White noise and baby sleep
How does white noise help my baby sleep?
You’ve probably heard that your baby should sleep with white noise but, do you know why? We’re going to break down the benefits (and how to wean off of white noise) and why we recommend it to all of our sleep consulting families!
It’s a great tool for blocking out ambient sounds around the house! No one wants to tiptoe around just because a baby is sleeping but, we also don’t want to risk waking them up once you finally get them to sleep! White noise does a great job keeping your baby from hearing all kinds of noises in and outside of your home.
It mimics the environment your baby is used to. Did you know that it is loud in the womb? It is! Many experts believe your baby is hearing sounds around the 85 decibel level! That’s about the same as a lawn mower or loud vacuum! So laying your baby down alone in a quiet room feels very strange to them. Use a sound machine and keep it turned up! (Maybe not quite to 85 decibels but the sound should wash over you when you enter the room.)
It is a great sleep cue. When your baby hears that noise, they know it is time to sleep. It helps their body get ready for rest at home and also really helps them be able to relax when you are away from home.
So is there a specific type of sound you should use to help your baby sleep? We recommend using an ocean or white noise sound. Scientifically, these are the most soothing to the brain and, practically, they are a more constant sound level which helps keep baby asleep.
What sound machine does a baby sleep coach recommend?
The Hatch Rest is one of our favorite sound machines but we also like this one for a cheap option with a battery backup. For travel, you can’t beat the Rohm for it’s loud noise and small size!
Ready to start teaching your baby how to sleep soundly all night? We would love to help! Our certified sleep consultants work with you one-on-one to teach your baby great sleep habits and help you all get a good night’s sleep. We have baby sleep consultants near you and would love to talk more. Email us for more information!
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