Hi Mamasourcers! My kids are 2 1/2 and 1. We still have white noise (the sound of static in one room, and the sound of a humidifier in the other) in their rooms every nap and night. Their rooms are next to each other and the wall seems pretty thin. Hence, I use the while noise to circumvent one waking the other up (i.e. our son is already asleep when our daughter goes to bed, and he wakes up before she does, etc.)
I'm wondering if anyone has had issues "weaning" toddlers or older kids from white noise. Is there a downside to using white noise now and as they get older?
EDIT: I'm totally fine with the white noise. I'm just wondering if anyone thinks we are creating more problems than it's worth. When our kids want to get married, will they have to tell their prospective spouses that they can't sleep without a humidifier? :)
Hello
I have a white noise machine in both of my girls rooms (3yrs. and 1yr) They sleep so much better with it. I do not plan on taking it out anytime soon or at all. My husband and I also have a loud fan running in our room ever since the noisy dorms in college. I have a portable white noise machine we take on vacations and a battery operated one we take camping. Call us all crazy but we sleep great!!
not for me my 9 year old still sleeps with his air machine and has everyday of his life and same with my three year old:)
Interesting question - I haven't heard anything about long term effects. I have been using white noise (humidifiers) in my kids rooms since they were born. (My son is 4.5 and my daughter is 2)
Aarti.
I think white noise is fine, unless it eventually bothers you. Some kids like to fall asleep with it and, if it bothers you, then, just before you go to bed, you can always turn it off. I think it falls under the same concept as night light vs. no light. Just a preference. Both my kids are opposite in this area....my son likes it very dark, silent and door shut; my daughter likes a night light and the din of the neighboring room's TV playing, with her door, slightly opened.
If you are talking about "weaning", I'm guessing YOU, personally, do not like it. I know, in my bedroom, I like having my overhead fan on for a variety of reasons, mainly, because of all the knocks that you hear from a furnace or pipes at night - especially when it is windy.
Are your kids even aware that it is on - have you tested that? I would do some experimenting - maybe turning off the older child's noise. They may not even need it although you may think it helps them. Good luck.
Could cause long term issues. I never slept with white noise as a child, but started it on my own as an adult. I hate hotel rooms that have central air. I NEED the noisy wall unit to help me sleep. From now on, I will be taking a white noise machine with me now that they are portable.
You could probably ween them by just slowly lowering the volume over several months time.
