Parents often ask if white noise is ok to help a baby get to sleep.
What is white noise and how could it help?
- White noise is ‘a constant background noise’ or ‘one that drowns out other sounds’. It can be gentle shushing, quiet singing, using an app or device with calming sounds or just general household buzz.
- Researchers found newborn babies exposed to white noise were more likely to fall asleep quickly. Babies who did not settle, did settle after a feed.
- Even with white noise, a baby is unlikely to fall asleep if they are still hungry. They will likely still wake for a feed if the white noise continues overnight.
- A study of babies with colic reported a decrease in crying when white noise was played.
- These findings show some evidence to support the use of white noise.
Can White Noise Help?
Red Nose does not endorse specific settling techniques. However, the limited evidence suggests this may help some babies and Red Nose considers there are no known risks in using white noise.
Each baby is unique and some respond to certain sounds better than others, or they may also find it annoying and not settle with it. The research suggests there is ‘no harm in trying’.
Remember, babies can get used to any settling technique and may only settle with these.
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