Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey there, you’re listening to the My Sleeping Baby podcast, which is all about baby and child sleep. I’m so excited to teach you how you can get your little ones sleeping so that you can sleep too and enjoy parenthood to its fullest. I’m Eva Klein, your resident’s sleep expert, mom of three, founder of the Sleep Bible online coaching program, and lover of all things sleep and motherhood. If you’re looking for tangible solutions for your little one sleep woes or you simply want to learn more, this podcast is for you. For more information, check out mysleepingbaby.com and you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mysleepingbaby, and you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook at My Sleeping Baby.
(00:48)
Alright, welcome back to the show. So today I'm gonna be talking all about a very popular sleep tool, which is the white noise machine and address a really common question that I get, which is whether or not it is actually worthwhile to introduce a white noise machine to your little one for sleep purposes. I can't tell you how often I get parents asking me if it's just a waste of money, if it's just a gimmick that doesn't actually make a difference in the grand scheme of things. And I will tell you that the short answer to that question whether or not you should introduce one is a resounding yes white noise machines are incredibly beneficial for newborns, for infants, and for toddlers and preschoolers. And so today I'm gonna be talking about what exactly those benefits are and they're gonna be slightly different depending on the age and stage of your little one as well as what the research says about white noise machines and how specifically to go about picking out a white noise machine and introducing it to your little one.
(01:59)
So why are white noise machines awesome? Well, they really do help babies sleep and the reason for that in a nutshell is because they do a fantastic job drowning out background noise and creating a calming, soothing sleep environment for your little one. So let's first talk about the benefits that they offer newborns. You see, newborn babies are used to sleeping in a very loud environment in the womb. That's where they spent usually the last nine months. And so what a white noise machine does is it mimics the womb like environment that your little one has been used to sleeping in by playing that ambient noise. This is why white noise can feel incredibly comforting for your little one and is especially calming for fussy babies. And then when your newborn is calm and comfortable, they can relax and fall asleep much more easily. Now when your graduates that fourth trimester and officially becomes an infant and we no longer need to be focusing on recreating that womb like environment, a white noise machine still proves to be very, very beneficial when it comes to sleep.
(03:15)
And the reason for that is because at this stage, white noise machines do a great job blocking out background noise and other noises that might be disturbing to your little one, such as a noisy neighborhood, your dog barking, other children playing at home or talking loudly or you know, any sudden noises for that matter. And this is incredibly helpful for many infants, especially the younger ones because it's so easy for them to get woken up by this background noise smack in the middle of a nap. You see, an infant sleep cycle is only about 45 minutes long and the majority of that 45 minute sleep cycle comprises of light sleep, light rem sleep that can easily be interrupted by that barking dog or the snowplow or the noisy neighbors playing basketball for example. And the last thing that you want is for your little one's nap to get cut prematurely to get interrupted smack in the middle of it, um, because of that background noise which could then cause them to become overtired.
(04:27)
And so by introducing a white noise machine, you're basically adding this extra layer of protection to your little one's sleep, making it much harder for it to get interrupted by background noise. Now some of you might be surprised to hear that a lot of the benefits of a white noise machine still apply to toddlers and preschoolers. First of all, because many toddlers are often still very light sleepers similar to how they were as babies. And so you are gonna wanna continue to use the white noise machine for that reason 'cause you still don't want your two year old to get woken up from a nap halfway through. On top of that, the additional benefit of a white noise machine for a toddler and a preschooler is that it can drown out specific background noises that can cause your little one to feel scared. You see, remember at that age, that's when their imaginations begin to run wild sometimes and you can be dealing with, you know, bedtime fears and nightmares, et cetera.
(05:33)
And so when you've got the white noise machine drowning out that gusts of wind or the creaky floor, then suddenly your little one's bedtime fears can be put to rest or at least minimized because of that white noise machine. So if you've got a two-year-old, a three-year-old, or a four year old who is still sleeping with a white noise machine, or perhaps your little one is not sleeping with one but seems to still be a really light sleeper or struggles with some bedtime fears, adding a white noise machine could be really beneficial. Don't be in any rush to get rid of it. Now, in terms of the scientific research discussing white noise and baby sleep, there is actually some very cool research on this topic. So there's an earlier study that was done on white noise and infant sleep, which was published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood in 1990.
(06:29)
And so this study did find that white noise helps babies fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer than when they slept in silence. Now many people will then ask me, well Eva, what about the study talking about white noise and hearing loss? So let me address that one. That study that you're probably thinking of was published in 2014 in the journal pediatrics and it found that white noise machines can cause hearing loss if played at very high volumes for extended periods of time. And so the researchers just recommended using a white noise machine at a lower volume level of 50 to 60 decibels or lower and just to ensure that the white noise machine isn't placed right next to your baby's crib. That's all. And so as long as you do not have it blasting right next to their ear, you do not need to worry about that.
(07:24)
But of course if you have any specific concerns about your particular baby and their hearing, always speak to your healthcare provider. Now I do just wanna mention that the concern around that study with regards to a baby's hearing is probably the second most common question that I get asked about white noise machines. The most common question, or I would say concern that is brought to my attention is that they don't want their little one to become reliance on the white noise machine. So let me address that concern head on because listen, I get it, it's very, very valid. You're probably picturing your 18 year old going off to college or university needing a white noise machine in his dorm in order to be able to sleep because you introduced one when he was two months old and he is been addicted ever since <laugh>. And so first of all, I wanna assure you that that does not need to be the case.
(08:24)
If your little one becomes used to the white noise machine, which I would say is common, I want you to know that when he gets older, you can always wean him off of it, meaning all you need to do when you're seeing that he is older, he's not napping anymore. Maybe now you've got a preschooler who is not such a light sleeper, you simply decrease the volume over a one to two week period to basically just wean him off of it. Maybe you also move the white noise machine further and further away from where he is sleeping so that he becomes used to sleeping in a quiet room, in a silent room for that matter, uh, over time. So it does not mean that your little one needs to be an 18 year old or a 25 year old who cannot sleep without white noise.
(09:19)
But what I wanna be emphasizing here is that if your little one becomes reliant on it as a baby or a toddler, that sort of actually is the idea, right? Remember that we can't teach your baby to sleep through noise. That is a myth. Some babies can just naturally do it and some cannot. And some are going to always get woken up by the dog, by the older sibling, buy the snowplow, buy the noisy neighbors. And you don't want that because you are gonna end up paying the price for that when you end up getting crappier sleep at nighttime as a result of your baby being overtired from not napping well during the day. So don't be afraid to introduce the white noise machine in the name of not having a 20 year old addicted to it. Rather do what you need to do right now to get your little one sleeping and keep it that way knowing that you can always wean him off of it when he is older and past this stage.
(10:28)
Now I do just wanna make one really important points about the use of classical music. I love music. Classical music is incredibly relaxing, but I don't recommend using it as a replacement for white noise. And the reason for that is because even if you are using music that is slow and really truly relaxing, the fact that the music's melody and tempo is going to change even slightly means that it's actually going to be stimulating to your little one's brain as opposed to the use of ambient noise, which isn't for our purposes. So feel free to use classical music in your little one's wind down routine when let's say you are reading stories or maybe you're singing a quick good night song, but then when it's time for them to actually go to sleep, that's when I would recommend turning the music off and turning the white noise machine on.
(11:27)
Alright, let me now take you through some of my top tips for introducing a white noise machine and shopping around for the best one for your little one. So in terms of whether or not I have a brand of white noise machines to recommend, I honestly really don't. As long as it stays on until you want it turned off, meaning your little one wakes up and is done sleeping, that is the most important thing. There are a ton of junky white noise machines out there that stay on for 20 or 30 minutes before shutting off. You don't want that because those can really jolt your little one awake by shutting off halfway through their sleep cycles. And you'll also lose out on the soothing benefits of the white noise machine when it's shutting off mids sleep. So that's honestly the most important thing. I will just say on a personal note that I've always used the Homemeds White Noise machine for my kids, um, as it meets sort of all the criteria that I'm gonna talk about, but you don't have to use that one.
(12:33)
Another tip, make sure that the white noise machine you're using has a volume control setting so that this way you can ensure that the sound level stays at that 50 to 60 decibels maximum. Um, you wanna be able to adjust the white noise machine's volume depending on also whether or not it is noisier in your hallway or if it's quieter. And of course, make sure to place the white noise machine away from your baby's crib, um, so that the sound is not too close to your little one's ears. Now if you have a toddler or a preschooler, I would recommend getting them a white noise machine that has different sound options, not just white noise. So maybe they prefer the ocean wave sound or the raindrop sound. You can get them involved with this process and let them choose which sound he prefers, um, because he's likely gonna have an opinion on the matter.
(13:25)
So there you have it friends in a nutshell, white noise machines are amazing. They are fantastic for newborns because they mimic the sounds of the womb that they are used to creating a calming, soothing sleep environment for them. They are awesome for infants who have very vulnerable, delicate sleep that could easily get interrupted by background noise. And they are great for toddlers and preschoolers whose imaginations can run wild sometimes hearing too much background noise when they are going to sleep. So on top of that, we know that the scientific research says that it does help them sleep. And so always talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns about its safety, but using some caution white noise machines can really be a great tool for your little ones. I am a huge fan of them. And one last thing on sort of a side note.
(14:20)
I don't think I have ever mentioned this before on my podcast, but for those of you listening who are on Facebook, I have a free Facebook community group that I am in regularly connecting with people, answering people's sleep questions, offering free q and as here and there. And so if you haven't joined the My Sleeping Baby Facebook Community Group, I would definitely love to have you in there. I will post a link in the show notes to that. Um, and I hope to see you in there. That's about it, friends. I hope that this was helpful and that you all have a great day.
(14:57)
Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a friend who can benefit from it. I also love hearing from my listener, so feel free to DM me on Instagram at my sleeping baby or send me an email at eva@mysleepingbaby.com. Until next time, have a wonderful restful nights.