Although most parents swaddle their babies these days, it amazes me how few use white noise. White noise works miracles with fussy babies and is an amazingly powerful cue to boost baby sleep. This special sound is as important as swaddling. It’s a key tool in the Happiest Baby sleep approach…and it’s simple to do!

The sound needed to turn on the calming reflex when a baby is crying is a rough, rumbly whoosh noise that’s as loud as his crying. You can provide this sound simply by putting your mouth close to your baby’s ear and making a strong “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

 

Once your baby is calm, lower the level of your white noise to about the loudness of a shower (65-70 decibels) to keep the calming reflex on. 

And, to help your baby doze off easily and sleep soundly, white noise is a must. The best white noise for sleeping mimics the sound babies hear in the womb. 

As with swaddling, white noise should not be used 24 hours a day. You’ll want to play it to calm crying episodes and during naps and nighttime sleep (start the sound quietly in the background during your sleepy-time routine, to get your sweetie ready to glide into dreamland). 

After 3-4 months, the calming reflex will gradually disappear. But by then, your infant will be aware of the connection between white noise and the pleasure of sleep. “Oh yeah, I recognize that sound…now I’ll have nice sleep.” Many parents continue the white noise for years, but it’s simple to wean whenever you want. 

I prefer using CDs, mobile apps and MP3s of your baby’s beloved white noise rather than sound machines. A CD is easy to use in the car (to soothe crying) and helps your child maintain good sleep—and ignore disturbing odors and lights—while you’re on vacation or visiting Grandma and Grandpa. CDs and digital recordings also let you choose the exact sound and intensity that work best. 

Two cautions about smartphones: They release microwave radiation so you should always put yours on airplane mode when you place it near your baby. And telephone and computer speakers do not make the best sound for babies. They make a hissy/tinny noise, not the deep, rumbly sound that best mimics the womb.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.