Sleep like a baby- Get a sound machine
If you really want to sleep like a baby, you need to create the environment to help promote good sleep. When your baby was sleeping like a champ in your belly, your baby heard your voice, your heart pumping blood through your veins, the water swooshing around, so it was not a quiet place. Quiet can actually cause our babies to be alarmed and here all of the little things like brother or sister playing, the garbage trucks, cars outside, the birds chirping. The white noise from a sound machine can be a positive sleep association to let your baby or older child know it is still sleep time.
Before you make a purchase, here are some things to consider when selecting a sound machine to help you get good sleep all night:
- Can it plug in?
- Can it be portable so you can take it with you when you travel?
- Can you adjust the volume?
- Can you leave it on ALL night?
There are some sound machines or items that have white noise on them for a limited time which is usually 45 minutes. The downfall of a sound machine that turns off is that typically children need the sound machine in the early morning hours around 3am. It is also very helpful during naptimes to muffle out the extra daytime sounds. Most children already wake after a 45 minute nap and we really want them to get the benefits of a restorative nap that lasts at least 90 minutes, if not longer so they can get at least two sleep windows.
We use the Homedics My Baby Sound Spa Lullaby Sound Machine and Projector, 1.68 Pounds and it has been wonderful. It does have a light feature, which we used for a short time, but I would discourage it because it can become an unnecessary sleep crutch. From our experience the boys were using it and the light burned out which did not make for a good night of sleep. We use ours for sound only and it is located in the hall way so it blocks out noise for all rooms and helps create that sleepy environment. I have coached my children that when they hear the sound machine on, that it is a quiet zone.
Although this is the one we have I have found the families that I work with also like and use the
There are a lot of different products out there. You can review some other choices here on the Bump. Do you use a sound machine for sleep? Which one do you have?
We have used several, but the most durable we have found is the Sharper Image brand. I like their Travel Sleep Sound Machine. It has an AC power adapter and can also run on batteries (great in a power failure!). At only 0.705 lbs. it will not weigh down your suitcase full of everything else you need when traveling with kids.
I don’t have a sound machine yet but I plan to get one for baby #4 and will use if for all the kids in the hallway just like you mentioned you do at your home. I really think it will help them all especially when it stays on all night and then they won’t hear me clicking away on my computer when I have to work at night!
It really is a good idea. Some kids are super sensitive, so it can help them tune out the world and just sleep.
My wife and I decided to try the Homedics MyBaby sounds machine and it has been great. My wife and I like it and our son sure enjoys it. It has really helped him sleep better and it’s quite inexpensive. Check it out on my blog: http://www.daddylifestyle.com/2013/10/why-your-baby-will-love-sound-machine.html
Thanks for sharing!
Carl