Is it just us, or does it seem possible that newborns never sleep and yet sleep all. the. time.? It’s so true! Today, those of you with a semi-permanent place on #TeamNoSleep may want to stick around and read on because, we’re reviewing one of our postpartum doulas’ absolute most favorite tools for helping babies and their parents get as much rest as possible. 

Meet: The Dohm for Baby Sound Conditioner. 

Why are our postpartum doulas so in love with this Made-In-NC machine? Here are our top reasons:

Babies are noisy people

Here’s a pro-tip that we wish all new parents knew… babies, even when sound asleep, are noisy. And though it’s hard to believe, babies (even the newest of newborns) are people too. Sleeping people, of all ages, tend to move around in their beds, readjusting their pillows, or straightening their covers, or get up to go to the restroom in the middle of the night.

Babies don’t have the words to tell us they’re doing all of these things, but they most certainly have the sounds. They coo, and snort, and if you have a a premature baby who’s prone to grunting all night long (29-34 weekers, I’m looking at you, especially), or a baby who suffers from reflux and is a noisy sleeper in general, it’s really hard to sleep when the baby sleeps. 

Having a high-quality sound machine, like the Dohm for Baby, will help you sleep through the little “Oh, don’t mind me guys, I’m just getting comfortable” noises, and wake up for the big “Okay, I’m ready to eat now. Like right now, now!” sounds, instead. 

Adults are noisy people. 

I know, we all have a vision in our minds of what we look like asleep. Maybe you’re picturing Sleeping Beauty? In reality, and with a couple of sleepless Newborn Nights under your belt, you’re more likely going to be open-mouthed, drooling-on-the-pillow, snoring-like-a-train asleep when you're able to catch-up. Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. 

And remember how we just talked about babies as people too? That tiny person who shares a room with you will likely be woken up by your noises just as much as they are waking you up! A little white noise helps drown out the sounds of your house day and night (ahem, snoring, the nosey postman who’s knocking on the door, your neighbor’s dog who will not stop barking, your older child protesting nap time, whatever). 

This is critical if you have a baby whose tail-end portion of their sleep cycles are light and tenuous. Having consistent, decently loud white noise can help your baby transition into the next cycle easier, and create more restful, restorative sleep for them (and really, for you too!).

Speaking of consistent sound, there's no looping track

This may be something that only postpartum doulas find relevant, but I feel like anyone who's spending hours awake at night with a newborn and is utilizing white noise will appreciate that The Dohm doesn't have a looping, predictable soundtrack. It works by moving air through a fan to create the noise, and that consistent sound helps a sleeping brain stay asleep. Plus, as may happen with other sound machines or apps on your phone, you won't be driven to the brink of insanity by the Dohm, by waiting for the loop to "click over" into the next cycle, or by waiting for that sixth whale tone or bird call, or be totally creeped out at 2 a.m. by the sound of a beating heart (oh yes, that's a sound machine option, too).  

Bring along Home wherever you go

Thinking about taking a vacation with your newborn (What? Don’t laugh. Sometimes this happens! Yes, really!)? Or maybe just a short visit to Grandma’s for the weekend. The Dohm is small enough that you can pack it up and bring it with you wherever you go! It just plugs into any outlet available, and voila! Unknown, vacation noise is cancelled. 

It’ll also help you re-create a familiar piece of your baby’s sleep routine when you’re traveling away from their normal sleeping space, ensuring that even an overtired baby can rest and relax with the comforting noise they know and love. 

Plus! Marpac even makes a “Dohm to Go” product called the Hushh.

The Hushh is a portal, electronic machine that packs a powerful sound (with three sound options). AND! It has a low-level amber-colored light on it, in case you need to lay eyes on your little one in a dark space and want minimal disruption to their sleep. Brilliant. 

The best part? We’ve got a chance for you to win both.

How? 
To win the Dohm for Baby, just bring a diaper donation by our office next week, or to our Birthday Party on Saturday, April 8. We’ll draw a name at the end of the party and you could walk away with hopes for your best sleep yet. 

To win the Hushh, visit our Facebook page and leave a comment telling us where you’re most likely to be seen with your baby and the Hushh in use around town.