White Noise - When to End It?

Updated on March 14, 2011
J.M. asks from Plano, TX
16 answers

We've all tried "shushing" and white noise with our newborns. My son is two years old now, when do I cut off the sounds and let him just fall asleep with normal household noise?

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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

All of my boys (5, almost 3, and 7 mo) fall asleep to classical music. I think it's soothing and I read somewhere that it helps stimulate their brain.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.D.

answers from Boston on

My 2 1/2 year old still uses the noise maker (the sound of rain). I wouldn't think of getting rid of it! If it helps them sleep, why mess with that? If I didn't worry I woundn't hear the kids if they needed me I would still use one! LOL

1 mom found this helpful

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W.M.

answers from Nashville on

Never. : ) Our entire family has a noise machine to sleep with. We started the kids with them from birth and they still sleep with them evernight and my husband and I have one in our room as well. It helps drown out noises like the phone, dogs barking, storms, sirens, cars starting, the fridge making ice, etc I wanted it for the kids b/c it helped soothe them as infants and b/c they did not hear the phone ring, etc and wake up too soon from their nap. I have slept with a loud fan or noise machine for the last 20 yrs and find that I sleep SO much better. We actually have the White Noise Machine you can purchase on Amazon.com. Our son has table top fan that is loud. I don't think it hurts anyone to not learn to fall asleep with normal household noise. Good luck with your choice!

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B.P.

answers from New York on

He had a fan in my son's room until very recently (he is almost 3) because the doctor said that since it doesn't serve a purpose, remove it. But we replaced it with a cool mist dehumidifier because my son got sick and it kinda serves the same purpose. BUT none of us has been sick in a month!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Have you tried not using it?
What happens?
Only your kid will let you know when it's time.
I'm an adult and I can't sleep without the TV or some music on.
I'm old enough that I can promise there was no such thing as white noise machines or anything else.
I just know what makes me get more restful sleep.
So...if your kid never outgrows the desire for some background sound, there's nothing wrong with it.

That's just my opinion.

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K.W.

answers from Youngstown on

We all have a fan running in our rooms at night for white noise. It helps us all sleep. If your son is sleeping well with it, why mess with a good thing?

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Ha!
My kids are 4 and 8. And still fall asleep with white noise.
They even request it!
LOL

all the best,
Susan

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Dallas on

We used white noise with my oldest daughter from birth. Sometime around the time she turned 5, she started getting up and turning it off some time after we left her room at night. She is now 5 1/2 and we never turn it on for her anymore. Our two younger children still use it. I think our oldest likes hearing us puttering around the house.

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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Well, I put the music channel on the tv and go to sleep to that and I'm 45.
My kids have cd's that they will occasionally put in. After they were old enough to learn to use the cd player, it's a Fisher Price, I quit putting on the music for them, so maybe 6 or 7.

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

My 9-year old still turns it on for herself sometimes. It is on a timer and is at a really low volume, but she loves it. She often forgets to turn it on and we do not travel with it. And she has slowly weaned herself down to this level without any guidance from us. It has never been an issue, since we use the sleep timer and so do not have to remember to turn it off, and since we have never traveled with it. It is just a relaxing comfort. We all need more relaxation! :)

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

I never used white noise, I didn't even know what it was until I read posts about it on here.
When I was pregnant all my friends told me when she's napping my regular noises...like washing the dishes, and stuff..so thats what I did.
Now at 2 when I put her to bed I put the tv on in the living room, if I don't we can hear daddy's every little noise (our house is pretty open), and she wants to get up and play.
During her nap time the tv isn't usually on, so I won't say she needs it, but it definately helps in the fall asleep process.
I had a room mate who was in her 30's and still used white noise. I always wondered why she had the fan on but facing the wall. She finially told me why, lol I felt dumb.
I guess just try it and see how he does, he may need that well into adulthood.

G.T.

answers from Modesto on

My hub and I still sleep with a fan year round. I think you get hooked on white noise at some point.
If he can go to sleep without it just dont turn it on.

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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

Our 3.5 year old DD still has her CD player on at night with lullaby music, as well as her vaporizer, which sounds like a fan running. She naps daily and has slept through the night since day 1, so when my DH said something once about stopping it, I was like, why?

If it ain't broke...

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S.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hi! I'm a mom of 2 and a marital and family therapist and a happiest baby on the block educator! There is no reason to stop using it. Most people sleep better with it!

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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

I still sleep with a fan -year round! I didn't as a small child, but when I was about 8 I discovered how relaxing I found it, and I've used it since. My kids don't use it, and they never have, but I wouldn't be opposed if they wanted to. I see no real reason to stop.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

You can give it a try, but there is nothing wrong with having some sort of noise blocker if your neighborhood noises (children laughing, cars honking, trash trucks and car alarms) do not bother your child.

Our daughter still uses books on CD or her iPod, to block out the sounds in her college dorm.

We use a sound machine sometimes if there is something going on in our neighborhood. We notice everything is louder with no leaves on the trees to block out the neighborhood sounds, .

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