Safety
How loud should baby white noise be?
Quieter than you think. Here is a number to aim for, how to check it and what it sounds like.
Aim for about 50 decibels or lower measured at the baby's head, roughly as loud as a quiet conversation. If you can talk comfortably over the sound without raising your voice, it is probably in a safe range. Put the source across the room.
The number to remember: 50 decibels
Fifty decibels (dB) is the limit recommended for hospital nurseries and the figure used in the 2014 Pediatrics study of infant sleep machines. It is not a legal standard for homes, but it is a sensible, conservative target. Decibels are logarithmic: every 10 dB is about twice as loud to the ear, so 70 dB is much louder than 50 dB, not slightly louder.
Decibel chart
| Sound | Approximate level |
|---|---|
| Quiet bedroom at night | 25 to 30 dB |
| Whisper | 30 dB |
| Quiet conversation, a quiet nursery target | 40 to 50 dB |
| Normal conversation | 55 to 65 dB |
| Dishwasher or heavy rain | 60 to 70 dB |
| Vacuum cleaner | 70 to 80 dB |
| Hair dryer | 80 dB or more |
| Adult workplace limit over 8 hours | 85 dB |
These are typical values. Real appliances vary a lot.
Why not play it as loud as the womb?
Measurements inside the womb vary and have been reported at fairly high levels, but the sound reaching the baby is muffled and low in pitch. A speaker playing at that level in a quiet room is a different thing, and it is much closer to the baby's ears for much longer. Use the womb as inspiration for the type of sound, not the volume. See why white noise calms babies.
How to measure
- Install a free sound meter app on a second phone or tablet.
- Hold it where the baby's head will be.
- Play the white noise at your usual setting from where it will sit.
- Adjust until the reading is around 50 dB or lower.
Phone meters are not calibrated lab instruments and can be off by several decibels. Treat them as a guide, and err on the quiet side.
A simple test without a meter
Stand where your baby's head will be and speak in a normal voice. If you must raise your voice to be heard over the sound, it is too loud. Start low and go up only until it is just enough to mask household noise.
Distance changes everything
Sound gets quieter as you move away from the source: moving twice as far reduces the level by about 6 dB. A speaker that is comfortable across the room can be too loud at 30 centimeters. See white noise safety.
Volume in Baby White Noise
The app has a volume slider and a sleep timer. The level at the baby depends on your phone speaker and the room, so test it once with a meter or the speaking test above, and keep the slider at that setting.
Frequently asked questions
Is 60 decibels too loud for a baby?
It is louder than the 50 dB guideline, about the level of a normal conversation. Turn it down if you can.
What is the loudest safe sound for a baby?
There is no official limit for babies. The 50 dB hospital nursery limit is a widely used conservative target.
Can I use a decibel meter on my phone?
Yes, as a guide. Phone meters are approximate.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about your baby's sleep and hearing, and follow current safe sleep guidance.