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Sleep

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Original poster

Save my hairdryer!!!!!!!

24 replies

bedhead1 · 06/03/2006 08:36

My son is waking every night between 3 and 5am and will only go back to sleep if the hairdryer is switched on. Needless to say I am worried about his ears and having a hairdryer running for hours on end. We bought a white noise CD but when it ends after an hour (even if on repeat) he wakes and the crying starts all over again. Anyone have any (long) recordings of white noise I could pinch or anyone have a white noise machine they can recommend. He's 18 weeks this week.

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BettySpaghetti · 06/03/2006 08:38

Have you tried having a radio on quietly in the background ? we used to leave one on quite often with our two if they were unsettled

Original poster

bedhead1 · 06/03/2006 09:06

Thanks for the reply Betty, it seems that the noise he likes is the vaccuum and the hairdryer! When he was little with colic only the Dyson would soothe him! I agonised every night when we had to switch it on that it would make him deaf so we would move as far away from it as he would allow.

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tangerinecath · 06/03/2006 09:24

Couldn't you leave the radio on but not tuned to a station iyswim?

Original poster

bedhead1 · 06/03/2006 09:27

I tried that but I think its the monotonous whirring that he likes. I've been walking round the house looking for things that make the same sort of noise but quieter! I know we should go cold turkey but I think he;s still too young to let him cry. so I'm either going to end up pacing the house with him or let him have a bit of white noise and he sleeps for another 4 hours.

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lilybird · 06/03/2006 09:34

when dd was a baby, we used to play a pan pipe cd that my mum had given us (it was especially for babies!) did the trick, even though we were sick of hearing it!

Original poster

bedhead1 · 06/03/2006 09:35

Oh my God, I'm not sure I'm that desperate! Just kidding, reminds me of a sketch from the FAst Show with the Patagonians

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lilybird · 06/03/2006 09:43

we were that desperate!!!

ButtonMoon · 06/03/2006 10:06

I've just ordered one from eBay that lasts for 70 mins and I am intending on putting that on repeat!! 140 mins any better?

Bubblesmum · 06/03/2006 18:56

You could record your hairdryer / vaccum and then have it on continuous playback (depending on what kind of player you have).
Alternatively what about a Fan running in the room - just not blowing on the baby.

I know what you mean about the hairdryer, my first baby loved that noise too.

ssd · 06/03/2006 19:19

ah bedhead this brought back memories!

my ds now 7 and 1/2 years, had a real problem drinking from a bottle (he was breastfed for ages), the only way he'd drink was if one of us stood with the hairdryer on! People couldn't believe this and I thought I was the only one relying on a hairdryer!!

sorry I haven't any good advice, just to let you know you're not alone!

NotQuiteCockney · 06/03/2006 19:21

We have noise machines from Sharper Image. They work fine. They're not cheap, but they make lovely consisten noise.

Don't worry about his ears, constant white noise is normal. If you were living in a hut somewhere, you'd hear the wind in the grass etc etc all night.

Original poster

bedhead1 · 07/03/2006 07:20

Thanks for all your help ladies. The little bu**er slept till 6.40am without a hairdryer in sight this morning, was gobsmacked! SSD we have also used the vaccuuum to feed him in the early days as he was screaming so much. (I mean that we had the Dyson on not that we fed him with the Dyson) NOtQUite Cockney I will take a look at that today just in case.

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NotQuiteCockney · 07/03/2006 07:41

One big advantage of noise machines, they cover noises like fireworks (our kids are never woken by Guy Fawkes, Diwali, etc). And it means that they sleep ok when we travel, as we bring the noise machine.

We recently went to Mexico (6 hours difference) for 8 days, and I suspect the jetlag would have been much worse without noise machines for the boys at both ends.

Lucy1977 · 13/03/2006 17:39

Hi everyone

Can you tell me where I can buy a white noise machine please? I've had a look on the mothercase site but can't seem to see anything of this description?

Thanks

Lucy

TheBlonde · 13/03/2006 18:51

an airfilter will give you white noise - try argos

singersgirl · 16/03/2006 14:25

My mum found us a white noise tape from somewhere, but before that we were so desperate we did record the hairdryer and just play him that in the middle of the night! Ah, happy memories....

Original poster

bedhead1 · 18/03/2006 14:02

TheBlonde - does an airfilter makes a lot of noise? we have tried him with a fan heater and it doesn't make enough noise for him! He likes the whirring sound of the hairdryer.

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Original poster

bedhead1 · 19/03/2006 14:22

BUmp

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Psychobabble · 20/03/2006 21:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dreamteamgirl · 20/03/2006 22:33

Perfectly happy people do a little tape player with 3 white noise tapes. Whole thing is about £12-£15 and small and safe enough to go right in cot on loop. Sorry cant find a link, but it is in their catalgue. Worked well for us for a while

Walnutshell · 22/03/2006 08:40

Might not be loud enough, but a dehumidifier provides nice background noise which I rather like myself! Ours in on the landing. Having said that, you would have to be careful not to ove-rdry out the air...!

Original poster

bedhead1 · 22/03/2006 09:34

I agree Walnutshell thats why I thought the airfilter or ioniser idea was a good one. The only problem is I need one loud enough to keep him happy! They tend to make them quiet these days. I feel a bit of a prat going to Argos and asking which one makes the most noise! Still better than spending money on a quiet one.

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girlchick · 23/03/2006 18:25

Just remember, whatever the conditions are when baby falls asleep, e.g. vacuum, radio, dummy, lights, etc., s/he will need exactly the same conditions if they wake during the night in order to get back to sleep. They learn that those conditions = sleep cue. So try to get them into a good habit from the beginning, will eventually make it easier for you in the long run.

Original poster

bedhead1 · 28/03/2006 20:13

Girlchick, he goes to sleep without a problem and puts himself back to sleep without a problem during the night. But at 5.00am each day he wakes up like a bright new button and wants to get up, the instant I switch on the hairdryer he goes back to sleep until 7am. Its weird but I can't see any form of controlled crying (which I dislike) sorting that kind of early waking out. As far as i'm concerned eventually he will stop waking that early and until then he needs the help to get back to sleep. So if anyone has a noisy ioniser I would love to hear about it. My hubbie and I have hayfever so could use it in the summer anyway.

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