Baby only sleeps w/vacuum running !

[mrstanimal]

It's getting to the point where I'm about to lose my sanity ! My son is 4 months, and if I want to get him to sleep, or keep him asleep, I have to run the vacuum (or the vacuum sound CD I bought). The minute I turn it off, he wakes up.

What's the deal ? He either sleeps in my arms, or his swing, and if I try to get him to sleep without the vacuum sound, it takes forever and he is fussy. In fact, just now, I thought he was in a deep sleep in my arms, so I shut the vacuum off. Fussing. Turned it back on, peaceful bliss.

I feel grateful to have found something that works, but...I think my neighbors are worried I'm a clean freak, and I'd like to watch a movie or listen to music sometimes. I know babies like white noise, I'm just curious why, and if there are any other options ? Or at least finding out there are other babies who need the same kind of thing ?

[riverscout]

We are all about white noise at this house. My kids have always slept better with some form or another. My almost 4 year old still needs her "rain" on her sound soother, and my 12 month old son will only sleep with a fan running.

Anyway, maybe you could try gradually turning down the volume on the vacuum cd and then leave it at a volume you could tolerate so it's not such an abrupt change as just turning the vacuum off. Also, you could try a fan or a nature cd or a sound soother, all of which might be more tolerable for you.

[FaithfulOne]

I bet your floors are suuuuper clean

Lots of great suggestions from pp. I second turning down the volume bit by bit and then replacing the noise with something more tolerable. You can also snuggle him with something of yours, that smells like Mum...a nursing tank, t-shirt etc.

[kamane18]

DS (almost 5 months) still loves sleeping with the hair dryer on. Usually it's only for one nap a day anymore but it never seems to fail. At night his sound machine is turned onto white noise (although not as loudly as the hair dryer). DD (little over 4 years) still sleeps with low level white noise as well!

[hotharmony]

http://www.amazon.com/Vacuum-Cleaner...654911&sr=1-11

Vacuum cleaner MP3 download from Amazon

[mrstanimal]

Good ideas !!! I was Googling (sometimes a very bad idea), and read an article about white noise being harmful to baby's development.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030...nt-development

Now I'm freaked out !!!

[riverscout]

Originally Posted by mrstanimal

Good ideas !!! I was Googling (sometimes a very bad idea), and read an article about white noise being harmful to baby's development.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030...nt-development

Now I'm freaked out !!!

I'm skeptical...very skeptical. For one thing, it's a single study. But more importantly, it's a huge leap to go from finding that it's detrimental "to expose rat pups to continuous background white noise loud enough to mask normal environmental sounds" to saying that using white noise primarily during sleep could affect a typical infant's language development provided his or her environment during waking hours was normal.

And while it is purely anecdotal evidence, I can tell you that my almost 4 year old talks non-stop, so I am quite certain she was not harmed . And my 12 month old is saying a few words already too.

[teachma]

Originally Posted by mrstanimal

Good ideas !!! I was Googling (sometimes a very bad idea), and read an article about white noise being harmful to baby's development.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030...nt-development

Now I'm freaked out !!!

Hmmm. Didn't read the article. However, my eldest is 9, slept with white noise until age 6 and is diagnosed moderately gifted and has anxiety and sensory issues. My middle, age 5, still sleeps with white noise and is a highly gifted, exceptionally social child with no issues at all. My 6-month old not only sleeps with white noise, but we keep it on in his bedroom 24/7 so he hears it whenever I'm changing his diaper, or we're playing in his room. I am not concerned that I'm "damaging" him in any way. Now off to read the article...curious!

[Madalyn]

I'm amazed that they make vacuum cds lol! My son would be terrified, he hates the vacuum. Guess that goes to show how different little ones can be. He doesn't seem to require any noise to sleep but I do. If I try to sleep without a fan my ears literally start hurting from the silence.

[MittensKittens]

That is so funny! My youngest was also like that at the same age. I have never vacuumed so much . At around 6 months, he stopped enjoying the vacuum and refused to sleep anywhere but on me, on my lap or in the mei tai. In hindsight, it was wonderful that putting on the vacuum would just send him to sleep

[teachma]

Okay...I find the referenced article utterly laughable. My eldest white noise babies developed receptive language very early, so early you'd probably not believe if I stated it here, and spoken language by 6.5 months and 8 months old. If it works, use it!

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by mrstanimal

It's getting to the point where I'm about to lose my sanity ! My son is 4 months, and if I want to get him to sleep, or keep him asleep, I have to run the vacuum (or the vacuum sound CD I bought). The minute I turn it off, he wakes up.

What's the deal ? He either sleeps in my arms, or his swing, and if I try to get him to sleep without the vacuum sound, it takes forever and he is fussy. In fact, just now, I thought he was in a deep sleep in my arms, so I shut the vacuum off. Fussing. Turned it back on, peaceful bliss.

I feel grateful to have found something that works, but...I think my neighbors are worried I'm a clean freak, and I'd like to watch a movie or listen to music sometimes. I know babies like white noise, I'm just curious why, and if there are any other options ? Or at least finding out there are other babies who need the same kind of thing ?

My DD also loves white noise. We use the fan on the stove to help her fall asleep. However, she also loves her bouncy chair that vibrates. The vibration is relaxing and sounds like white noise too. If she's napping in the chair and I turn off the vibration she'll wake right up. You might try a vibrating chair. Good luck!

[AvaAndMe]

My 8.5 month old prefers white noise too. That is what they are used to when they are inside the uterus...the constant pounding of Mom's heart, stomach gurgles etc. With my babe we have always used an air purifier. Now that it is winter we have a humidifier just outside her room and that works really great. She is at an age that she just doesn't want to miss anything so disguising our movements helps keep her sleeping!

[chelsaya16]

I just want you to know that I am dealing with the same problem right now!  My baby is 7 months...and for 7 months I have been trying to get him to take a daytime nap in his crib.  There are random days when he will sleep in his crib during the day, but those days are few and far between.  I was about at the end of my rope and the idea of using the vacuum popped into my head from hearing it numerous times but I kinda thought it was silly.  Out of despriation I tried it anyway.  It worked!  After a few minutes with the vacuum on he is sleeping soundly in his crib, but I do have the same problem you are having.  As soon as the vacuum is turned off he wakes up and cries.  So do not feel alone.  I have decided to try something though.  For the first week I will leave the vacuum on during his entire nap, and then I will slowly reduce the time I run the vacuum and see if I can wean him of it.  I don't know if it will work but I am going to try.  Good luck with your baby!

[chelsaya16]

How can white noise be damaging???  The baby heard white noise in the womb!