Warning about white nose machines.

Littlebean312 · March 2014

Saw this morning on the news and wanted to share with you all.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/white-noise-machines-could-hurt-babies-hearing-study-suggests-n41416

tourqeyes · March 2014

I liked our white noise machine. Not sure if we really needed it. I think my son has selective hearing inherited by his father, but I really don't think the sound machine has inhibited his hearing thus far.

And I've never had a bumper like that before (in the article picture) -- is that how thick all of them are?!

INmommy871278 · March 2014

Ugh, studies like this annoy the crap out of me. There is no sound proof showing that the machines have actually caused damage. The whole article is filled with might and may cause. We used a sound machine with DS, set the timer to 45 minutes, and had the volume set at a low setting.

INmommy871278 · March 2014

tourqeyes said:

I liked our white noise machine. Not sure if we really needed it. I think my son has selective hearing inherited by his father, but I really don't think the sound machine has inhibited his hearing thus far.

And I've never had a bumper like that before (in the article picture) -- is that how thick all of them are?!

All the ones that I have seen included in the bedding packages are that thick.

runrinserepeat · March 2014

Eh, we have the sleep sheep on DD's crib. We still turn it on for her at night. It's never been only a foot away from her, it's never been turned up all the way, and it automatically turns off after 25 minutes. Sure, she can get to sleep without it, but it does help soothe her.

This article seems a little ridiculous. Yes, if used in the most ridiculous and irresponsible way possible, noise machines can be harmful. I think you might find that true of most things.

tealowl · March 2014

Eh, I would take studies like this with a grain of salt. I've never had a white noise machine, so I'm not familiar with them, but I do have a humidifier in my room that I cannot sleep without (I switch to a fan in the summer).

Our baby will be sleeping in our room, and I'm not concerned about a small hum or a fan. My friends baby has slept with a small fan in her nursery and she can hear just fine...

kmawb · March 2014

I'm not giving up DDs sound machine (and this study is a bunch of crap)!!

My DD sleeps with a sound machine at night and during naps (it's over 6 feet away from her and is never at more than half volume). She loves it, it helps her sleep, so we love it too.

My DH and I have an air purifier in our room that is running 24-7 (DH has bad allergies) and if it's off we notice immediately, so that provides a constant white noise in our room too (plus I've got DDs sound machine coming through the monitor on my side of the bed too).

We also use fans in DDs room and our room in the summer.

I have actually used a white noise app on my phone when I'm OOT to help me sleep better, because I found it too quiet for me now without the white noise I'm used to at home (plus it helps drown out the noises from the hallway in a hotel).

cakebatter27 · March 2014

Holy bumper.

We'll probably have a fan in the room. I sleep with a fan or I CANT sleep.

ghostof5letters · March 2014

My 2.5 year old still uses a white noise machine. It's been a god send, but I think it's time we ween her off of it or she'll use it for her entire life.

lindslalala · March 2014

My 2 year old has slept with a sound machine for all naps pretty much since birth. I don't even want to read that article.

helloblueeyes · March 2014

If this kid is anything like me, the sounds of Skyrim and Call of Duty will become a lullaby and white noise won't be necessary, lol.

That being said without any proof to back it up, this article isn't much more then an opinion.

bewilderingstar · March 2014

Uhhhh did you see the bumpers on the crib?! Lets talk about a suffocation factor before if a kid will having hearing issues for a dumb parent blaring a sound machine next to the baby's head.

lowerygirl · March 2014

tourqeyes said:
I liked our white noise machine. Not sure if we really needed it. I think my son has selective hearing inherited by his father, but I really don't think the sound machine has inhibited his hearing thus far.

And I've never had a bumper like that before (in the article picture) -- is that how thick all of them are?!

No, I have seen them much, much thinner than that. That is a little excessive IMO.

marsalisails · March 2014

They lost me with the bumper pic. Who puts a sound machine 12 inches from the baby's head?! This article made me "stupider". What a waste of time and research money.

JayBzo · March 2014

Reading the article, they clearly state they have not studied how parents actually use them... common sense people, you should be able to know what is too loud/too close! We have an air purifier and have our ceiling fan on 24/7 - I am used to sleeping with quiet noise and will probably do the same with baby regardless.I am not too worried about noise of our house, but I think the white noise can be a good trigger to let baby know, hey it is time to sleep. Who knows, FTM so I could be wrong!

Neighner20 · March 2014

My DD who is almost 3 1/2 still sleeps with one. She doesn't HAVE to have it. She doesn't use one at daycare. But our walls/doors here are super thin and it helps drown out noise. This new baby will have one as well. DH & I sleep with a fan, on high, for the sound only. So I guess I hope this isn't true since I'm a sign language interpreter and depend on my hearing for my job!

iris427 · March 2014

FFS, it seems like you can find an article suggesting literally everything is dangerous. Swaddling is bad! Hats are bad! White noise is bad!

Plus fans create white noise and they are recommended as a way to reduce SIDS risk.

Dcwtada · March 2014

Luckynumbers81 said:

How I feel about this article…

Exactly, the ONLY thing the article "found" was that white noise machines were louder than hospital nurseries or workplaces have their long exposure sound thresholds: "https://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/03/03/white-noise-machines-may-harm-infants-hearing/'.

All the crap about hearing damage, risks and potential problems are conjectures, assumptions and complete hokum. Bad research/articles to scare parents and make the news.

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BeardLover · March 2014

I've used a fan while sleeping since I was 12. My kids, ages 13 and 15 use a fan at night now, too. The 21 month old uses a sound machine. Were all screwed!

shanaynerz · March 2014

I agree with PPs. This article needs to be taken with a grain of salt. White noise helped SO much when DD was a newborn and we still use it. I don't think it's too loud and it's not right next to her head. The music we use is a bunch of ocean sounds, nothing crazy. It's the one thing everyone (nurses, doctors) has told me is okay to keep using as long as we want b/c many adults find white noise soothing (I was worried it was a crutch). Seriously use your own discretion as a mother and do what you think is best.