Before you buy another swaddle, read this.
Let's be honest: when you're preparing for a baby, you do not need more stuff. You have been gifted seventeen muslin cloths, a nappy bin that costs more than your first car, and a baby monitor with HD camera and two-way audio, to watch the tiny person who is very much not sleeping. And yet, there's one thing that somehow escapes the new parent radar, gets overlooked at baby showers, and doesn't get nearly enough credit.
I discovered white noise the way most parents discover anything useful, at 3 am, desperate, googling with one thumb while rocking a shrieking infant with the other arm. Within two nights of using one, our baby was sleeping in longer stretches. I'm not saying it was a miracle. But I'm not NOT saying that either.
What Is White Noise, and Why Does It Work?
White noise is a consistent, steady sound that masks other noises, such as traffic, a sibling's tantrum, and the dog barking at a leaf. But for babies, it's more than just a sound buffer. In the womb, your baby was surrounded by a constant whooshing: blood flow, your heartbeat, the muffled sounds of the outside world. The world outside the womb is, by comparison, startlingly quiet and unpredictable. White noise bridges that gap.
Research backs this up. A study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that 80% of newborns fell asleep within five minutes when white noise was played, compared to only 25% in the control group (available via the National Library of Medicine). More recent research also suggests that consistent background sound can help regulate sleep cycles and reduce night wakings. This is further supported by guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which highlights the importance of consistent sleep environments in promoting healthy sleep habits for infants and young children.
The Science of Sleep Cycles
Here's something nobody tells you in antenatal class: babies spend about 50% of their sleep time in active (light) sleep, compared to 20–25% in adults. That means they rouse easily and frequently, which means you rouse easily and frequently. White noise helps mask the environmental sounds that can pull them from light sleep into full wakefulness. Think of it as a soft acoustic cocoon around their nap.
What to Look for When Buying One
A good white noise machine should have multiple sound options (pure white noise, pink noise, rain, ocean), adjustable volume, a timer or continuous play mode, and, crucially, portability. You will want to take it everywhere. The nap success rate on holiday or at the grandparents' house goes up considerably when you're not relying on environmental silence.
Look for a dedicated device rather than a phone app if you can; apps get interrupted by notifications, drain your battery, and mean your phone is stuck in the nursery. A standalone machine also means the sound is consistent and you're not tempted to scroll while the baby sleeps.
Tips for Using White Noise Well
Start from day one if you can; the earlier a baby associates the sound with sleep, the stronger that cue becomes. Use it consistently, every sleep, every nap. Position the machine near the cot, but not directly beside the baby's head; under or beside the cot is fine. Keep it at around 50–60 decibels, roughly the level of a gentle shower.
When you're ready to wean off it (if you ever are, honestly, plenty of families use white noise for years), do it gradually. Reduce volume over several weeks rather than going cold turkey. Baby's brain has formed a strong association, and you want to gently unravel it.
Read Also: How to Get Baby to Sleep Longer Stretches
The Bottom Line
If someone had told me before my first baby that a small device playing a gentle whooshing sound would be responsible for getting us all more sleep, I would have bought twelve. Save yourself the sleep-deprived googling and get one before the baby arrives. Your future well-rested self will thank you.
For parents looking to create a more comfortable and secure sleep setup, Proactive Baby keeps babies’ care in mind by offering thoughtfully designed sleep products. You can explore options like the Portable Newborn/Infant Baby Sleep Bed and Portable Baby Lounger.
