3 Things to Know About Using A Sound Machine - What I Didn't Know
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I know what you are thinking. “Whhhhaaatttt do you mean, it’s a sound machine?” That is exactly what I said when my daughter’s pediatrician told me there is a correct way to use a sound machine.
We had just started using one when my daughter was about 3 months old and her sleep patterns were changing. My husband just happened to mention it during an appointment and, well, it was a good thing he did.
I quickly took to Tiktok to post a video about it and as it turns out not a lot of moms knew about this.
Before I jump into the 3 “rules” I do want to say that this is information and you can do with it what you will. As parents we make judgement calls that we feel are right for our children.
The information that I used to discern these three recommendations comes from this page on the American Academy of Pediatrics website. Please visit for more information.
1. The sound machine should be approximately 7 feet from where the baby sleeps. Obviously this doesn’t have to be exact, but if there is a dresser or shelf that is across the room, that might be the best location vs putting the sound machine near the crib.
This also indicates to me that placing a sound machine the a stroller for a baby to sleep in public, may not be the best option. Personally, we took our daughter to restaurants and grocery stores a lot when she was a newborn and she sleeps well in public.
2. The noise level should never exceed 50 decibels where it meets the child. I did a little more research on this and from what I can tell, short periods of time at levels higher than that would be fine, but it can actually affect the babies hearing if exposed to loud environments for too long.
We ended up getting our daughter these ear muffs when we went to a Bernie Sanders rally and they worked great. We later used them at a bowling alley and I was thankful to have them as I hadn’t thought much about the noise level before going there. There are ear muffs that do not go all the way around the head, but I was afraid my daughter would try to pull them off more.
3. Don’t leave the sound machine on all day. From my understanding this also goes for things like loud fans and any other noise that is constant and monotonous. I got quite a few comments about this particular rule on my video because people who live where it is hot need the fans going.
I think this is all about moderation. If you need to run the fan all day, maybe try to get out of the house for a little while so the baby gets a break.
I think the lesson to be taken away from this is just to be cognizant about what we expose our children to. Many baby fads are not tested well before they take off and I personally take the stance that once I learn new information I incorporate it. We have actually started doing occasional naps without the sound machine and I am happy to say my daughter sleeps fine without it. As with the pacifier, I don’t want her to become too dependent on something just because I gave it to her and not because she actually needs it.