White noise for baby sleep: safe use and best practices

White noise masks random sounds that would otherwise wake a light sleeper mid-nap. It is not magic, but for many babies it is the difference between 30 minutes and an hour.

When it helps most

• Noisy home/apartment.
• Light sleepers who startle easily.
• During naps when daytime sounds are unpredictable.

Safer best practices

• Keep volume moderate.
• Place the device away from the crib (not next to baby's head).
• Prefer steady sound over constantly changing tracks.
• Use it as part of a consistent wind‑down routine.

Common mistakes

• Too loud.
• Placing the speaker in the crib or right beside it.
• Changing sounds frequently (stimulating).
• Using it to "fix" overtiredness instead of adjusting timing.