As a baby sleep consultant, something that I get asked a lot, is “will white noise help baby sleep better”?
And the answer is yes, it can!
You might be tempted to try and create a silent room and creep around so baby doesn’t get disturbed. But babies aren’t actually used to silence.
Life is loud, and for the nine months that baby was in your uterus, he heard everything. From the sound of your voice, to your heartbeat, to your gurgling tummy! And he just peacefully slept through it. In fact, for a newborn, silence is not the norm at all, and it takes some getting used to.
Using white noise reminds newborn babies of the sounds they heard in their mum’s tummy. This can have a soothing effect, leading to a longer and more restful sleep.
Additionally, as your baby grows, there are countless things that can wake them from a peaceful sleep. Whether it’s the bin men, a car door slamming or your toddler tearing down the hall “singing”. And quick as a flash, baby is wide awake, and nap time is over.
Life is noisy, but that doesn’t mean your baby needs to be disturbed and woken up in the middle of their naps. White noise can be a lifesaver in helping babies to fall asleep and stay asleep without interruption.
What products do you recommend?
Personally, I am a big fan of the MyHummy range, and a number of my clients have used them with great success.
The full range starts from £39.99 and is available on the MyHummy website.
The features available on all of the options in the range include:
– Playing a series of different white noises. There are 5 in total including waves, rain, heart beat, pulse, and continuous white noise (similar to a hairdryer).
– Increasing or decreasing the volume of the white noise.
– Playing continuously through the night or for 60 minutes and then fades away completely, until your baby starts to stir, before kicking back in again.
The white noise device is also removable so the MyHummy is machine washable. There is also a strap to attach it to the cot if your baby is not yet sitting or standing.
Isn’t white noise a sleep prop?
Using white noise isn’t the same as other sleep “props” or associations. It’s something that can be present for the entirety of the night and for naps. And it’s there to block out noises that you can’t control, and that might disturb your baby.
Personally, I’d recommend using the function to have the white noise running all night and for the duration of naps to ensure a more settled sleep. When your baby comes to the end of a sleep cycle and begins to wake, they will wake looking for the same things they fell asleep with, and they will tend to wake less fully if the white noise is still running.
Once you have the noise side of things covered, other things that can help your baby to sleep well are napping in the cot, extending short naps and establishing if your baby is waking from hunger.
You can also download my FREE guide, “5 steps to a better night’s sleep” for more tips.