Gentle sound to soothe babies and infant sleep
Soft, womb-like sound to help your baby settle for naps and bedtime
Play Soothing SoundA quick note for parents: this page is general information, not medical advice. Soothing noise is a comfort and sound-masking aid, not a sleep treatment. Keep the volume low, keep the device well away from the crib, and talk to your pediatrician about what's right for your child.
The womb is a surprisingly noisy place. For nine months your baby was surrounded by a constant, low whoosh—blood flow, a heartbeat, the muffled rumble of the world outside. A silent nursery can feel strangely empty by comparison, so a soft, steady sound recreates a little of that familiar background and helps many newborns relax.
Gentle noise also masks the household. A closing door, a barking dog, an older sibling's footsteps—these are the small sounds that startle a baby out of a light sleep cycle. A continuous, even layer of sound smooths over those spikes.
A soft, womb-like whoosh feels reassuring to newborns and can help an unsettled baby calm down.
Steady sound softens sudden household noises—doors, dishes, siblings—that tend to break light sleep.
The same gentle sound at every nap becomes a signal your baby learns to associate with settling down.
This is the part that matters most. A baby's hearing is delicate, so soothing sound should always be soft and kept at a distance.
For infants, gentler and deeper usually wins. Here's how the three colors tend to feel.
Pink noise is balanced and natural—close to steady rain or rustling leaves. It's softer than white noise and easy to keep at a low volume, which makes it a comfortable starting point for most babies.
Best for: Everyday naps, bedtime, a calm all-rounder
Brown noise is deep and low, like a distant waterfall or the muffled rumble many people imagine the womb sounds like. The warm low end feels soothing rather than sharp, and many newborns settle to it quickly.
Best for: Newborns, deep settling, nighttime
White noise has the strongest masking power, so it helps in a busy household with traffic, siblings, or thin walls. It sounds brighter than the others, so keep it especially soft and well back from the crib.
Best for: Loud apartments, masking street noise, busy households
Not sure where to land? Open the mixer and blend a little pink over brown—a warm, soft combination that keeps some masking power without any harsh top end.
It takes under a minute to dial in a gentle sleep sound:
Used gently, many families find it helpful. The key is to keep the volume low and the device well away from the crib—pediatric guidance commonly suggests staying around 50 dB and placing the source at least 2 metres (about 7 feet) from the baby. Treat it as a soothing, sound-masking aid, not a medical device, and check with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.
Quiet. A common rule of thumb is roughly the level of a soft shower—around 50 dB—and never louder than your own calm speaking voice would be from across the room. If you have to raise your voice to be heard over it, turn it down. Lower and farther is always the safer choice.
Many parents run a soft sound through naps and bedtime; others prefer to use the timer so it fades after the baby settles. Both are reasonable. If you do run it longer, keep the volume low and the device across the room rather than near the crib, and follow your pediatrician's advice for your child.
Pink and brown noise are gentle, low-pitched, and womb-like, which many babies find calming for sleep. White noise has stronger masking power for a noisy home but sounds brighter, so keep it especially soft. Try each at a low volume and let your baby's response guide you.
A phone or tablet running the generator across the room is plenty to start. If you'd like a dedicated device that frees up your phone, these are popular with parents:
Links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Keep any device at a low volume and well away from the crib.
Try the free noise generator with adjustable brown, pink, and white noise and a built-in timer.
Play Soothing SoundBetter sleep for the whole family
More on colors and safe use
Calming ambient soundscapes