Google “Best White Noise Machine” and get ready for seemingly limitless scrolling! With so many options for white noise machines, it can be hard to know where to start, or what you really need. You might be tempted to simply buy a white noise machine for your best friend’s registered baby, or a white noise machine that wins first place on Amazon, but it’s best to figure out which white noise machine is right for your baby, toddler, or older child who really needs help ensuring a restful night’s sleep. Need help? Read on!
White Noise Machine Essentials: True White Noise
Surprise: most white noise machines don’t actually provide the low, rumbling white noise that babies need to sleep! Conversely, many baby audio machines are filled with so-called “sleep sounds,” such as the crashing of ocean waves, birdsong, and heartbeats, which are not only not white noise, but also do not work for sleep. White noise needs to be constant, monotonous, and low in order to turn on your baby’s natural calming reflex, which is their innate “off switch” for irritability and “off switch” for sleep. The best white noise machines for babies can mimic the loud rumble they hear when they’re nine months in the womb.
White Noise Machines Must: Portability
Like the half-bathroom next to the kitchen, portability is not a “must” for a white noise machine… But it really is “great to have!” “If you think you might want to use your baby’s white noise machine for feeding at home, in a car, or for a quick trip, look for a lightweight white noise machine that is rechargeable and portable.
White Noise Machine Essentials: Volume Control
The white noise machine should be loud enough to mask outside noises (such as the noise of a passing truck that can disrupt sleep), but not so loud that it can damage the hearing of your baby, toddler, or older child. This means that even if you turn the white noise machine to its maximum volume, your little one’s ears are still safe. If you’re buying a portable white noise machine, it’s wise to look for one that will automatically lower the volume when removed from the charging dock. This further ensures that the white noise machine is never too loud for small ears.
White Noise Machine Essentials: Sound Diversity
White noise, which promotes sleep, is slightly different from white noise, which helps calm irritability. The ideal white noise machine for babies has two types of white noise. Babies who are ready for a nap or in the dead of night respond well to gentle, but rumbling, white noise that mimics the sounds of the womb… But crying, restless babies need more energetic, rough, and slightly harsh white noise to stimulate their calm reflexes. For example, “Rain on the Roof” is great for sleeping, while “Quick and Forceful” helps calm irritability. In addition to having the right white noise, it’s also important to have other sound options that allow you to play peacefully or relax a bit. For example, fast and powerful white noise, the sound of rain, the sound of a hair dryer, the rumbling of a train, and two boos.
White Noise Machine Essentials: Night Light Option
Every parent loves a two-in-one baby or toddler gadget to save money and reduce clutter, so it’s wise to look for a white noise machine that doubles as a night light. The night light allows you to check on your child secretly without having to turn on any bright lights that interfere with sleep. In addition, many toddlers and older children feel safer when they wake up at <> a.m. if they can see familiar surroundings… And not just the terrible dark abyss!
White Noise Machines Must: Easy to Use
Parents have enough to do during their baby’s bedtime. Figuring out that a complex white noise machine shouldn’t be one of them! Buy a white noise machine that is intuitive and easy to use.
The White Noise Machine Must Be: A Feature That Grows with Me
The combination of a night light with a white noise machine is great… But if noise and light work together, so much the better. For example, some of the best white noise machines for babies and kids allow you to use light and sound to create bedtime, wake-up time, and more. For example, you can schedule a 30-minute relaxation routine with your child’s favorite lullabies and colored lights.
White Noise Machines Must: Beautiful
Many of the white noise machines look like walkie-talkies or glowing space domes of yesteryear… If that’s what you want to look like, that’s totally fine! But the truth is that an effective white noise machine is only effective when it is in use. If your white noise machine is an eyesore, you probably won’t use it as much as you should. If you think this might be your case, choose a white noise machine that suits your style or, better yet, a machine that will be able to talk directly to your child, with a fun design that they will love to watch.