Welcoming a new baby into the home is the start of an exciting new journey. While adjusting to a new sleep routine is to be expected, you can improve your baby’s sleep with the use of white noise machines. In fact, a 40-year study found that White Noise Machines helped 80% of babies fall asleep within 5 minutes. But which white noise machine is best for your baby? Here’s a look at our top 3 options for helping baby fall asleep.
What is a White Noise Machine?
This is a compact machine that emits a constant background noise, drowning out distractions and creating a soothing environment for sleep.
Benefits for families:
- Babies sleep better with white noise machines because the sound replicates the baby's sensory experience in the womb.
- White noise machines provide a sustainable sleep association, allowing babies to connect sleep cycles independently.
- Because babies learn to sleep without parental assistance, everyone gets better sleep.
- Helps drown out distracting noises. Are your neighbours having a party? Is your older child practising the drums? White noise machines can drown out unwanted disturbances.
- White noise machines work for all ages from newborns to adults. Unlike other sleep interventions which can be outgrown, white noise machines can be used for years, making them a worthwhile investment.
1. Little Weasel’s Sleep Sound White Noise Machine
Create the perfect sleep environment for your baby wherever you are. This white noise machine is customisable to suit your child's needs through its range of sound, volume, colour, brightness, and timing options. This has excellent, true-to-life sound quality for the best rest.
What are the features?
- Sound: There are 29 soothing options including nature sounds (ocean waves, crickets, birds, rain, wind, thunder, a stream, and a campfire), womb noises, a music box, and a lullaby tone. There are also 7 fan sounds and 7 white noises. Volume ranges to more than 30 levels from quiet soothing to drowning out noises, and it supports earphones for adults who don’t want to disturb sleeping partners!
- Light: There is an adjustable night light with 8 colours. The brightness can be adjusted and set to breathing mode to fade the light out as the breathing rhythm slows.
- Timer: You can set the machine to turn off automatically after 30, 60, or 90 minutes, with the sound fading out to prevent disturbing sleep.
- Power: The machine is ideal for load-shedding as it charges for 2.5 hours using a USB charger cable and plays for 7 hours on battery. You can simply leave it plugged into the wall and it will just switch over to the battery when load-shedding starts, and recharge when the power comes back. The USB connection allows it to be plugged into a power bank if needed.
Who will like this?
This is the best all-round white noise machine option for families. It creates the ideal sleep environment in a nursery – or any room for that matter – and if you’re a family who likes to travel, it’s the perfect companion. This machine is light, compact, and portable with a notch for a carabiner so you can hang the machine from a pram or crib, as well as a carry strap. Being rechargeable, this is the ideal travel companion, keeping your baby calm wherever you go.
2. Little Weasel's Dreamcatcher White Noise Machine
If you’re looking for the ultimate white noise machine for your nursery, then the Dreamcatcher is a great choice. It has fully customisable settings to create a calming sleep space for your baby’s unique needs.
What are the features?
- Sound: There are 36 soothing sound options including 7 static white noise pitches, 7 fan sounds, 11 nature sounds, and 11 additional soothing sounds. The volume range can be adjusted and it supports earphones.
- Light: There is a subtle nightlight giving off a diffuse glow with adjustable brightness in 7 colours. It can be set to breathing mode to fade out as the breathing rhythm slows or fade out completely.
- Timer: You can set the machine to turn off automatically after 30, 60, or 90 minutes, with the sound fading out to prevent disturbing sleep.
- Memory: When this white noise machine is turned off and back on, it will remain on the most recently used light, sound, and timer settings so you don’t need to keep adjusting.
- Power: The machine is ideal for load-shedding and can play for up to 10 hours when using sound only. You can simply leave it plugged into the wall and it will just switch over to the battery when load-shedding starts, and recharge when the power comes back. The USB connection allows it to be plugged into a power bank if needed.
Who will like this?
Like the Sleep Sound White Noise Machine, this is compact and portable so can be used by families who enjoy travelling, although it doesn’t have a carry strap. This is great for new babies and families wanting to encourage healthy sleep patterns, offering a variety of noise options and a more subtle nightlight for those wanting a dim glow.
3. Little Weasel’s Night Lamp and White Noise Machine
If you’re looking for a dynamic night lamp for baby’s room with all the benefits of a white noise machine, then this is the right product for your family. This is darker than a lamp but brighter than a nightlight which is useful when needing that intermediate amount of light so as not to disturb the little one.
What are the features?
- Light: There are 13 light colours including 5 gradient options and a dimmer control. At its brightest, the machine gives off a strong glow which is still softer than lamps. It can be dimmed right down or turned off completely.
- Tap-Control: You can turn the night light on and off simply by tapping the top of the machine. You can also adjust the brightness by holding the top of the machine. This is a great help for tired parents who have their hands full with baby.
- Sound: It has 20 soothing sounds including 5 static white noise pitches, 5 fan sounds, and 10 calming sounds with adjustable volumes. It also supports earphones.
- Timer: The sound can be set to gradually fade out automatically after 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours to avoid waking baby.
- Memory: When turned off and back on, the machine will retain the most recent light, sound, and timer settings.
- Power: While not rechargeable, the machine can be plugged into a USB power source during load-shedding.
Who is this for?
This is the perfect White Noise Machine for parents who need a nightlight for changing and feeding baby at night while keeping the nursery a calm, sleep space. Ceiling lights and lamps can overstimulate a baby at night, making it harder to get into a rhythmic sleep cycle.
