You might experience such a situation that, even if you are past the waking up every few hours for the feeding phase, your baby may still have trouble falling asleep. Soothing background sounds can help babies get to sleep faster. Here is what to know about white noise for baby to sleep.
What is white noise?
Simply say, white noise refers to the natural sound that can mask other sounds like a siren or barking dogs. The actual sound of white noise can be described as a hissing sound, similar to the sound of the letter “sh”. Moreover, there are even white noise machines designed for use with infants, such as instrumental lullabies which are used to mimic that of the mother.
Here are certain examples of white noise:
- whirring fan
- hissing radiator
- humming air conditioner
How does white noise help baby to sleep?
It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to use a white noise machine no louder than 50 decibels, so you might want to use a low volume setting. Usually, your baby tends to fall asleep at noisy times rather than in a completely quiet environment.
According to the research, newborn babies might need more than 14 hours of sleep, and it’s a great investment if a white noise machine can help keep your baby well-rested.
There are lots of sources of white noise such as air purifiers, running water, air conditioner, and meditation apps as well. However, babies have their preferences, so keep trial and error and find the best approach for your baby.
Is white noise safe for babies?
There are certain concerns about the safety of white noise for babies. At first, babies may get reliant on white noise, and it can get problematic if you are on a vacation and not with a white noise machine. Also, it has the risk that white noise machines may exceed the recommended noise limits for babies, and it could increase hearing problems. However, white noise doesn’t work for all babies, and it’s important to do the trial and error process.
Other tips
White noise might be the temporary solution for babies’ sleep, but it’s not a perfect cure-all method for helping babies sleep problems. Your baby will wake up multiple times at night, due to the needs for feeding, diaper change, and cuddling. Also, some other tips are helpful for your baby’s sleep, such as set a bedtime routine, take care of the sleep environment, or use meditation apps (MindZone).
