off, then your baby will wake up, because the conditions have changed. I look for sound machines that don’t have an automatic shut off features. Plugged into the wall works better and a portable one for naps on the go.
Is my baby to old for a sound machine?
I recommend sound machines from newborn to 12 months old and sometimes longer if your toddler is sharing a room with a sibling.
Can my baby get addicted to it?
Like any other sleep association, your baby might learn to associate sleep with white noise. That’s not a bad thing, it will help cue your baby for sleep and help them fall asleep faster.
Weaning off a sound machine is very easy. You just turn down the volume gradually over the course of a week until it’s gone. That’s it. I find babies that have used sound machines and are weaned will easily fall asleep for them in the future, if you decide to bring it back or have to plan a nap on the go.
If you want to continue using a sound machine for a toddler that’s totally fine. Use it until you are ready to move away from it (I still find it relaxing and it helps me as an adult sleep better -adults can use white noise too!)
For toddlers and older children, I find PINK NOISE much more effective. Pink noise is a lower frequency and pink noise is said to lead to deeper sleep (even for adults).
Can I use sounds other than white noise?
You totally can. The only thing I would stay away from is music to sleep. It can certainly be used during bedtime routines but not for sleep. Music is very stimulating to the brain and can cause your baby to wake more frequently, the sound is also not constant.
I say if you decide to use white noise, turn it on low during your bedtime routine so it becomes a cue for sleep and your baby starts to feel drowsy and relaxed by just hearing it.
Try it! White noise is not for every baby. It really depends on temperament and your family’s choice on what tools you want to use for better sleep.
If you decide to use it, like anything when it comes to sleep. Use it consistently.
It’s not going to solve all of your problems but it will help improve sleep in most cases. If your baby is STILL waking at night, then it could be for a number of other reasons.
Reach out to me to find out what it is and how to fix it. If you are committed to improving sleep, I’m happy to hear you out and offer you support and guidance. Book a free 30 minute call.
my favourite sound machines are listed below:
Plug in sound machine we use - only on white noise
