It’s no secret for young mothers that a newborn is far from a beautiful, touching picture. These are screams, crying, dirty diapers and wild fatigue. The child takes up almost all of his time; in the first months of his life he mainly screams, eats his mother’s milk and sleeps. The last word is perhaps the most important, because a newborn sleeps little by little, but often. This is mom's chance to relax her arms and back or redo at least some of the household chores. And with the advent of a new family member, there are only more and more of them every day.
A separate conversation with night sleep. Yes, at night a newborn sleeps a little longer than during the day. And this is mom’s real chance to rest. Well, yes. Certainly. Anyone who is a mother will understand... The process of putting a baby to bed at night is not always as simple and cloudless as we would like. By the evening, newborns, as a rule, experience aggravation of all discomfort, such as colic, if the mother ate something wrong, or intestinal overcrowding. Therefore, it is not easy to put the capricious one to bed. The mother spends the lion's share of time on this process, and as soon as she falls asleep herself, the newborn already wants his mother and food again. And a child’s sleep is not always as sound as she dreams.
And here the trick begins. Young parents will go to great lengths to ensure that the baby falls asleep faster and sleeps more soundly. They use endless rocking motions, lullabies, deathly silence not only in the room, but also in the apartment. Lamps, pacifiers, and anything else that could, at least in theory, make mom’s life easier. One of these tricks is background sound, which for some babies even replaces a lullaby, freeing up the mother and helping the baby fall asleep. There are even special toys with white noise for newborns. What kind of magical thing is this, why it is good and why it is bad - let’s figure it all out in order.
What is white noise?
So, what is this magical sound that makes newborns fall asleep?
This is a stationary noise background, the spectrum of which is evenly distributed over the entire range of frequencies that are involved in it. That is, this “melody” completely fills all the “attention” of the human hearing system. The trick is that the eardrum, which perceives sound, transmits a signal to the brain, and it then determines what kind of sound it is and where it comes from. But when a dog barks, a lullaby, the clink of dishes, or the steps of neighbors from above, this membrane vibrates with different strengths, because such mixed sounds seem to irritate the nervous system, and this is not very convenient before bed. In contrast to such random vibrations, white noise is perceived by the ear evenly, the brain seems to “cling” to it and stops perceiving the clink of a spoon on a cup or a fallen book. So it turns out that nothing irritates the nervous system anymore, the baby calms down faster and falls asleep.
It is impossible to find pure white noise in nature, otherwise such a signal would have infinite power. But this concept in the world of physics includes many “natural” sounds that can be found not only in nature, but also in an ordinary apartment.
How to choose a baby lounger
When choosing, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- The size of the seat and the ability to adjust the backrest angle.
- Sun lounger safety. A high-quality chair must have seat belts.
- Weight of the rocking chair. If parents plan to use a chaise longue to carry their baby, it is better to buy a mobile model.
- Quality and safety of materials. It is important that the lounge chair is made from environmentally friendly raw materials and meets quality standards.
- Design features. If the chaise lounge will be used only in one room, it is recommended to take a stationary model.
- Equipped with toys. It’s nice if the lounge chair has a musical mobile or is decorated with bright toys. It will be much more interesting for the baby in such a chair.
- Features of care. The child will probably get the seat dirty. Therefore, before purchasing, you should check whether the cover and other parts are removable for cleaning.
- Availability of motion sickness function. Automatic rocking or vibration quickly puts the baby into a sleepy state. Little toddlers love light movements, so mom can relax a little by choosing the appropriate rocking mode.
- Additional features. In addition to the music block and vibration, the sun loungers can be equipped with play arcs, a canopy from the sun or wind. Expensive models have a remote control.
- Price. Today there are swings on sale of different prices, which are mainly determined by functionality.
Types of white noise
This sound comes in two types of origin:
Natural sources of mysterious sound include:
The technical ones may include:
Just remember how you automatically hiss in a newborn’s ear, trying to calm him down. Remember how you yourself fall asleep well to the sounds of pouring rain outside. Remember that yesterday the baby quickly fell asleep and slept soundly while the washing machine was working in the bathroom. Even the sound of a baby vacuum cleaner running in the next room will be a type of white noise. What can we say about special generators of this amazing phenomenon.
White noise for newborns
So what's the trick? The fact is that scientists have conducted a number of studies and determined that hearing in a newborn develops much earlier than vision. And the baby is already in the mother’s tummy and hears everything that happens around. The uniform contractions of the mother’s heart, the sound of the lungs expanding as they inhale, the blood running through the vessels, intestinal peristalsis, the voice of the mother and the surrounding sounds muffled by the amniotic fluid - the baby listens to all this carefully for several months in a row, getting used to such a sound background, it is also considered white noise. And then the baby is born, its habitat changes. Before this, the baby was in a liquid that muffled any sound effects. And now there is air around, which conducts any vibrations much better and faster. Even mom’s steps around the room become loud and sharp. At the same time, absolute silence also causes discomfort - after all, it was not quiet in mommy’s tummy.
During the recovery period after childbirth, the mother needs rest, and this is possible either while the baby is suckling or while the newborn is sleeping. And constant fatigue does not bring anything good for the lactation process. Lack of sleep and chronic fatigue of the mother can lead to hypogalactia, and this is very, very bad for the baby.
The better a newborn sleeps, the better his mother feels - this axiom has been proven by more than one generation of parents. And for a sound sleep, the baby needs a parent or at least a feeling of security. White noise gives just this sensation - the newborn hears the same thing as in the mother’s belly, in fact, sharp sounds are not recorded by his brain. The baby feels that everything is as usual, as he is used to. This means everything is fine and you can sleep peacefully and grow in your sleep. That's the magic of this newborn sound.
Why is listening to white noise good for babies?
The clear and most important advantage of using such a trick for children's sleep is the strength of the latter. A newborn will not be awakened by a falling book or the sound of the front door, neighbor's screams or barking dogs in the yard. At the same time, you don’t need to rock him or hold him in your arms for a long time; the baby will still feel calm and protected. In addition, such a trick will help the capricious person calm down and fall asleep faster. In infancy, hearing and touch are the most prominent senses. If the sound background is “native” and familiar, the environment is warm and cozy, all other troubles will not irritate the baby’s nervous system so much. Even troubles like gas or constipation in a baby will go away easier during breastfeeding, since such moments are influenced not only by the mother’s diet, but also by the child’s calmness.
Over time, the newborn, of course, will grow up and adapt to the conditions in which you “placed” him. But, according to psychologists, using such a “noise maker” can make this process easier and calmer.
Experts' opinion
Some parents are afraid to buy baby bouncers. Reviews from doctors about the safety of this device are extremely positive. Pediatricians consider lounge chairs not only reliable for the baby, but also useful. In the chair, the child easily calms down, and with slow rocking, he quickly falls asleep. In addition, modern manufacturers complement lounge chairs with various toys and other colorful attributes that affect the mental, physical and emotional development of the baby. Overall, parents can purchase baby bouncers with confidence.
Reviews from doctors also confirm the safety of the seats for the proper development of the neck and back muscles. This swing has a well-thought-out anatomical seat with a soft pad, making it comfortable for the baby. The only point that all pediatricians pay attention to is the correct selection of swings. When buying a chaise lounge, it is important to choose a model taking into account the age and size of the baby.
Harm of white noise for newborns
In fact, there is only one harm from such a thing - the unconditional addiction of the baby. Later, you will try to teach your newborn to fall asleep in silence or to music, a fairy tale or a lullaby. But by that time, the little person will have formed a clear habit - something “rusts”, which means it’s time for bed. And it will be very difficult to put the little bunny to bed without a magical background.
Many doctors, however, talk about another harmfulness of such bedtimes - hearing problems. But this question is no longer for white noise, but for parents. The fact is that any background that helps to lay the baby down should not exceed a power of 50 decibels. Anything louder harms the newborn’s hearing system, especially if it “sounds” constantly.
In addition, one should not discount the child’s individuality. Many people find their mother's ss-sh-sh-sh soothing, but there are newborns who find the hiss irritating. It is important to pay close attention to your child in this matter. After all, your task is not just to calm her down and put her to sleep, you also need to not harm the baby.
What is a baby bouncer
Reviews from young mothers indicate the great popularity of this device. A chaise longue is a real salvation for parents with a busy schedule that is often difficult to cope with with a baby in their arms. To make life easier for a young family, engineers have developed a mobile chair. It allows you to carry a newborn, walk with him on the street and even transport him in a car. The baby can play and relax in the chaise lounge. The comfortable seat also serves as a crib for the baby.
Now almost every young family uses a chaise longue for newborns. Reviews from parents confirm the usefulness of this device. While doing homework, it is much easier for a mother to place her baby in a chaise longue in the observation area. The child will always be under adult supervision. In addition, it is much more interesting for a baby to watch his parents’ activities than to lie in a crib. And thanks to toys and development centers, the child can have fun.
The ability to rock a baby to sleep is another feature that makes modern parents buy a swing chair for newborns. Reviews also concern other functions of this device. Thus, high-quality swings contribute to the physical development of the baby and training of the vestibular apparatus. Modern sun loungers are designed to allow you to move in any direction.
All swings are made of durable materials. The stable frame reliably supports an active baby. And a large number of fixing devices provide complete safety for an active toddler. Therefore, parents can calmly carry out important tasks without worrying about their baby.
Adviсe
In general, white noise can be used, and sometimes it is necessary for restless children. But everything must be done wisely, only then will you receive benefit and not harm. Therefore, follow these simple tips:
- There is no need to generate such a background using improvised methods. There are special generators and even specialized noise-making toys designed for this. It is important to buy a high-quality device and follow the instructions for its use.
- The sound volume should not exceed 50 decibels, and its source should be at a distance of at least 1-1.5 meters from the newborn.
- It is important to understand that poor sleep may be due, among other things, to the fact that the mother violated the diet while breastfeeding. A sound generator will not solve the problem of colic, so you first need to find out the cause of poor sleep, and then use all sorts of tricks.
- Don't expect this trick to do all the work for you. Of course, with the right approach, this is an excellent helper, but do not forget that, first of all, the baby needs you.
Minuses
Among the disadvantages of the devices are their high cost and short service life. Usually, baby chairs are interesting for the first 2–4 months. Therefore, before purchasing this accessory, parents should think about the feasibility of purchasing it.
Strong arguments for choosing a chaise longue for newborns are reviews. Manufacturer's photos encourage buyers to purchase this accessory. But how much it is needed, each family must decide for itself.
