Getting your baby to sleep can become quite a task. Especially if it’s your first baby. Newborns come in our lives with joy and new hope at the cost of many sleepless nights. We think all parents have experienced this.
Having the same trouble of getting your child to sleep, you’ve probably searched all over the internet to find a solution and came across the term “White Noise for Baby”. For most parents, the first question that comes to mind after learning about white noise is “How loud should white noise be for a baby?”
Here, we will try to answer that and provide some other white noise-related information that you might want to know.
In short, the safest volume for playing white noise is 50dB.
But it’s not as simple as turning on your white noise machine and hoping for the best. Some methods need to be followed to ensure your child’s safety. So it’s recommended that you read through the whole article.
Let’s begin.
What is White Noise?
White noise is a sound composed of many frequencies of equal intensities. White noises are commonly used in music production.
But white noise has various other uses as well. They can be used for inducing relaxation, helping with sleep. They can even be used for boosting concentration in a noisy workplace. If you are searching for the white noise machines, you can read our tested best white noise machines article.
Watch this video to know a little bit more about it.
Related Article: Best White Noise Machines
How White Noise Works?
When we sleep we are at our most vulnerable state. So, it’s obvious we want to feel safe before we sleep. And familiarity is one of the pillars of feeling safe. An environment that is familiar and consistent will always feel safe.
And that is what white noise does. It masks all the different types of noises all around us like dogs barking outside, the ticking of clocks, movement of branches and consistently provide a singular set of looping sounds that follow a distinct pattern. This prevents distraction and relaxes the mind which helps with sleep.
It’s kind of like hypnosis. Where a person is continuously subjected to a specific stimulus over and over again until the person falls into a deep sleep. So, repetitive patterns cause familiarity, familiarity causes relaxation and relaxation to induce drowsiness or sleep.
How Loud Should White Noise for Baby?
A simple answer would be about 50dB or less. But it’s not just about volume. Duration and situation should also be considered.
If your baby is already calm and relaxed then put the white noise machine as far away from the baby as possible. Now turn the volume to 50 dB or less. Try experimenting a little bit. Set the volume to lower settings and see if that is enough to help your baby sleep. If it works, use the same volume in future sleep sessions. If not, then increase the volume little by little until you find the perfect volume.
Don’t keep playing it for prolonged periods. This can damage your baby’s ears. Just wait until he/she falls asleep and then turns it off immediately.
If your baby is throwing a tantrum don’t shy away from increasing the volume above what is recommended. Babies cry at a volume of 100 dB. This is enough to drive you deaf as 85 dB is considered harmful for an adult. So the crying is even worse for your baby.
In this situation, raise the volume to the same level as your child’s cries. This will eventually calm them down. Lower the volume as your baby calms down. Then wait until the baby finally dozes off and pushes the off switch.
Benefits of Using White Noise for Baby
There are many benefits to using white noise. Some of them are given below:
- Allow better sleep.
- Relaxes your baby during tantrums.
- Undisturbed sleep.
- You don’t need to think about making too much noise in the house.
- Helpful for babies in noisy households.
Negative Effects of Using White Noise
White noise is excellent for babies to help them sleep. But everything has a downside. And so do white noise. Most of the negatives of white noise can be prevented just by being careful. So, knowing them is very important if you’re interested in using it.
- Too much loudness can cause hearing problems.
- Babies can become dependent on them for sleeping.
- May be irritating for some babies.
- Some white noise machines are too loud.
Cautions! While Using White Noise
White noise, if used correctly is relatively safe for babies. But you should stay cautious and look out for a few things while using white noise.
Make Sure it’s not too loud
Not only won’t help your child sleep but also it may cause irreversible damage to their fragile ears. Under normal circumstances, you shouldn’t go above 50 dB.
Keep the White Noise Machine as far Away as Possible
Sounds coming from a speaker too close may seem too harsh for the baby. So keeping them a bit far away is preferable.
Play as Quietly as Possible. The Main Objective is to Relax Your Kid
Playing loud is not going to achieve that. So try choosing the lowest volume that works for your baby.
Your Baby May Become Dependent on White Noise to Fall Asleep
So, try using it as a last resort in days of extra stubbornness. Allow your baby to be able to fall asleep naturally. Sing a lullaby or try rocking the baby to sleep. But a little white noise from time to time is alright. Some Babies May do
Some Babies May not Benefit from a White Noise Machine
Each baby has its own personality, likes, and dislikes. So what works for other babies may not work for yours. So pay attention to how your baby reacts to white noise and whether it’s helping him/her sleep.
Final Words
White noise is great for mothers who are having trouble getting their babies to fall asleep. Yes, you might have some doubts about their effect on your child’s health. But if you’re using them properly and responsibly you don’t need to worry about a thing. And we sincerely hope this article will help you in that regard.
