Sleep machines are some of the newest baby-soothing options on the market, but they are actually based on old baby remedies. Every old granny knows that soft noises like humming and breathing will soothe a baby and help him to sleep.
These machines can help your baby sleep, too, and they have plenty of advantages over other sleep soothing techniques.
First off, sleep machines don't need your presence to operate. While rocking, singing, cuddling, and warm baths can help babies fall asleep and stay asleep well, they all involve you. Of course you love to spend time with your baby, but you know that you need your rest, too.
Sleep machines can help your baby fall asleep and stay asleep without you even being present. You simply have to switch the machine on and lay your baby down; once you walk out, she'll have an easier time soothing herself to sleep than she would have otherwise.
Secondly, sleep machines can easily be used in conjunction with other sleep soothing techniques. Making a sleep machine part of your nightly bedtime routine can make things easier on you and your baby. You can simply turn the machine on before settling into the rocking chair for a few minutes, which will help your baby relax more readily. You'll still get your snuggle time in, but you won't be locked into the rocking chair for hours trying to get your baby to fall asleep and stay that way.
Thirdly, sleep machines create sleeping routines that can last well into childhood. You don't necessarily want to have to swaddle your three-year-old, and you probably hope that by the time your baby is a year old, he'll be able to comfortably sleep in his own room nine out of then nights. These aren't unreasonable goals, and a sleep machine can help you reach them. You can, for instance, use the womb-like noises on some sleep machines for infants, and then transition these noises to soothing ocean noises when children are older, as these noises will still be soothing.
As you can see, there are many advantages to using a sleep machines to help your baby sleep. The biggest advantage of all, though, is probably all the extra sleep you'll get once your baby learns how to fall asleep and stay asleep without your help. After all, you love to spend time with your baby, but getting a solid six hours of sleep a night wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, either.
Melissa Nathans, a sleep consultant, recommends a sound machine to help soothe or calm your baby. Checkout http://www.sleepwellbaby.com for more information about sound machines and white noise machines for babies, children and adults.