Scared my phone could have hurt DS :(

[newmum234]

I have a white noise app on my smartphone that I use throughout all DS's naps and at bedtime. I've been leaving my phone in his cot with the app playing constantly. I wedge it between the cot and the mattress so it's secure, and it's only about 20cm from his head.

I randomly started wondering earlier if it's okay for a baby to be so close to a mobile phone, Googled and came across this article:

www.mirror.co.uk/science/you-should-never-your-baby-9935251

Now I'm really worried that I've exposed him to electromagnetic fields and am feeling terrible Could I have harmed him?! DS is 5.5 months.

No it wouldn't hurt him love. Maybe don't have it so close though. You can buy ewan the sheep that does the same thing and isn't harmful. Have a look on google x

Thanks - but how do you know?

I need something that plays continuous white noise ideally - it looks like Ewan the Sheep is only 20 mins?

Can you not get a radio and just have it not tuned in if that makes sense

Buy an alexa, I use one in all of my childrens rooms and she plays anything on a loop. There is a sleep sounds app that does all different white noise sounds

Just buy a white noise machine or use a fan in the room like I do. You haven't harmed him.

We have an Ollie the owl for the white noise and a bit of a nightlight.. he stays on for as long as you leave him! Well worth the money and looks cute too 😊

Get a bluetooth speaker?

I looked at Ollie the Owl (The Tommee Tippee one?) on the John Lewis website and it says it only plays sound for 20 mins - is that the case?

I'm honestly terrified that I've harmed him as per the Mirror article

Get a white noise machine - ours cost about £25 from Amazon, we play it in DS's room all night and for naps.

I've just looked at the instructions for the white noise app, and it says it recommends putting the phone in airplane mode or placing it at least 1M away from baby. I've been leaving it so much closer than that and not in airplane mode for months!!

I need something that plays continuous white noise ideally - it looks like Ewan the Sheep is only 20 mins?

Fan? They have the added benefit of possible protection against SIDS.

Is there any benefit to using white noise all the time?

Thanks for all the suggestions but does anyone know if I could have harmed DS? I'm really freaking out - I can't believe I've been so stupid

I'd be more scared of the phone overheating being wedged next to a mattress!

We use these for white noise in our kids rooms. They work great

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marpac-Classic-White-Noise-Machine/dp/B006Z9V1LM/ref=mpssa112_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=dohm&qid=1602080525&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRjlENTU3UjNDMUFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTkwMjA4MkFXUlZPQkNMS1k3MyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTExNzQxMkdLRFFHU1BZTkgzUiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Also:

@newmum234

Thanks for all the suggestions but does anyone know if I could have harmed DS? I'm really freaking out - I can't believe I've been so stupid

You haven't harmed DS.

If you had / this was possible there would be lots of new stories and scientific studies about it. It would be all over the news and social media.

Put it this way, if this was a thing, you wouldn't have had to go looking for an article about it.

I used to be a health journalist and we'd twist any old crap to make a story just get our editor to sign it off so that we could go home (pub)

Thanks for all the suggestions but does anyone know if I could have harmed DS? I'm really freaking out - I can't believe I've been so stupid sad

Did you read the article all the way to the end?

"On the long-term effects, it's more messy. Of the substantial body of evidence we have, most of it shows nothing”

It’s happened. It’s most likely not a problem, and you know there are alternatives out there.

Why don't you just leave it on a table or windowsill in his room? Why so close?
Either way, it won't have done any harm so don't worry

Please for love of everything holy do not accept an article in the Mirror as scientific truth.

The article even says that they can't come to any solid evidence on long term effects.

Here's something from the FDA saying no link to health conditions other than a potential tissue heating issue if you have a mobile phone pressed to skin for a long long time

www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/do-cell-phones-pose-health-hazard

No, you haven't hurt him. I work in an industry that makes products with huge electro-magnetic emissions - think MRI scanners. Consumer devices like mobile phones are absolutely fine.

I'm more worried about you, to be honest. Are you anxiety levels quite high in general ?

I suffered a lot with post natal anxiety and it's not fun.

There would have been so many cases if it was the case that it could do harm as so many people have phones close to them and babies and use them during pregnancy etc.
The zoe penguin is good as you can connect it to Bluetooth via your phone and play music through it. Again it uses Bluetooth and if it was thought to be harmful then they wouldn't sell it

Thanks

I put it so close to him because I thought I needed to in order to help him sleep.

@newmum234

Thanks

I put it so close to him because I thought I needed to in order to help him sleep.

I don't understand what you mean. Did you have the volume on the highest setting?