White noise has become an essential in all my newborn sessions to settle my little clients during their shoots. Many parents are amazed at how it helps to create a settling environment for their baby & I have even had a dad order one during the shoot! As I am so often asked about why white noise helps a baby sleep, I decided to dedicate a short blog to it.

There are reasons why white noise helps your baby to sleep:

It Creates a Womb-Like Environment

Your baby spent 9 months listening to the reassuring ‘white noise’ of your  body – your rhythmic breathing, your flowing blood, your beating heart… Then! They are born into a world where we use hushed tones & quiet steps & this silent environment can leave your little one feeling anxious & isolated. 

White noise machines create that comfortable, womb-like environment that your newborn is so accustomed to. The walls of the womb & the waves of amniotic fluid around your baby filter out high-pitch sounds, creating a low rumble.  Because of this, low pitch sleep sounds are best as they are monotonous & lull your baby off to sleep with an ‘hypnotic’ type of effect. 

It Helps with Sleep Association

Using the right white noise will help your baby link sound with the pleasure of sleep & they will be able to fall asleep despite outside distractions. White noise shouldn’t be played all day. It is best for your baby to learn to distinguish between normal household sounds & the calming sound of the white noise that he/she associates with sleep.

It Keeps the ‘Calming Reflex’ Engaged When You Can’t

When your baby cries, their ‘calming reflex’ (triggered by imitations of soothing sensations of the womb) needs to be turned on & then kept engaged. This reflex is turned on by the parent using a ‘high-volume’ sound as loud as the baby’s cry (I find a loud shhhh sound works well). As the baby begins to settle, gradually lower your pitch & volume as they relax into a state of sleep. This is how we create our own white noise – which is fine, but I think we would all agree that it becomes rather exhausting after some time. 

Many white noise machines turn off after 30 minutes which I find is not always quite enough. A machine that plays quietly in the background & gradually increases during bouts of crying is a great option.

Some Good Brands That I Have Come Across

There are many brands on the market , and although I have not personally tried them all, they have some great qualities & reviews:

Sweet Dreamers, Ewan the Dream Sheep

Sweet Dreamers, Ewan the Dream Sheep – Amazon
Ewan is said to be the best-selling UK baby sleep aid, with many awards to it’s name.
Ewan’s soft pink night light glow mimics the womb environment to help comfort and soothe your little one. The downside of this version of Ewan is that it only plays for 20 minutes, which isn’t ideal if your baby takes a while to settle down. 

Sweet Dreamers, Ewan the Dream Sheep – Deluxe with Cry Sensor

Sweet Dreamers, Ewan the Dream Sheep (Deluxe) – Amazon

A little more expensive than the original version, but worth it (in my opinion) if your budget allows. The cry sensor is a great addition as it activates the white noise again automatically when your baby stirs during sleep. 

Whisbear The Humming Bear with Cry Sensor

Whisbear The Humming Bear – John Lewis

The Whisbear runs for 40 minutes, then gently fades out, but the Whisbear continues to listen to its surroundings, and as soon as it recognises a baby’s cry it switches back on automatically for an additional 20 minutes.
The Whisbear is unique in that it’s not just a sleep aid, but also encourages sensory & fine motor development with rustling elements, different textures of fabrics & contrasting colours.

Munchkin Shh Sleep Machine

Munchkin Shh Sleep Machine – Amazon
Munchkin plays three different sounds; shushing, heartbeat & white noise. A built-in, soft nightlight mimics the light of the womb & this light can either glow solid or pulse. It has a built-in timer for 10, 20 & 30 minutes. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the above machines but at £16, if you are working to a budget, it certainly is a good option. 

I have a range of newborn packages available. If you would like to book your shoot or to chat about which package would suit you best, please contact me, I would love to chat with you about your options.