🌧️ Using white noise for baby sleep

Keep it simple

• A sound machine or downloaded recording can work; expensive equipment is not necessary.
• Keep devices and cords outside baby's sleep space and beyond reach. Avoid tracks with adverts or sudden volume changes.

Try it safely

1. 1. Check baby's needs first

   Check hunger, the diaper, temperature and signs of illness before trying sound. White noise is not a treatment for persistent crying or a substitute for responding.

2. 2. Choose a steady recording

   Try soft rain or a gentle, even hum. Do not run a hairdryer, vacuum or vehicle as a sleep aid; recordings avoid unnecessary heat and other hazards.

3. 3. Keep sound low and distant

   Use the lowest useful volume and position the source as far from the crib as practical, preferably at least two metres away. Do not place a speaker beside baby's head. A phone sound-meter app cannot guarantee a safe exposure.

4. 4. Limit exposure

   Use a timer or switch the sound off once baby settles rather than running it loudly all night. If it does not help, stop. A familiar routine is not a parenting failure, and you can reduce the sound gradually if you want.

5. 5. Keep the sleep space safe

   Place baby on their back on a flat, firm surface in their own clear crib, in your room for at least six months. Keep pillows, blankets and toys out; white noise does not make bedsharing or sofa sleep safe.

Same topic

• 🥱 Spotting your baby's tired cues
• 🧸 Setting up a bedtime routine
• 🌙 Dressing baby for sleep: the TOG guide

Read next

• 😴 Safe sleep for baby: reducing SIDS risk