Creating an optimal sleep environment for your baby or child is one of my four essential pillars of pediatric sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene is the science of sleep. Without it, no sleep training method you use will work.
The sleep environment must set your child up for success!
One of the important components of an optimal sleep environment is white noise:
It’s purpose- is to condition the stimulating sounds coming from outside your child’s nursery window or door that would arouse your child all the way awake when they are in lighter states of sleep, or in between sleep cycles.
What it should REALLY sound like- No rhythms, heartbeats, ocean waves, rain sounds, lullabies or intervals. These things will stimulate your child all the way awake if in lighter states of sleep or in between sleep cycles. It must be purely ambient, like having the AC or a fan on.
White noise safety-
#1) Keep all sound conditioners at least 5.5 feet (200cm) away from your baby’s head to protect their hearing.
#2) Choose a true white noise machine, such as Marpac’s Dohmie for your child. Marpac sound conditioners do not use irritating pre-recorded looping sounds. They also emit far fewer EMF’s. There is a true fan creating the organic static wind sound inside each unit. It’s highly effective, but you don’t even notice it’s on, because it is so ambient and non-stimulating.
#3) Download a decibel meter on your smart phone to test the decibel levels of the unit at different distances from your baby’s head and make sure that it is no higher than 60 decibels from where you place it in the room.