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The links included in this blog post are Amazon affiliate links, so as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Until I became a parent I never realized just how much controversy surrounds almost EVERY parenting decision you make, as well as how polarized every topic seems to be. For example: purees vs BLW (baby-led weaning), to swaddle or not, pacifiers vs thumbs, and of course, to use a sound machine or sleep in silence. Each of these "groups" has a following, and arguments to support why they're "right" (or the others are "wrong").
The truth is: there is no "right" way to parent. There is no "right" way to sleep train. The best thing you can do is make an educated decision around what works best for your child and family as a whole. As a sleep consultant, I do recommend the use of a sound machine as a tool for you to help improve your child's sleep for several reasons, but if it doesn't work for your family, that is OKAY.
If you are a parent that wants to know more about sound machines (or a parent-to-be who has one on your registry but has no clue WHY it's there- I was that parent), here is my ultimate guide for cutting through all the (white) noise and getting down to the nitty-gritty when it comes to baby sleep.
What is a sound machine? What is its purpose?
A sound machine is a small device that plugs into an outlet, OR is portable and runs on battery, that produces background noise either by generating the sound itself or by playing sound on a loop. It is meant to drown out other sounds that may be jarring, and oftentimes enables the listener to achieve a sense of relaxation. Most sound machines come with multiple sound options such as "white noise", fan, birdsong, rain, waves, etc.
Why do I recommend using a sound machine when it comes to pediatric sleep?
I LOVE a good sound machine for several reasons:
It mimics the womb environment Believe it or not the womb is a LOUD place. Babies are used to the sounds of your food digesting, your blood circulating, and your lungs breathing. After they're born the total silence they are often expected to sleep in is unfamiliar and unsettling, which can make newborn sleep (which is already chaotic enough), even tougher. Turning on a sound machine can help soothe a fussy baby, or can help lull them to sleep.
It covers up outside, or unwanted noises Because it never fails that the moment that our child falls asleep for their nap we drop EVERYTHING, am I right? Or the postman rings the doorbell? Or the dog barks at the neighbor? White noise, while not infallible, can cover up many sounds allowing you to wash the dishes, talk on the phone, or just basically exist in your house without having to tiptoe around.
It can be a FANTASTIC sleep cue If a sound machine becomes part of your nap and bedtime routine, your child will quickly come to understand what that sound means. My son can be ready and raring to go, but when we start his routine and that machine clicks on, suddenly the eye-rubs and yawning starts, and I feel him start to relax in my arms.
It can bring consistency in multiple environments Both by masking noises and by being a sleep cue, a sound machine allows you to achieve consistency even if the environment your child is sleeping in is not the same. At Grandmas? Out for a walk in the park? In the car? Pop on that machine (portable in this case!), and your child knows exactly what time it is.
What type of noise is best?
As I mentioned above most sound machines come with multiple sound options. However, when it comes to sleep, you want a noise that is constant and doesn't vary in pitch, volume, or tone. That's right, nix those waves and birdsounds. These types of tracks are inconsistent and can actually cause your child to WAKE as the variation alerts the brain to changes in the environment.
Nowadays there brown noise, white noise, pink noise, probably many other-colors-I'm-not-even-aware-of noise... these are really all just altered types of white noise. Pink noise has less higher frequencies than plain white noise, and brown noise has even less. They all produce slightly different sounds that some people find more pleasing to listen to than plain white noise (which in itself sounds like static TV, or an untuned radio). In general I say don't worry TOO much about the color. I like a classic white noise, but brown or pink are fine as long as it's CONTINUOUS and CONSISTENT in sound.
So likewise, you don't want a sound machine that turns off after 20 minutes, or has a pause in the track as it resets. This can also cue the brain to wake up, even if the pause is just for a second. For this reason I recommend making sure your sound machine has as least 12 hours of continuous sound so it can go all nap/night long!
How loud is too loud? How quiet is too quiet?
One big argument against sound machines is that they damage a child's ears through constant exposure. I would agree... if it were right beside their head and loud. The ideal settings to help with sleep are not dangerous.
You want it about as loud as a shower, or the background noise of an office (which is not detrimental to hearing). Technically speaking this is between 50-60 dB, if you want to measure (you can download a free app to do so easily on your phone). You also want to place the machine about 6 ft away from their sleep space (this is good practice also because you don't want any cords near the sleep space). Ideally you would choose to place it between the child and the biggest noise source (so between them and their door, or them and their window (if there's lots of street noise), or between both children if they're room sharing, etc). You would measure your dB (if you are so inclined) by placing your phone in their crib while the machine is positioned accordingly.
You can turn down the volume if this doesn't feel right to you, however remember that the quieter you go, the less effective the sound machine will be at blocking out other noises.
Won't using a sound machine make my child unable to sleep in other conditions? I want noise to be normal to them.
While I understand this argument, I look at it this way: Do you sleep better without disruptions? Do you feel more rested if you aren't woken up 3 times a night by the dog barking next door? If you were to take a nap, would you like to sleep until you feel rested and not be woken by your wife's oven timer in the next room?
While it is normal to have SOME noises, I think we can all agree that not being disturbed by external factors is preferable. As for the inability to sleep in other conditions, I don't believe it would impact anyone to the extent of being completely unable to sleep. I like to sleep in my own bed, and I sleep better there. However, if I go on a trip I am still ABLE to sleep in a different bed (and after a couple nights I sleep almost as well as at home). My son has white noise constantly in his room, but he still will pass out in the car on occasion without it (although I do bring a portable for PLANNED naps on the go!).
Furthermore, in regards to dependency, you can always choose to wean it out later, like any other sleep prop (nursing, rocking, etc), although I know many people that elect to keep it even into their adult years. If you do choose to wean (optimally after age 4 or so when sleep regressions are finished, naps are done, and your child is a sleep pro!), you can do so by gradually lowering the volume each night until it is turned off.
So which one should I buy?
The links included are Amazon affiliate links, so as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Have I convinced you yet? If you're adding it to your registry (hint, hint, wink, wink), or are just in the market for one, I recommend having TWO different ones: one for home that is stationary and plugs in, another for travel/on-the-go naps etc, that is (probably) smaller, portable, and battery-powered.
My pick for a stationary white noise machine: the Hatch Rest. I have the original Hatch Rest and can't say enough good things about it. It's easy to use, attractive looking, have not had any connectivity issues. Some people dislike the white noise tone of this machine, but to me it is perfectly fine. The Hatch is a bit of an investment, BUT it can be programmed to come on at different times, can be turned on or off via the app (not a deal breaker, but if you're anything like me sometimes you completely blank and forget to turn it on before you leave so it's nice to not have to go in to turn it on and risk overstimulating or exciting your child who is trying to fall asleep), and has different color settings to double as an "Okay to Wake" clock when your child is older. PLUS it has ZERO operational lights, which is huge for me, as it allows me to truly keep the room pitch black when I want to. The only downside of this machine is that it doesn't have a battery backup, so if the power goes off, so does the machine. Not the end of the world unless you regularly have power outages, but is a nice feature that the new model, the Rest+ 2nd Gen, apparently has for only a bit more money. If you're like me and willing to pay a little bit more for that peace of mind then I would go for it.
My pick for a portable sound machine: the Yogasleep Hushh. I have tried many portable sound machines and this one has been by far my favorite. It is easy to use (only 3 buttons), and will last all night on a single charge. Running light on this one is also minimal, a very dim amber that is hardly noticeable, and the volume level has a great range to accommodate many different environments. The two biggest sells on me for this one though are the child lock (so they can't alter any settings by pushing buttons), and impressive customer service. I had an issue with one of my machines (yes I have multiple of this one), and they replaced it within a couple days, no questions asked and no return required.
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