White noise: is it effective in putting babies to sleep?

The sound of a whale, a heartbeat, a vacuum cleaner or rain… They form what are called white noise when released at bedtime baby. For many, these noises which have a particular tonality would make it possible to rock baby and of help him fall asleep more easily. But is white noise really effective? What are the different types of white noise? Advice and advice from Anne Desgeorges, perinatal expert, lactation consultant in IBCLC lactation and baby sleep.

What is white noise?

White noise is a tone that combines all sound frequencies simultaneously. Its characteristic is a certain uniformity thanks to the superposition of these auditory frequencies. “White noise creates a kind of sound screen that prevents other louder, more occasional noises from penetrating and therefore disturbing baby“, explains Anne Desgeorges.

Is white noise effective in putting babies to sleep?

“White noise is not magic, but it is a very effective tool for new parents“, notes Anne Desgeorges. Indeed, white noise is known to help baby fall asleep masking other sounds. The receptors present in the inner ear of the child are not sensitive to the same frequencies: if they are activated at the same time by the white noise, the external sounds seem attenuated.

“White noises soothe many babies. They most likely recall the gentle hum of the womb where all the noises were perceived by the baby through the filter of the heartbeats of his mother and the other noises of his body (blood circulation and other noises such as digestion)”, she adds. When a baby falls asleep with white noise and if falling asleep was smooth, he will associate white noise with pleasure, the warmth of his mother or breastfeeding. Remember also, that each child is different, so it is not said that it works on all children.

“White noise is not magic, but it is a very effective tool.”

Is white noise safe for children?

Some scientific studies point to the dangers of using white noise in young children. A Canadian study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto and published in 2014 in the review Pediatricspointed out in particular that some boxes and other white noise fluff broadcast too loud sounds that can “harm to infant hearing and auditory development”.

Another survey, conducted by California researchers on patients suffering from tinnitus and published in 2018 in the scientific journal JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surghas shown that the diffusion of white noise over the long term can damage “the functional and structural integrity of the central auditory system and the brain in general”.

What are the different types of white noise?

There are different types of white noise. Most of the time these are natural noiseslike the rain, the lapping of a river, the wind in the trees or the sound of a simple conversation.

Vacuum

THE sound of a vacuum cleaner running is appreciated by some babies, because they would have heard it in utero and assimilate it to a soothing sound.

Heart

THE sound of a working heart refers for the child to the heartbeats of his mother that he heard before his birth, in the womb. He would associate it with a reassuring sound.

Whale

There whale as an animal emits a relaxing sound for baby, which reminds him once again of his in-utero life.

Vague

THE sound of the waves of the sea would tend to rock baby, and would above all be a natural sound that does not attack the child’s hearing.

Which white noise to choose to put baby to sleep?

To choose the right white noise for baby, it is necessary to test several white noises if your child is struggling to sleep. Every child is unique and while a source of white noise works for one baby, it may annoy another. You have the choice between the sound of a heartbeat, vacuum cleaner, raindrops, sea wavesetc.

If he does not support any, abandon the experiment or renew it a few weeks later. “Attention, white noise should be as soft as the sound of a shower if you are in the next room. Your baby shouldn’t feel like they’re on the edge of an airstrip all night. Remember that every baby has a different level of sensitivity to outside stimuli like noise. You can play with the choice of white noise, the sound level, and where you place the white noise source“, advises Anne Desgeorges.

What stuffed animals emit white noise?

In trade, different musical stuffed animals offer soothing sounds and white noises to help baby fall asleep. Among those that are famous, there is the white noise soft toy Whale Moby of the Flow brand, the white noise soft toy Liva The goose of Flow Amsterdam, the Beluga soft toy from Pabobo or even the Tommee Tippee sleep aid owl soft toy.

What are pink noises for babies?

Pink noises are white noises with a lower intensity. and higher frequency. They combine several sounds like the beating of the heart and a noise of conversation or a fan. These are richer, deeper and not too high-pitched sounds like the sound of the waves, the wind in the trees, the rain embellished with an “Um”.

“Two studies, one Chinese and the other German, have shown that in adults, pink noises improved sleep quality and deep sleep in particular and facilitated memorization. We can therefore deduce that in addition to creating a sound screen, pink noises soothe the brain, relax and improve the quality of sleep”concludes Anne Desgeorges.

Thanks to Anne Desgeorges, perinatal expert, consultant in IBCLC lactation and baby sleep.