Babies are truly mysterious creatures. To be sure, who can blame them? Their first experiences in the sensory world had to do with being inside of mommy’s belly. The sounds, smells, sights and feelings your baby experienced in the womb are vastly different from what she experiences out in the world. It’s no wonder that babies are born crying – the experience must be traumatic in many ways!
In fact, that transition is part of what makes it so that some babies have a hard time sleeping. Their nervous system is making some huge adjustments to life on the outside of the womb. It also explains why some babies seem to sleep well with white noise.
What exactly is white noise? A broad definition of white noise is a constant, unvariable sound. One example of white noise would be the blank “air” you hear on the radio dial when there are no stations broadcasting at a particular frequency. Another example would be the sound of a vacuum cleaner, or the constant hum of a clothes dryer.
Many babies seem to be soothed by white noise. some experts suggest that this is, in part, because this white noise is similar to what babies first hear when they are developing in the womb. Others argue that the constancy of the white noise actually gives the baby’s immature nervous system a rest. Rather than having to process various sounds and rhythms, baby is able to just acknowledge the white noise and move on.
There are a number of products on the market that utilize white noise to help your baby sleep. Today, you can purchase white noise albums, or you can download white noise MP3 files that may be able to help baby sleep. If your little one has trouble staying asleep, you might give one of these options a try. You might be surprised to discover how effective they can be.