Make some noise for the Desi kids…

This post is also available in: English हिन्दी (Hindi) বাংলা (Bengali)

If you’ve read our previous blog –Want to regularise your baby’s sleep? Let light be the savior, you know how light aid in your baby’s sleeping habits. Here’s how sound can turn your night owl into a sparrow (see how sleep deprivation limits our creativity. Just couldn’t think of a better bird.)

We all love the sound of the sea or any calming music because it helps us relax and slip into a peaceful night’s sleep, but when it comes to your baby it’s actually white noise that gets them to sleep. Yes, certain kinds of noise can induce sleep in babies.

What is white noise? How can it help your baby sleep faster and better?

Noise that is white in colour. (Sorry for the PJ but you deserve to let your hair down often!).

When you want to make your baby sleep, you ensure that your room is as sound-proof as possible because a quiet room is ideal for being able to fall asleep easily. But this is not true when it comes to your little one.

Dr Karp explains in an article in The Huffington Post – that babies are used to the loud whoosh of blood flowing through the placenta, which is noisier than a vacuum cleaner. Therefore, some loud noises are used to make babies feel at home (womb) and sleep faster.

How to soothe your baby with white noise?

1. Go shushing.
   Mimicking the continual whooshing sound of a liquid flowing is called shushing and this is a long-known method of calming an anxious baby – especially when combined with a gentle swinging movement.
2. YouTube has it all!
   Go to YouTube and you’ll end up with some good white noise videos online. Plus, there are CDs and smartphone apps available, especially for our smart mums who are always on the go.
3. No need for an electrician.
   The constant whooshing sound of a fan is a good background noise that can aid your baby’s sleep.

The above sounds calm the babies and help them drift off. More ideas? Try using a hair dryer, take a car ride or go to a noisy party and see your baby dozing off.

Pros and cons of using white noise to induce your baby’s sleep.

Although white noise is a magic pill (no we aren’t talking about losing weight here) for your baby’s sleep; excessive white noise can harm a baby’s sensitive hearing, so it’s best to do some research into how often to play it and at what volume. Also, some babies don’t like white noise. Don’t force it. Experiment and see what suits your baby.

Pros:

• White noise aids sleep.
• It’s comforting as it mimics the loud sound of the blood rushing.
• It’s the easiest and most natural way to make your baby sleep.

Cons:

• Very high volumes and overexposure to such noise can lead to hearing problems in your baby.
• Your baby may form a habit and he may not sleep without white noise.

So do try and see what works best. And for mommies who don’t like the loud stuff, put on those cute pink earmuffs you got last year. Others, have fun!

This post is also available in: English हिन्दी (Hindi) বাংলা (Bengali)