White noise, done safely

Medically-informed · Sources: CDC · Updated June 2026 · 3 min read

Why it works

The womb was loud — a constant whoosh louder than a vacuum cleaner. Steady noise recreates the familiar sound floor and masks household spikes that startle a light sleeper.

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The two safety dials

Volume and distance: keep the machine across the room (not in or on the crib) and the level moderate — around the loudness of a soft shower, not a hair dryer. If you have to raise your voice over it, it's too loud.

Is this normal for your baby?

FirstWeeks answers with your baby’s age and today’s log in mind — with pediatric sources attached.

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Continuous beats clever

Plain steady noise through the sleep period commonly works better than sounds that shift or stop — the change itself can wake a baby surfacing between cycles.

Not a dependency to fear

Needing noise to sleep isn't a character flaw or a trap: it's a portable, cheap sleep association — far easier to travel with than most alternatives. Wean later by lowering volume gradually, if you ever care to.

What noise doesn't fix

Hunger, an overtired baby or the 5 PM witching hour. It's a background helper, not a sleep strategy on its own.