Hello friends,
If you have a fussy baby or a little one who doesn't sleep well, listen up. For the first 3-4 months after Baby's 40 week due date, strong white noise is one of the ways to turn on the calming reflex. It can instantly calm a colicky, fussy baby and can increase sleep by a few hours.
Babies spend 9 months surrounded by the whooshing sounds of your womb and are often in a state of sensory deprivation when they are born into a "quiet" world of tip toeing and whispering. Strong white noise, at the level of a vacuum cleaner or running shower, is your baby's language of love. He hears this and feels instantly calmed and more secure. Be sure to match your baby's intensity, then lower the sound as he settles down into sleep.
White noise can be used for all sleep times and particularly fussy times. After 3-4 months, white noise loses a little magic, but remains a great buffer for sleep times and a cue that helps Baby know it's time for sleep. You can utilize white noise into toddlerhood and can easily wean a baby off it by turning it down a little every 3-5 days.
Use a white noise machine, mp3 and speaker dock, or the real thing. Just remember, hairdryers should be at least 6 feet from Baby and can't be left on for long periods of time. GNS recommends using a white noise track on a continuous loop with your iPod and speaker dock for the optimal sound experience. If you don't want to invest in anything new, your carpets will never be cleaner than if you make your own white noise. :)
Check out this fussy baby who is instantly calmed by white noise. Can you see in his eyes when the calming reflex is turned on?
As always, if you need help implementing any of our advice or you have a specific problem that needs solving, get in touch and we'll be happy to help!
Your personal newborn care expert,
Cortney
1 comment:
I've only just discovered the magic of white noise with my sixth child who is 7 weeks old. I purcased the "Gentle Giraffe" from amazon and it's "sleep" button is basically white noise (it's supposed to be the sound of a waterfall). The timer can be set for 23 or 45 minutes and it's allowed me uniterrupted sleep for 6 hour stretches at night.
Post a Comment