What the Experts say About White Noise
"'White noise,' such as the continuous, monotonous sound of a vacuum cleaner or a recording of ocean waves, can often relax and lull your baby.... "
-Mayo Clinic, Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year
"A baby who cannot relax can be helped to do so by a variety of constant rhythmical stimuli.... it will work if the trouble is some kind of general and diffuse irritability or tenseness which is preventing a tired baby relaxing into sleep. The burring sound of a fan or heater works excellently. So does the sound of a car engine."
-Penelope Leach, Your Baby & Child From Birth to Age Five
"Comforting the Crier. Many babies are calmed, for example, by the hum of a fan or vacuum cleaner, a tape recording of uterine gurglings, or a record that plays soothing nature sounds, such as waves breaking on the beach...."
-Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway, What to Expect the First Year
Sounds that involve all the frequencies audible to the human ear and are continuous and monotonous are very effective in settling the restless baby and keeping her asleep.... The lower, more monotonous, and rhythmical the tone, the more soothing.... Sound ridiculous? Not really. If you have ever had a fussy baby, you will try anything that works."
-William Sears, Keys to Calming the Fussy Baby |
