White Noise is Soothing Music to a Sleeping Baby
What is baby sleep music and white noise?
New parents navigating the world of baby sleep often find themselves asking “what exactly is baby sleep music?” The magical music which helps a baby sleep is called white noise. White noise is not traditional music and more frequently described as a background noise played while a baby sleeps.
Think less traditional music and more muffled sounds
Describing the white noise sound that sleeping babies love is tricky. Some of you may remember the sound your television use to make when a cable channel would lose its signal? The television would suddenly have black and white lines while playing a loud continuous shhhhhhhh. That old television hum is what white noise sounds like.
Why white noise music is effective to help a baby sleep?
The music, white noise machines play helps settle babies to sleep and help babies to stay asleep making these devices highly popular amongst parents.
Familiar sounds from the womb are soothing for a baby
The white noise sound mimics what babies hear during their time in the womb. The familiar sounds provide comfort for a sleeping baby, especially a newborn. Settling a newborn baby to sleep is no easy task and how to settle a crying baby is a common concern for parents. Playing white noise will help calm a baby when they won’t sleep.
Babies achieve deep sleep from blocked out noise
When white noise is playing in a baby’s nursery, the sound blocks out background noise, allowing the baby to sleep deeply and wake feeling rested. Homes are full of noise both inside and outside from siblings, appliances, electronics, animals and more, all potentially interrupting a sleeping baby. Using a white noise machine minimises potential disruptions to a babies sleep and allows family within the home to carry on with their day while their baby sleeps.
What white noise music features help a baby sleep?
Baby stores, online retailers and even baby sleep consultants sell white noise machines. Several brands specialising in baby equipment sell white noise machines making picking the perfect product difficult for parents. Each brand’s product has their unique features which buyers should look out for when purchasing as certain features can cause a baby to not sleep and become overtired.
Pick a product with a steady music pitch
The most important thing to consider when purchasing a white noise machine is to ensure the pitch stays the same throughout the entire night. Pitch in music refers to higher and lower sounds.
Avoid machines that play songs
There are many machines on the market that play songs for babies to sleep to. The changing pitch and rhythm are very distracting while a baby is sleeping. A machine that switches pitches or plays music is proven to only cause a baby to become overtired because the different sounds cause babies to stay awake and listen.
Portable machines get double the use
There are white noise machines which are stationery and other devices are portable. Both have the same effect to help a baby sleep. Portable machines are more compact and are great if your baby sleeps at daycare or naps while visiting a family members home.
Leave classical music for awake times
There are some white noise machines which play classical music. Listening to classical music is very beneficial for a little ones development. Although beneficial, classical music is best played during a babies playtime and not their sleep time. The changing rhythms of the music are not helpful for a baby trying to fall asleep.
Why the volume is important to a sleeping baby
The womb is not a quiet place for a baby. When a baby is inside their mother’s womb, the baby continually hears their mother’s heart beating, blood flowing, breathing and sound of their Mummy’s voice. Plus, everywhere Mum goes, baby goes too. Babies find comfort falling asleep with a loud sound playing as this reminds them of their time in the womb.
Music needs to be loud to be effective
When white noise is playing loudly, the volume blocks out any background noise from the home. The white noise sound is distinctly different to the background noises babies hear and this is why babies can sleep through loud white noise but not a sibling crying, bird chirping or telephone ringing. When using a white noise machine turn the volume up to be as loud as a shower. For more information on methods to deal with an unsettled baby download the Newborn Sleep Guide or Baby Sleep Guide.
Lower the volume when sleep habits form
Once a baby is sleeping through the night, parents can wean off the white noise from their baby or toddler’s sleep space. When you are confident your baby can manage without the white noise machine, slowly turn the volume down over the course of a few weeks.
White noise is rock star music to a sleeping baby
How to settle a baby to sleep is the million-dollar question for many parents. Using a white noise machine to help settle a baby to sleep is music to many tired parents ears. Becoming a parent is a big learning curve and sleep deprivation is a problem many parents face. With the help from a machine that plays the magical white noise sound the entire family can sleep well.
Note from Author:
As an Early childhood and primary educator and owner and operator of a family daycare, Mother and an infant and toddler sleep consultant I have seen first-hand how important sleep is to a child’s long-term development. Working with families to develop healthy sleep habits is a passion of mine. To book a consultation please contact me.