Newborn Map
White noise for a newborn
A sound machine is optional. Keep it out of the crib, on a dresser. It is not a SIDS product. We will not invent a decibel number.
We are not pediatricians. This is not medical advice. Your pediatrician knows this baby.
A sound machine can hide a hallway or a dishwasher. It is not a medical device and it is not a SIDS-prevention product. We will not invent a decibel target. We will not tell you a brand “protects sleep” the way a firm, flat, empty surface does.
Where it goes
On a dresser or shelf, out of the crib. Not under the mattress. Not clipped to a rail next to a face. Not inside the bassinet “so it’s womb-like.” The sleep space stays empty. CPSC / Bare is Best.
Keep the volume modest enough that you can still hear the baby. If you cannot talk over it at a normal voice from the doorway, it is too loud. That is a household heuristic, not an AAP chart.
What it does not do
- Prevent SIDS
- Create a schedule
- Replace day-night contrast
- Excuse a couch nap
On the registry
Optional, week 1–2, not before-birth required. Category browse: Hatch. If you buy through a link we may earn a commission. That does not change the price you pay. We do not publish commission rates. See the registry tool.
A phone in the next room on a fan video is the same idea. You do not owe a $100 cylinder.
When to call
A machine that smells like plastic heat, sparks, or sits in a crib is a stop. Fever, breathing, a baby you cannot wake — those are clinician calls, not volume questions.
Next
Sources
- AAP 2022 safe sleep — empty sleep space; no device claim
- CPSC Safe Sleep
- HealthyChildren / AAP — Sleep and your newborn