A quiet room may prevent your baby from sleeping peacefully at night! During the nine months spent in the womb, babies are constantly surrounded by different sounds. These include the mothers’ heartbeats as well as the sound of blood and other bodily fluids flowing through the body.
After birth however, they are exposed to an entirely different world. Gentle music or forms of ‘white noise’ may replicate the sounds babies hear in the womb and make them feel more relaxed and comfortable.
This is how you can use sound to help your baby sleep better:
- You can use music to help your baby fall asleep. Pick something that is soft, soothing and repetitive; lullabies are often the best option. You could also try music that is specially created to soothe children to sleep.
- Non-music sounds can also be effective to help babies relax. CDs and tapes with sounds of nature, and instruments that produce white noise are available. Other options would include a ticking clock, an indoor fountain, or a fish tank with an aerator (you can leave out the fishes).
- Once your baby is used to sleeping with the music or white noise, you can use it to train your child to go to sleep even in your absence.
- Music or white noise can also be used to help your baby sleep in unfamiliar places.