What to Look For While Buying a White Noise Machine For a Baby?

White noise machines can mimic a womb-like environment with sounds of varied frequencies. The American Academy of Pediatrics has shown a green light in favor of white noise machines to maximize sleep quality. A study conducted on 40 babies revealed that 80% of them slept within 5 minutes of hearing white noise.

Playing the pre-recorded tracks in the white noise machine turns on your baby’s calming reflex which dozes them off into a sound sleep. Plus, white noise drowns outside distractions, like the noise a truck passing by your home makes, or the disturbance a television creates. The sound from the machine gathers all their attention in one place, which is helpful in distracting their mind from teething pain or mild hunger.

What to Look For While Buying a White Noise Machine For a Baby

Buying a white noise machine can be quite a challenge with so many brands and models available. Here is what to look for when buying white noise machine for a baby.

1. Sound Quality And Variety

In the journal of PLOS ONE, researchers recorded the womb sounds with an electronic stethoscope. And they uncovered the fact that the activities inside the womb sounded a lot different than the highly marketed white noise machines. Music tracks such as sounds of a heartbeat, chirping birds, and so on have received the badge of sleep sounds. But not only they aren’t sleep sounds, a baby will not drift into sleep listening to them.

What new parents need is a high-quality baby sound machine which has the hardware necessary to produce sleep sounds. Listening to continuous, monotonous, and low-pitched sleep sounds leaves a sleep-inducing effect on a baby, especially when the speakers in the machine are created for that very purpose.

Moreover, the white noise machines should also have lullaby noises and other types of tracks such as weather noises. To make a crying baby sleep with the help of sleep sounds can prove to be a lost cause. Certain sounds like weather noises are more successful in calming down the baby. And then, sleep sounds can be used to put them to sleep.

2. Adjustable Volume And Intensity

You should be able to turn the volume up and down when need be. For instance, if you’re using it outside or there are guests at home, the volume and intensity needs to be higher to mask the noises. However, the volume shouldn’t be so loud that it risks hearing your little one.

For instance, the noise shouldn’t go beyond 50 decibels, even from a 30 cm distance. Most white noise machines in the market do not even meet this single checkmark. In the journal Pediatrics, a 2014 study revealed that some machines even exceed 85 dB. White noise should be in the safe range for your baby’s ears.

3. Timer And Playback Features

There’s nothing more convenient than a white noise machine for a baby with a sleep timer. As selected, it should go off after 30, 50 or 60 minutes of playing. Most importantly, the machine must have a clean loop or playback. Meaning, it’s not a good sign if you’re able to hear when the recording is ending and beginning again. It breaks the purpose of white noise being continuous and monotonous which makes it so effective to stimulate sleep.

4. Portability And Size

White noise or baby noise machines come in a multitude of shapes and sizes. A smaller size often compromises the features. But there are many portable options available which will offer the above-mentioned features and many more.

5. Price And Value

It’s understandable that machines at a lower price range can be compelling. However, baby white noise machines are a one-time investment. And the value you’ll get and the time you’ll save by spending 3 to 4 thousand rupees is worth serious thought. Going for a good machine ensures crisp and clear audio and a wide range of features which makes life so easier.

Using a white noise machine for a baby to calm them down and fall asleep is okay for the first few months after their birth. Babies battle sleep during this stage. But humming a white noise machine 24/7 or every night makes them dependent on it. Your baby eventually needs to self-soothe and sleep independently. For that, you’ll want to build healthy sleep schedules and bedtime routines.

FAQ’s

1. Can White Noise Machines Improve Sleep Quality?

When babies or even a person struggles to sleep, a ‘standby’ sound is a much better company for drifting off as compared to silence. This is for a simple reason that any sound can break the silence. So yes, it helps you get into a deep state of sleep where the surrounding sounds matter less and the machine can be turned off.

2. Should You Play White Noise All Night For Baby?

No. You should not play white noise all night for babies. You can play it for not more than an hour or the settling period. Also, place the machine at a distance from your baby so that it doesn’t cause any harm to their ears. Babies may get addicted to white noise and hence it is a good idea to limit the usage.