What is it about certain sounds that help your baby to sleep?
Before they are born, babies can hear all sorts of sounds in the womb. The whooshing of a mother’s heartbeat, the sound of blood flow and even digestive noises. After they are used to these sounds, hearing silence for the first time can be very odd.
When we first brought my daughter home from the hospital after she was born, we brought her into the house and she became so unsettled. I think it was because that was the first time she had heard complete silence!
Through Lyra’s (my daughter’s) early stages, I tried a few different sounds to help soothe her. If you are looking for ideas to help your baby to sleep, here are a few nice sounds (and some examples!) to try.
White Noise/ Pink/ Brown Noise
My go-to when my daughter is sleeping. I have used white noise apps on my phone, sleep aid toys and a little white noise machine. I love that these options are all portable, and even when we go away, either to stay over at a family member’s house or away for a holiday, I can use these sounds to soothe my daughter. It can be really helpful in an unfamiliar place.
There are different types of white noise, such as pink noise and brown noise. These are all similar, but some contain lower frequencies so the sound sounds deeper. See which your baby prefers.
Household sounds
Our homes are full of appliances that create their own white noise. The familiarity of these domestic sounds can be very reassuring. Think of the gentle hum of the fan in hot weather, the rhythmic whirling of the washing machine or dish washer, or the sound of a Hoover downstairs. The sound of a running shower or tap can be very relaxing too. If your little one is napping downstairs at home, maybe the washing machine can soothe them to sleep!
Nature sounds
Sounds like the rain, rolling waves of the ocean, birdsong or sounds of the rainforest can be very calming. I really love using the sound of rolling waves with my daughter, this gentle sound can lull your little one into sleep.
Travel sounds
Modes of transport often come with their own white noise. The hum and whoosh that you hear inside a car or plane cabin can be calming. There is a reason babies often falls asleep in cars! Also the gentle rhythmic sound of a train track can also be pleasant to listen to as your little one drifts off.
Other sounds to help your baby sleep
There are a large range of soothing sounds to try. You could try classical music, or gentle shushing sounds can help at nap and bedtimes.
You can even purchase a Baby Shusher sound machine, that has a timer to help your little one sleep. I have the Fisher-Price Soothe ‘N Snuggle Otter which offers so many soothing sounds, and many of my friends swear by Ewan the Sleep Sheep who also features shushing, white noise and more.
It is a good idea to try a few different sounds or sleep aids to see what your baby likes best. And what you find soothing too- you never know, it could help you to drift off as well!
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