Getting baby used to noise

rochefan

My 18 month sleeps well but is very sensitive to noise in the house so we are tip toeing about trying not to make noise. We are expected another baby in June so we are wondering how we can get him used to sleeping through noise before that. Its hard when its just us in the house as we can't just go about banging doors as that will shock him, I was thinking of putting a radio in the hall when he goes to sleep, anyone have any suggestions?

RealistSpy

same as my son he is 18months aswelland very sensitive to noise. I know where you are coming from you have no choice but to be quiet in the house :S!

Quazzie

I've a son who used to be like that, which was very annoying as I like to watch TV for an hour in bed before I go to sleep. What we done was have the TV on in the next room when we put him down and then sit with him (not holding him but just in the room so he knos we're there) and wait for him to go to sleep.

The first few nights he was distracted by the sound but after a while (think it was 4 nights, maybe 5) he didn't even notice the noise and went straight off to sleep. That was about 4 months ago, and ever since He goes all night and us getting up for the toilet doesn't seem to wake him at all.

I done this under my own mothers advice which was "get him used to the noise and he won't notice it at all then"

Hope this helps!

seamus

I think Quazzie is onto the right thing there - try and keep some ambient noise in the house - TV, radio or music. It doesn't have to be loud, just omnipresent.

The baby spends its first nine months in the womb, which is ridiculously noisy. Some people believe that rather than tip-toeing around the place when the baby first arrives, you should aim to keep your home quite noisy and the child will sleep through anything because they come out of the womb accustomed to the world being constantly noisy.

Moonbeam

That is what we did,poor child had to put up with the noise of the water pump,daddy playing guitar and other stuff and she can sleep through most things now a year on.

2SWEET

We never tiptoed around any of our 3 kids, from the day the came home from hospital everything carried on as normal ,telly,radio, washing machine etc all went on regardless of baby being awake or sleeping. Now all 3 will sleep through most things and the youngest is only 3 months. I would definitely suggest leaving your 18mth old play away as normal to get the new baby used to everyday noises.

Ludo

We always had a noisy house also and it doesn't bother their sleep at all. Only one thing will wake them up and that is the house phone. A plane would crash outside and they would sleep through it but if the phone rings after 8 at night all hell breaks loose...damn annoying.

Tried changing ring tones and everything but no luck...have to keep it on silent now and ignore it...sure if it is important they will leave a message.

Ickle Magoo

Play some music, keep a radio on, etc. A noisy children's mobile or even a loud ticking clock are good for keeping a baby company and getting them used to ambient noise. I think the quieter you are around a baby, the more sensitive to noise they become. I would gradually build up to acting as you would if they were awake, tv on, opening and closing doors until they get used to the normal household noises.

Nevyn

We did the same once they were 4/5 months and just didn't keep the house deathly quiet,
got to the stage that they would nap in the kitchen and the washing machine on spin would not wake them.

Start with radio and build on it.

we'llallhavetea_old

yep, get him used to the noise.

nesf

Get them used to noise from day one if you can. Our little one at 3 weeks will sleep through anything pretty much. Then, with a three year old in the house noise is pretty much constant!

rochefan

Thanks for all the replies, we started tonight with the radio in the hall but it was very low and we only kept it on for 15 minutes so its hard to tell. We'll slowly put it louder and hopefully he'll get used to it.

run_Forrest_run

babies have no problem with ambient noises, it's sudden noises that wakes them a lot of the time. You know, like dropping something or someone sneezing loudly etc..or in my case his older sister belting down the hall like the clappers singing :mad: