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Shhhhhhhh! Baby’s sleeping! According to Dr. Harvey Karp, author of this article, there are 5 key S’s to a goodnight of Zzzzzzzs’s. He states in the book (which is one of my recommended mommy books!), that to calm a fussy, tired baby you can try swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking.

The side/stomach position is quite controversial due to the American Academy of Pediatrics stating there is an increased chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (also known as SIDS) when a baby is placed on their stomach to sleep.

But for the rest, I found my babies calmed down and slept soooo much longer when they were swaddled, sucking a pacifer, swinging, and/or if there was white noise.

Should every new mom buy a sound machine for their baby?

Let’s look at some products and then answer some commonly asked questions about white noise, so you can decide for yourself!

There are affiliate links in this post. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I might receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

The Best White Noise Machine for Baby to Sleep Through the Night

 

What is a white noise machine for?

After the fourth trimester, your baby will go through a series of sleep changes. From transitioning out of the swaddle to teething to meeting 9-month milestones, moms are often stumped for why their baby is waking up at night when they were previously sleeping through the night.

A white noise machine, when used properly, cues a baby to calm down when putting them down for bed or if they wake up at night during one of the sleep transitions. By using a white noise machine, you stave off running into issues during the common sleep regression periods. White noise machines can potentially help INCREASE the number of hours you’re sleeping and DECREASE the number of entries you make in your pretty little baby schedule tracker!

To understand why white noise works, I found this article to be helpful background information!

It is a common misconception that babies who already sleep well do not need a white noise machine ever. But even the sweetest baby has fussy moments. You know, right when you lay your head down for a nap? Ugh, the worst!

Why do babies need white noise to sleep?

All babies experience muffled rumbling sounds while in the womb. From the loud humming vacuum to the rumbling dishwasher, ambient sounds enter your comfortable womb as your baby prepares to enter the harsh world. The white noise that enters your womb cocoons them in their first lullaby.

White noise machine sounds mimic sounds the baby is used to hearing in the womb!

When you integrate the white noise into your bedtime routine, you set your baby up for sleeping success in the long run. Your baby will start to associate bed time with the sounds from the white noise machine.

By using white noise, you recreate a safe-sounding environment that reminds your newborn of mommy.

Plus white noise drowns out loud midnight trains, barking dogs, and other uncontrollable sounds.

Best White Noise Machine for Baby to Sleep Through the Night

Before we get started let’s talk the best place to buy baby products! I love buying baby stuff using Amazon Prime (try free for 30 days!) not only because of the free 2-day shipping on the majority of products but because of their awesome return policy for most of the products too.

Sometimes things just don’t work out for your baby, and you can’t control that! But as a smart consumer, you CAN control buying products with a good return policy.

Hatch Baby Rest Night Light, Sound Machine, and Time to Rise

*Best All Around White Noise Machine for Baby*

 Here’s what I loved about this baby sound machine:

• You’ll fall in love with the modern minimalist design of the Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine. It’s customizable colors and easy to program design allow for ease of use by tired parents and grandparents alike.
• First and foremost, it is multifunctional. The fact that it is a nightlight, sound machine, and a time-to-rise, also known as, “Ok to wake-up” function for toddlers makes me envious I didn’t find this cute little guy sooner.
• What makes it even better? Hello, smartphones! The fact that you or your spouse can control sounds, volume, and light from the Hatch Baby app is mindblowing! If you don’t want the sound machine to run all night, program it via the app. If you want to adjust the Time-to-Rise function to train your toddler to sleep longer, you can easily adjust the settings from the comfort of your bed (this function is reason enough for me to buy it!). If you want to make sure your Hatch Baby Rest operates at a safe decibels levels…adjust on your phone (see FAQs below for safe decibels for babies)!
• (Side note) We have an Ok to Wake! Owl (this is similar to what we have), which we seriously recommended to all our friends because it worked for our toddlers to sleep 12 hours everynight, but I don’t think they make it anymore! Sounds like the Hatch is a good replacement.
• What are the sounds like? The 10 different sounds do exactly what they’re supposed to when it comes to helping baby sleep longer. They have a “good-enough” range of volume for your baby. Although the range isn’t necessarily the highest or lowest compared to others on our list. Whether or not you need a higher range is debatable (based on hearing levels appropriate for babies referenced below).
• Easily the function that makes this sound machine our Best All Around White Noise Machine for Baby is the patent-pending Toddler Lock feature that prevents your toddler from changing the settings and makes the device more childproof. If you have a two year old, you know EXACTLY why this is important for a time-to-rise product!

I recommend this product as a baby to toddler solution for your white noise machine search as our “Best All Around White Noise Machine for Baby.” You can check the current price below.

LectroFan High Fidelity White Noise Sound Machine

*Rated as Most Reliable Sound Machine*

 Here’s what I learned about this sound machine:

• Although this LectroFan non-looping sound machine is not branded specifically with kids in mind, the reviews on their infant/toddler version weren’t nearly as reliable and praiseworthy.
• The 10 different fan sounds and 10 different other ambient sounds make this white noise machine one of the most coveted sleep aids on the market for babies and adults alike.
• Touted for having a great range of pitches as well as the ability to adjust volume controls comparably better than others on our list, parents might miss the fact that there are no lullaby options on this model.
• While this machine is said to go up to 85 dB, again, this might be considered harmful to baby for long periods of time.
• There’s no fancy app attached to this compact design (like the Kinder version), but at least there’s a 60-minute sleep timer that might be useful for nap time.
• Finally, this particular model is lightweight enough to travel with. The company even sells a carrying case designed to protect it on the go.

I recommend this product as the “Most Reliable” solution for general white noise options and needs and would be considered a “safe” choice to meet your family’s needs. You can read reviews below.

SNOOZ White Noise Sound Machine

*Best “Quality White Noise” Machine*

 Here’s what I learned about this sound machine:

• I don’t know what it is about the round design, but I seriously love the modern look of this white noise machine! I know it’s not just about the look, but the fact that the white noise from the REAL fan that is inside of this device makes it a solid choice for parents.
• Not only will it look great in your nursery (carefully placed on the opposite side of the room for best effect), parents will love that it is programmable through an app on their smartphone.
• Unlike the Hatch Baby app mentioned above, the SNOOZ app allows you to easily connect multiple sound machines to your one app, allowing you to control different options for multiple kids. I would be remiss not to mention that there have been some complaints about the app being a little glitchy (but that’s always a work in progress!)
• The additional benefit of a nightlight on this sound machine makes it appealing for parents looking for a multifunctional device for their money.
• This device has quite the appeal for family’s looking to save money by saving energy. Running one of these sound machines takes up significantly less energy than running a fan all night long (although, you could probably say that about most sound machines).
• One of the unique features parents will appreciate about this device is the nursery calibration. This feature protects baby’s ears from the device being too loud.

I recommend this sound machine as the “Best ‘Quality White Noise’ Machine for Baby” because of its real non-looping fan and other positive attributes! You can check prices on Amazon.

Marpac Hushh White Noise Sound Machine

*Best Travel Sound Machine for Baby*

 Here’s what I learned about this sound machine:

• Part of the Marpac family of sound machines, I chose this one to review because of it’s a clip-on ability to the stroller, diaper bag, etc. At 3.8oz, it is super light to toss in the diaper bag and just go!
• Although the sound options are rather limited, with only three options, at least the device is rechargeable via a USB cable, so you won’t be out on batteries.
• This device that fits in the palm of your hand doesn’t come close to the features of the company’s original white noise machine, but they are a well-respected company with some of the best sound machine products on the market.
• When doing research, you might also see this sound machine recommended as the “best for travel” from the company. But the Hushh includes the ever-popular locking feature to prevent accidentally turning the device off.
• This device includes a cable and clip to easily attach to the stroller (again, a plus for busy parents who can’t stay at home during nap time every single time, and for moms who just want to browse Target in peace.)

I recommend this sound machine as the “Best Travel Sound Machine for Baby” for parents on the go, looking for a way to get a long nap out of your little sweetie pie.

 

Pictek White Noise Machine

*Best Budget-Friendly White Noise Machine for Baby*

 Here’s what I learned about this white noise machine:

• The older version is very budget friendly, which I think is super important.  A newer one was released in 2018 including a power adapter.
• Despite being on the cheaper side, this sound machine comes with 24 different non-looping sound options and can be USB or battery powered.
• Parents will appreciate two different timer options set to auto-off from 30 to 60 minutes.
• Not only is this company budget friendly, but the customer service is also outstanding. At the time of this article, this white noise machine offered an 18-month warranty. As I mentioned before, this is a huge benefit for parents that expect to use these machines often and for many years to come.
• Although this isn’t the “prettiest” white noise machine for baby on the list, it still offers a small footprint and unobtrusive design.
• Again, you aren’t getting an integrated app that you can adjust from the comfort of your room, but you are meeting the basic necessity of providing white noise for your baby to prevent them from waking up due to loud noises in the middle of the night. If you’re looking for a white noise machine that is simple and meets the requirements without breaking the budget, this white noise machine should be a high contender!

If you’re looking for a “budget-friendly” white noise machine, this is the one I recommend! Check the price on Amazon!

Common Questions/FAQs About White Noise and Babies

As with most things with babies, there are often safety questions and concerns. Although I do my best to pull from authority sites to get my information, please consult your pediatrician for any health or safety concerns that you have for your baby or your home. This advice does not constitute medical advice!

• How loud should white noise be for baby?

  • According to John Hopkins Medicine, we can safely hear sounds in the 80-90 dB level without hearing loss. Anything over that sound level could potentially lead to sound-induced hearing loss. Additionally, when using a white noise machine, consider the fact that prolonged white noise that is too loud could affect the hearing over time. Consult your pediatrician if you’re unsure! Generally speaking, if it’s as loud as a conversation, it should be fine!

• Should we use white noise for baby all day?

  • From my perspective, unless you want your baby to be completely dependent upon the white noise machine for the rest of their preschool days, I do not recommend using white noise for your baby all day (and Healthline agrees that they could become dependent upon it)

• Why can’t I just use a fan instead of a white noise machine?

  • You totally can.

  • But some benefits of the white noise machine are:

    • Most of them are more energy efficient than fans
    • Can easily travel with you
    • In the winter, you can still use them rather than running a fan (brrr!)
    • Fans can make the room dusty (this totally explains my dusty house, not my lack of dusting)

• Is white noise safe for baby?

  • This interesting article from Gulf Coast Audiology did a test on baby toys and their decibel levels! 17 of 20 toys were found to be over the pain threshold! No wonder they drive me crazy! All this to be said, a white noise machine is not the thing you need to be the most worried about. As long as you are placing the white noise machine a safe distance away (~7 ft) from your baby, not in the crib, and not louder than a normal conversation, then it should be safe.

• Where’s the safest place to put a white noise machine in baby’s room?

  • The safest place is the farthest point away from the baby’s crib.

• When to stop using white noise for baby?

  • I recommend phasing out the white noise machine somewhere between 1 year and 1.5 years. Slowly decrease the white noise, night by night, until your baby becomes used to the normal night sounds. The benefit of the programmable white noise machines is the ability to do this from the app on your phone!
  • The need to phase out the white noise machine also is an argument for a multi-functional white noise machine that will be useful for a longer period of time!

The Last Thing You Need to Know about Using White Noise Machines for Babies

When it comes down to it, white noise machines are safe to use for babies and are a great tool to help little ones calm down for a better night’s sleep for both mom and baby.

These recommended baby white noise machines are great for tired parents to help get the “happiest” baby on the block with the 5 S’s.

What are your experiences with white noise machines? Comment below!

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