Gentle sounds for baby sleep
Babies spent nine months in a place that was never quiet, which is part of why steady background sound settles so many of them. It also covers the household noises — a door, a dropped pan, an older sibling — that turn a light sleep phase into a fully awake baby.
This mix is deliberately plain: soft rain with a low bed of wind, and no thunder. Every layer here is smooth and continuous, because the whole point is that nothing in the sound is ever a surprise.
Volume is the part worth getting right. Nursery guidance generally points to keeping sound machines quiet and away from the cot rather than close to it, and to using them for a stretch rather than at high volume all night. Quiet and a few steps away is the safe default.
Start the mix, set the timer for the length of the nap, and let it fade out on its own instead of stopping dead.
Frequently asked questions
Do white noise and rain help babies sleep?
Many parents find that steady background sound helps babies settle and stay asleep, largely because it masks the household noises that would otherwise wake them. Babies differ, so it is worth trying for a few nights before deciding whether it does anything for yours.
How loud should baby sleep sounds be?
Quiet. General guidance is to keep sound machines at a low volume and placed away from the cot rather than next to it — a conversation-level sound right beside a baby's head is too much. If you have any doubt about volume or your baby's hearing, ask your paediatrician.
Should it play all night?
Both approaches are common: some families run it all night for continuous masking, others use a timer so it fades out once the baby is asleep. The timer here fades gradually rather than cutting, which avoids the abrupt change that can wake a light sleeper.
Is rain better than white noise for a baby?
Rain is softer in the high frequencies and most people find it easier to have on for hours, which is why this mix leads with it. Plain white noise masks slightly better in a noisy home. Either is fine — pick the one your baby settles with.