One of the biggest challenges for parents is guaranteeing undisturbed sleep for their little ones. If your little one never seems to completely relax when sleeping, we suggest you try out the best white noise machine for baby to help them stay calm. In this article, we will tell you how beneficial white noise is for infants and share six sound machines you can get today.
Image source: soundproofliving.com
White noise is the noise made when all frequencies of sound are played together and in equal measure. White noise, also called broadband noise, can mask other sounds in a space, especially when you use the best sound machine. This study shows white noise can help induce sleep in irritated babies. It does so in two ways.
Firstly, white noise imitates the sounds they hear in the womb as their ears develop. Sound travels clearly in open space, and since the amniotic fluid surrounds your baby in the womb, the sounds they hear are muffled. This muffling, as also done by the white noise machine, is what infants are naturally used to and the main reason the white noise machines help babies relax.
Secondly, white noise machines prevent your baby from being woken up by sudden or irritating noises. As a result, your little one can sleep for longer hours while you finish other tasks without worrying about waking them. A white noise machine eliminates the need to go to extreme measures like soundproofing walls and windows in the nursery.
Image source: kidspot.com.au
But, while the machines are so good, you still have to be careful where you place them and how long you expose your baby to the white noise. While the soothing is good, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you ensure the sound machine plays soothing sounds lower than 50dB.
In addition, it is also best to keep the machine at least 7 feet away from the baby to prevent damaging their hearing. Not sure how to measure the decibels? You can use the NIOSH Sound Level Meter (SLM) app to keep the white noise levels safe.
Here are the best white noise baby sound machines to use today.
Rank | Product Image | Brand Name | Link |
---|---|---|---|
1 | |||
2 | |||
3 | |||
4 | |||
5 | |||
6 |
1. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine
- All-In-One: Rest combines night light, sound machine, and...
- Soothing Sounds: 11 crystal clear, high quality sounds including...
- Custom Colors: Set the mood with custom hues. Colors help teach...
- Grows with Your Child: Soft light and white noise for newborn...
- Easy to Use: Program to turn on and off automatically, tap the...
We recommend this smart and portable sound machine if you want to relax and train your restless baby. We especially love that your baby can grow with it from infancy to school-going days. In addition, we recommend it for ease of use, remote control, and minimalistic appeal.
When you just welcomed your baby into this world, you can use this machine to play them soothing sounds that replicate their experience in the womb. It is equipped with the most crystal clear white noise that will not only relax your little one but will also mask unwanted noises that would make it hard for an infant to sleep. In addition to the white noise feature, this machine can play 10 other soothing sounds, including nature sounds like birds, rain, wind, and ocean waves.
Image source: hatch Baby
We also give this machine extra points for being equipped with custom colors to improve your baby's nursery's ambiance for better relaxation. You can use this machine to create soft night light when feeding or changing diapers, thus guaranteeing the best comfort for your baby while they sleep.
We found this white noise machine easy to use and control, especially when paired with the Hatch Sleep smartphone app. You can easily adjust the color, sound, volume, and brightness settings remotely, so you don't have to tiptoe around your sleeping baby. This machine is also a reliable alarm clock.
Pros:
Cons:
2. Yogasleep Hushh Portable White Noise Machine for Baby
- EFFECTIVELY MASKS NOISE: Beloved by generations since 1962,...
- 3 SOOTHING SOUNDS & NIGHT LIGHT: Choose from bright white noise,...
- COMPACT & PORTABLE: At just 3.5" in diameter and 3.8 ounces,...
- SIMPLE TO USE & CHILD SAFE: Forget batteries and electrical...
Marpac is one of the best brands you can buy the best white noise machine for a baby from, so it is no surprise we include this YogaSleep Dohm machine in this list. We recommend this machine for its impeccable features, including three soothing sounds, color options, and portability.
Image source: Marpac
The YogaSleep Hushh baby sound machine has three soothing noises and a night light. You can choose between deep white noise, bright white noise, and gentle surf. If you need to change your baby at night, we found the night light quite the lifesaver, especially for a light sleeper baby. Unlike the first machine on our list, this model is easy to use, and you won't need an app to control most features. It has buttons on the side to turn on and off, adjust volume, and pick the best white noise sound.
We also love how compact this machine is and would recommend it if you travel quite a lot with your baby. It measures about 3.5mm in diameter while weighing less than 4 ounces. As such, the machine will fit perfectly into your baby bag, so you can be sure your baby will relax in any new environment. The baby-safe machine also comes with a USB cable for charging.
Pros:
Cons:
3. Yachance White Noise Machine for Baby
- 【MULTI-FUNCTIONAL】YACHANCE night light projector is a...
- 【EASY TO USE】You can use the remote control remotely to turn...
- 【PROMOTES A HEALTHY DEEP SLEEP】This baby night light and...
- 【ADDS A VARIETY OF FUN TO YOUR LIVING SPACE】The high-power...
- 【GENTLE EYE CARE NIGHT LIGHT】There are three night lights at...
While white noise sounds can soothe any irritable baby, the power is doubled when you can also distract your baby with soothing visuals. We recommend this beautiful Yachance machine for the extra projector feature that displays a dreamy starry sky on the ceiling. The artificial sky is sure to catch your baby's attention while the white noise sounds work wonders to soothe them to peaceful sleep.
image source: Yanchance
The machine has a remote control that allows you to pick the best settings for your baby. These include power, timer, sound, color, brightness, volume, and projector rotation. Unlike other best white noise machines from other brands that set timers up to 120 minutes, this Yachance can stay on for up to 995 minutes, thus long enough to soothe your baby all night.
We also love this machine's 128GB memory card that allows you to add your baby's favorite sounds and lullabies. So, if your baby does not necessarily enjoy white noise and other natural sounds the machine comes equipped with, you can add their favorite music.
Pros:
Cons:
4. Jack & Rose White Noise Machine
- WHITE NOISE MACHINE BABY: With its fetal heartbeat sound, our...
- 16 HIFI SOOTHING SOUNDS: Imagine a trip through the forest on a...
- SLEEP MACHINE: Our sleep sound machine provides you with colorful...
- TIMER AND MEMORY FUNCTION: The sleep sound machine can play...
- TURN YOUR BEDROOM INTO A SLEEP SANCTUARY: This thoughtful white...
Our next recommendation is the Jack & Rose sound machine equipped with four white noises and other calming sounds to help your baby relax for good sleep. We especially love the color options you can choose from with this machine. It is equipped with seven warm colors that transform your baby's room ambiance to induce calm and better sleep.
Image source: Jack & Rose
In addition to the colors, the machine also comes with a timer and memory function. The timer allows you to leave it on for up to 120 minutes while the memory function plays the last soothing sounds you had selected. It is also easy to operate, with buttons at the top for selecting sounds, volume, timer, and brightness.
With a selection of white noises, lullabies, nature sounds, and heartbeat sounds, it is the best portable sound machine to keep your baby relaxed while also masking disturbing background noise.
Pros:
Cons:
5. MyBaby SoundSpa White Noise Machine for Babies
- 6 Soothing Sounds: Choose from 6 relaxing sounds: Heartbeat,...
- Compact & Portable: With a small and lightweight design, it...
- Help Baby Sleep & Relax: Soothing sounds that mimic the natural...
- Auto-Off Timer: The timer features 3 options: 15, 30, or 60...
- What’s in the Box: (1) MyBaby SoundSpa Portable White Noise...
Are you looking for a sound machine you can easily pack in your baby's diaper bag when traveling? If so, we have found you the best option in this MyBaby adorable baby sound machine. Besides the compact size, we also love the machine's sound selections, ease of use, and sound quality.
Image source: MyBaby
The machine has 6 soothing sounds, including white noise, heartbeat sound, cradle sound, and soothing natural sounds. Its easy-to-use buttons also allow you to pick the sounds and set volume and timers so your baby can stay sleeping longer. For example, you can set the timer to up to an hour.
Unlike the other white noise machines above, you can choose to plug this machine into an AC outlet or use four AA batteries to power it. The latter makes it your best travel companion.
Pros:
Cons:
6. Munchkin Sound Machine
- Sound and image system designed to calm and delight
- Projects fun pictures and plays soothing music and sounds with...
- 3 ambient sounds: Heartbeat, Ocean, White Noise, 2 lullabies...
- 3 image cartridges: Soothing Seas, Calming Rainforest, Sleepy Sky
- Uses a power adapter for extended use - no batteries to change
Our last baby sound machine recommendation is from the popular baby brand Munchkin. We love that this machine is easy to use, comes with a nightlight and projector, and has a wide selection of sound and visual options.
Image source: Munchkin
The machine has different sounds, including white noise, heartbeat, and nature sounds. In addition, it also plays soothing lullabies like twinkle twinkle, hush little baby, and rock-a-bye. Besides sounds, we love the visual image system that will help you choose between a sleepy starry sky, rainforest, and soothing sea.
The machine also comes with a soothing night light plus a timer feature you can set for up to 60 minutes. Unfortunately, it is not battery-powered, so it can be limiting when you want to use it when traveling.
Pros:
Cons:
What to Look for In the Best White Noise Machine for a Baby
A baby sound machine has many benefits for babies and parents. For instance, when it helps your baby fall and stay asleep longer, you also get extra time to finish some tasks or get a few winks as well. The benefits indicate the need to choose the best features when buying a baby white noise machine. These include;
- Good sound selection. When buying a machine, understand that not all babies will love white noise. So, it is always safer to look for extra sounds like lullabies, heartbeat sounds, and natural sounds you can also play to your little one.
- Night lights. As many parents can admit, most babies are light sleepers, and any sudden movement or light change will have them wailing in no time. So, buy a sound machine with a soothing night light feature you can also use as you check up on your baby without waking them.
- Projector. A projector feature displays calming imagery on walls and ceilings to catch the attention of a sleepy baby. When buying, look for this feature as it can also help your baby fall asleep faster. A projector feature is especially good in a dark room, so you can use it with blackout curtains.
- Timer. If you want to train your baby to fall asleep on their own, a sound machine with a timer might ease the learning process. We recommend you find a machine with a timer that lasts at least 30 minutes.
- Continuous play. As seen from our recommendations above, it is best to get a sound machine with an extensive library of sounds. As you do so, we also recommend looking for a machine that plays selected sounds continuously, so you don't have to keep selecting tracks manually.
When to Use Baby White Noise Machines
White noise sound machines can help your baby fall and stay asleep longer because the sound is monotonous and also masks sudden loud noises. So, you can turn it on near your baby to help them relax and fall asleep faster.
You can also use a sound machine when your little one is crying. Since you want the machine to be calming, we recommend you turn its volume up to match your baby's cries and gradually lower it as she calms down and falls asleep.
That said, you will still need to be careful not to overly rely on sound machines whenever your little one cries or has to sleep.
We recommend using white noise machines when your little one is struggling to calm down or sleep. Not using the machine always allows your baby to get used to the customary sounds in and around your home. In addition, different sounds are educational to babies, so exposure even during sleep will help your little one adjust to daily routines.
Featured image source: wavehello.com