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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Is white noise ok???

28 replies

Fifilottie · 03/07/2010 21:55

Hi all,

My gorgeous 18 wko DD has always had trouble with self soothing. I have tried everything....and have resorted to the white noise of the hair dryer. After 20 minutes she will sleep and it is sooo much better then the hour to 2 hours of cuddling shhhing and rocking that has been needed previously. I have noticed that if she hasn't quite had a full feed she will cry through the white noise so am hoping I am not soothing her in a bad way and she has all her needs taken care of. But is this really right? DP and I are a bit concerned but we really have had a bad time trying to get her to sleep....and does anyone know of any cot devices that play white noise or anything as at present have just a hair dryer... We do have a tomy player that plays the sea but it just isn't as loud and ferocious as Lo likes...can't believe we have resprted to this...kind of feels wrong but it works..Any reassurance or similar experiences????

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goobledygook · 03/07/2010 22:00

We used white noise with our DD when she was this age. She didn't need it all the time and got less and less dependent on it, but honestly if it is a choice of crying or them sleeping then it is a no brainer to me.
It allowed our DD to 'switch off' and go to sleep. She still has trouble now sometimes and we still get the white noise out when we are desperate (she is 19 months now btw).

I have a friend who needs to listen to radio 4 to fall asleep. It's much the same I reckon

Thandeka · 03/07/2010 22:02

Why on earth would it be bad? Babies like White noise as the womb was a noisy gurgly place, silence can be scary to them. We have a dawn alarm clock which plays White noise, or download ambiance app on iPod you can get all sorts of fab noise combos. (my iPod is capitalising White not sure why!!?).
Keep doing whatever you are doing that works and keeps you sane! Your baby will let you know if her needs aren't being met.

Original poster

Fifilottie · 03/07/2010 22:07

Thank you,

DP and I reading replies together feeling more reassured. I will try and keep at it and maybe after a while I can wean her off it. Just don't think we could face controlled crying, this seems a bit calmer xx

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goobledygook · 03/07/2010 22:12

Do you turn it off after a while? We would turn off once she was soundly asleep.
As she gets older she will get better as going to sleep by herself and you will need it less.

I wouldn't be leaving an 18 week old to cry, let alone controlled crying..

Original poster

Fifilottie · 03/07/2010 22:18

I keep the drier on the high setting until I think she might be deeply asleep. Then, put it on its lower setting but she often stirs a bit so I wait another five to ten mins to make sure. Have never done the controlled crying things.....don't think I could do it and I too think she is too little for it. Am glad to here that she may need the white noise less and less, will see

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sarararararah · 03/07/2010 22:25

You can get white noise CDs on ebay - that's what we did. Then I put it on my ipod I think. It worked beautifully and DD didn't need it for very long. She's 2 now, and sleeps no problems at all. (touch wood!)

Earlybird · 03/07/2010 22:29

Yes, think it is ok.

DD slept with this when we were in a compact flat near a noisy main road. Helped immensely when we had the windows open as it blocked the traffic noises. Also helped block noise (mainly during day time naps) so she could sleep undisturbed when the phone rang, I was in the kitchen rattling around, etc.

RicePuddingWithJam · 03/07/2010 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RicePuddingWithJam · 03/07/2010 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

iwouldgoouttonight · 03/07/2010 22:38

We used to use a radio which wasn't tuned into a station so you just got the hiss noise - DS liked it quite loud and I could sleep through it so we left it on when he was asleep.

He did just gradually grow out of it and learned to settle himself. He was a nightmare difficult sleeper in the first few months and now sleeps really well.

duckonthepond · 03/07/2010 22:45

Here is another option and you get a choice of sound (for free) so can try out what is most effective:

www.whitenoiseplayer.com/

We actually use a vacuum cleaner sample repeated on a playlist on an ipod. It has worked really well.

funnysinthegarden · 03/07/2010 22:46

controlled crying will save you hours of shushing/patting/white noise. A couple of nights of protest and before you know it she will be self soothing and asleep in no time. You do have to hold your nerve though.

Otherwise you are looking at months of what you have been doing until.......whenever she decides to grow out of it.

HotSprocket · 03/07/2010 22:48

I use it for my 10 week old. Got a vacuum cleaner sound off spotify.

The only thing it harms is my sanity, good to hear she might grow out of it.

drivingmisscrazy · 03/07/2010 22:58

we used white noise (also hairdryer) for quite some months to get DD to settle. We gradually reduced and now at 17mo she goes to bed and usually talks herself down to sleep without any difficulty. It was a godsend. I occasionally worried about it too, but she's fine It became a sleep cue for her but has since been replaced by more normal ones!

A friend of mine made an mp3 of the hairdryer, which we copied onto the i-pod and played on repeat; we had about 14 tracks so gradually reduced the time it was on. I can send it to you via email if you want.

DwayneDibbley · 03/07/2010 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Fifilottie · 03/07/2010 23:45

Wow, it is strange that DP and I thought we were doing something really wierd that not many people did. We thought that all other babies just "went down" so it is nice to know it isn't the case. It works for now...but funnysinthegarden can you explain the details of an alternative as we are frightened of her getting somehow addicted to this white noise business...or something x but must admit...gotta keep it if it works...for now at least...wow parent hood...Me and Dp just realised this is a Saturday night hehe

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funnysinthegarden · 03/07/2010 23:53

well, Fifi, a lot of people wouldn't do it, but we realised that if we left ds2 to cry for about 3 minutes, when he was very overtired he would just fall asleep on his own. Now we never have any crying and at 4.5 months we put him down at about 7.30ish and he goes to sleep. I reckon we let him cry for about 3 days and at the most for 5 minutes, before he learned to settle himself.

As I say, most people won't agree and will say we were cruel, but hey, we have a happy baby and we have our evening together........

Original poster

Fifilottie · 04/07/2010 00:02

Funnysinthegarden I don't think you are bad for your decision. I and Dp think there is something terribly unnatural about the white noise thing and feel like we have failed a bit...I think if what you did worked it just...well just worked right,and I think 3 minutes is good, I presume some people have a longer problem. Just a well done for you.......am considering whether to brave it but our Lo tend to be aboe to cry for over half and hour xx

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Original poster

Fifilottie · 04/07/2010 00:05

sorry..able

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Octaviapink · 04/07/2010 06:16

She won't get addicted to the white noise - it's a good solution. She's too young for controlled crying yet. The CDs are excellent!

curlyLJ · 04/07/2010 09:34

You can buy white noise players on Amazon. I got one that plays about 8 different sounds - although DD seems to like 'rain' he best Just put white noise machine in the search - otherwise you might find your hairdryer will blow as it's not designed to be on for such long periods...

I have used this since she was about 8 weeks old (she's almost 16 weeks now) and to be honest, she doesn't always need it to get to sleep now but I tend to have it on to block out other sounds so she doesn't get disturbed. With the hot weather and all the windows open, there seems to be a lot of noise both during the day, in the evening once she's in bed, and early morning (people talking loudly, cars, kids playing etc) so this machine, that cost about £20, is an absolute godsend!

Chil1234 · 04/07/2010 10:28

Does Radio 4 count as white noise? My son used to drop off to sleep listening to voices quietly droning on - The News, The Archers, Front Row. Very soporific combination and totally free!

mattymam · 04/07/2010 12:37

this has been our saviour for 10 week old DD.

At first I played it off my laptop, but last week we bought some cheap ipod speakers and set it up on an old ipod next to her cot. | crank it up high to calm her down then gradually turn the volume down as she settles.

horseymum · 05/07/2010 11:06

i second the detuned radio, it's free too, it really seemed to help ds1 when he was just past it. He didn't get addicted to it so don't worry. i think with dd2 we maybe put her down earlier which seemed to help too.

Nointhemood · 05/07/2010 14:22

I went through alot of hair dryers with my boys purely for this reason lol. Even now if my 5 year old lays on my bed whilst im drying my hair i can see his eyelids going and occassional he will fall asleep.In fact he still finds the sound comforting i joke to dh about our boys having a hair dryer fetish when they are older. It was a god send especially with a clolicky baby. I think we brought a cd off ebay in the end to spare my hairdryer but that was before the whole ipod thing.

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