Something that all parents can relate to is navigating sleep, or lack thereof, with a newborn or infant. Having the right tools to soothe your little one, like calming music or white noise, can make navigating bedtime routines a bit more seamless. Make your baby’s sleep even more dreamy by coupling some soothing sounds with Dreamland’s Weighted Swaddle. Your baby will feel safe and snug in their gently weighted swaddle helping them drift to sleep faster and longer to the sound of calming sounds.
How do soothing sounds impact baby sleep and development?
With quality sleep being an important part of baby development, you may be looking for ways to help soothe your baby to ensure a good night’s rest. Soothing music and sounds have the ability to lower stress levels which can improve overall mood and even result in better sleep. This is why many parents incorporate soothing sounds or white noise at bedtime. Here are just a few ways soothing sounds can impact baby sleep and development:
- Soothing sounds help calm babies - While perfect for bedtime, the ability for soothing music to calm babies can be used throughout any point of the day. Babies can often become overstimulated as they adjust to their new surroundings that are much more stimulating than the womb. Playing some soft music or calming tunes can help prevent overstimulation or soothe a baby who is stressed.
- Aids in cognitive development & language development skills - Music can help aid in cognitive development for babies, boosting brain capabilities for things like understanding languages, recognizing patterns, and much more.
- Emotional development - Music not only has the ability to help babies manage their own emotions, it can help babies create connections and bonds with those around them.
- Helps babies fall asleep faster - Transitioning from play time to sleep can be challenging for babies who have yet learned how to self soothe. Playing white noise or soft music can help your baby relax and transition to a sound night of sleep.
How do you introduce music and noise to a baby?
With benefits proven from research that music can improve both physical and mental health, you may be wondering how early you can introduce the joy of music to your baby. The answer is, it’s never too late to start and you can start doing so as early as pregnancy to enhance the benefits for baby development. Play some of your favorite music while going about your day or set aside some time to relax with soothing music at bedtime during your pregnancy.
For newborns and babies, there are plenty of ways to introduce music to start enhancing development and overall mood, for parents too. Singing to children, listening to fun music at play time, or incorporating white noise at night are all ways to begin introducing your baby to music. For sleep time, consider a white noise or brown noise option that can soon become a baby’s cue for it being time for sleep.
How loud should white noise be?
When it comes to gauging how loud white noise should be it’s important to err on the side of caution. Always keep in mind that the white noise or music won’t be soothing to your baby if it is actually too loud. Not to mention, loud noises can actually be dangerous for babies with prolonged exposure. It is recommended that white noise machines should not exceed 50 decibels should be placed 200 m (7 feet) away from a crib.
While safety is top priority, keep in mind that a noise machine that is whisper quiet may not provide the benefits you are looking for. White noise is intended to drown out other noises, and won’t be able to do so if it is at too low of a volume.
What type of white noise is best for babies?
When it comes to choosing white noise for your baby, it can feel overwhelming with the amount of machines, apps, and other tools out there for soothing sounds. Know that it may take some trial and error to see what helps soothe your baby the best. To decide what to play for sleep time, it is important to avoid noises that are high pitched. Rather, try low pitched noises, such as rain sounds on a roof, as they mimic the lulling noise that they are familiar with from the womb. Low pitched noises are what will help soothe a baby into a sound night of sleep.
What are the pros and cons of using sounds for baby sleep?
As we have mentioned, sleep is an important part of baby development. Not to mention, one of the biggest challenges new parents face is the lack of sleep that they experience, especially with a baby who is having trouble sleeping. When thinking about using sounds for sleep aids, you may be wondering if there are any downsides to this parenting tool. Here are some of a few of the pros and cons of using sounds for baby sleep:Pros:
- Soothing sounds can have a calming effect to help your baby get to sleep.
- Sounds for baby sleep can help drown out noise in the house, meaning you can go about your evening routine with the older children without disrupting your sleeping baby.
Cons:
- Without caution, white noise machines can be played too loudly for babies. Be sure to do your research in finding the right machine or volume setting for your baby’s developing ears.
- Your baby may not respond well to the noises. It can be discouraging to find that certain sounds do not offer your baby the comfort you’d hoped. Be patient as you explore safely some of the sounds or other options to make sleep time more comforting.
Conclusion
When seeking sleep solutions for babies, white noise or soothing sounds may come to mind. The physiological response humans have from music can leave us more relaxed and left in a happier mood. So why not use these calming benefits to our advantage when it comes to putting a baby to sleep?
Music can have the same calming effect for babies and can be beneficial for development too. When choosing sleep for night time, it’s important to choose low toned and calming noises. This can be referred to as white noise, and mimics sounds similar to when your newborn felt safe and secure in the womb. For the ultimate sound sleep combination, your baby will benefit from a gently weighted sleep sack to help them get to sleep soundly. Dreamland’s gently weighted sleep aid products including sleep sacks and swaddles, can be a great addition to those soothing sounds to help your family get some much needed and deserved rest.
