I have stayed in many different places while traveling with my little ones, and I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not always easy to get a baby to sleep in a new environment. In my experience, a portable white noise machine is always a big help especially if it helps create that familiar sleeping environment.
One of the most important tips I’ve ever received for getting your baby to sleep on vacation is to recreate your baby’s at home sleep environment (as best you can). It’s the one tip that has worked consistently for us when we travel. I’ve found the most effective way to do this is to travel with a portable white noise machine and other items that my baby is used to sleeping with.
I use a white noise machine at home, so it only makes sense that I would travel with one as well. Not only does it help create a familiar sleep environment, but it can help to block out unfamiliar noises when we travel that might otherwise keep our baby awake.
In fact, I’ve even brought my white noise machine for flying with a baby or toddler. I’ve discovered that it can help drown out the ambient noise on a plane, such as other passengers talking, announcements, etc.
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10 Best Travel White Noise Machines for Baby
Based on my personal experiences traveling with a baby, here are my picks for the best travel white noise machines for babies. These baby sound machines are small and portable and can be used at the hotel or on the stroller for naps on-the-go.
Using an app on your phone or a tablet is another great option I’ve used in a pinch. The benefit of having a separate white noise machine is that you’ll still have access to your phone while your baby is sleeping!
1. Yogasleep Hushh Portable White Noise Machine for Baby
One of the top rated baby sound machines in this list, the Hushh has just the basic features needed in a portable white noise machine for baby. It has 3 sounds and is USB rechargeable. It’s both small and portable with an integrated clip to attach it to a stroller for on-the-go.
Has lock feature so little hands can’t change the volume
Continuous play back all night
USB-rechargeable
Amber LED nightlight
2. HoMedics MyBaby Soundspa On-The-Go
This on-the-go baby white noise machine has 4 sound options and 4 timer settings. It can be set to play for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. With no cord, it can be moved anywhere in the room. It uses 3 AAA batteries (not included).
With an integrated clip and built-in stand
Made durable to withstand drops
4 shut off timer settings
Battery operated
3. Baby Shusher For Babies
Inspired by the Happiest Baby on the Block book, this portable baby sound machine provides the fourth ‘S’ with a loud shushing noise to calm and help your baby drift off to sleep. This popular and highly rated baby sound machine is battery operated with 2 AA batteries included.
Uses shushing noise to calm baby
Battery operated
With two auto-off timers: 15 & 30 min
Portable size makes it perfect for travel
4. WavHello SoundBub White Noise Machine
As you can see from my pictures, we traveled with a SoundBub by WavHello for many years. What I liked most about it is that it is both a baby sound machine and a Bluetooth speaker in one. It has 6 soothing white noise sounds to help baby sleep and a rechargeable battery. This portable white noise machine for babies is perfect for travel with its small size, rechargeable battery, and integrated clip.
Double as an audiobook or music player
30, 60 or 90-minute timer PLUS continuous play
Integrated clip for portability
Can also be used as Bluetooth speaker
5. Summer Slumber Buddies Baby Sound Machine
This soft and cuddly elephant plays 5 sounds, including songs and nature sounds, to soothe your baby to sleep. It has 3 automatic shut off options: 15, 30 and 45 minutes. It also has the ability to project a starry sky if it will help calm your baby.
Has three different light color options
Auto-off timer of 15, 30 or 45 minutes
Requires AAA batteries
Includes starry sky light projector
6. Baby Sleep Soother Shusher Sound Machine
This rechargeable portable white noise machine has up to 38 hours of playback time, plus it can be used while recharging. It plays 8 white noise sounds for baby including popular white noise sounds like a shusher or fan. It also has an optional night light feature. There are three auto-shut off timer options for 30, 60 minutes or off for continuous play.
Strap allows it to easily be attached to a stroller
Rechargeable
Continuous play all night or 30/60 auto-shutoff
Optional night light
7. Yogasleep Pocket Baby Soother
This fun baby sound machine in a dinosaur shape is made by Yogasleep who also makes this very highly rated travel white noise machine or the Hushh also found in this list. If dinosaurs don’t fit your nursery theme, there are 3 other options to choose from: fox, unicorn or penguin.
Comes in four fun animal shapes
Continuous play back and 3 auto-off timers
USB-rechargeable
A portable sized baby sound machine that has 6 sleep sounds
8. Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine for Baby
A nightlight and sound machine in one, this device has 11 sounds and both brightness and volume levels that can be adjusted. The sounds include shushing by a human voice, white noise and a vacuum cleaner. It also can be set to play all night or on a timer.
Continuous play or auto-off timer
USB rechargeable
11 sounds and night light
Portable and lightweight
9. Summer Soothe and Vibe Portable Soother
The only baby sleep sound machine that also has a vibrate option, but it only has a 20 minute automatic shut off. It can be attached to a crib, bassinet or stroller. This baby sound machine has 5 sounds with adjustable volume and vibration speeds.
Vibrating option to soothe baby
5 sounds to help baby sleep
Battery operated by 3 AA batteries
Has a 20 minute automatic shut off
10. Project Nursery – White Noise Machine for Baby
Playing four nature sounds and two lullabies, this baby white noise machine can easily attach to strollers for on-the-go use.
Glow-in-the-dark buttons
Continuous play or 3 auto-off timers
Plays 4 sounds and 2 lullabies
Has an adjustable timer to allow it to be used on continuous play
While I love the idea of a multi-use item like the Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine (which is a sound machine, night light and time-to-rise alert all in one) for home use, I wouldn’t recommend it for travel.
9 Things to Consider When Purchasing the Best Portable Sound Machine for Baby
When you are looking for the best portable white noise machine, there are a few things to consider. I have them listed all below and it’s important to read through these questions so you know exactly what you are looking for!
- What types of noise would you like it to play? Would you prefer your white noise machine play lullabies in addition to white noise?
- How long will you be playing it for? Do you want it to play all night or just as your baby is falling asleep?
- Is it battery operated or can it be charged by USB?
- How long does the USB charged battery last? Will it last all night?
- Can you use it while it’s charging?
- What other functions does the white noise machine have?
- Will it last through baby and toddler years (with other functions like night light or setting awake time)
- Does it have an automatic timer if you don’t want to use it all night.
- Is a cry-activated soother important?
Benefits of White Noise for Babies
Hotel rooms can be especially troublesome, as people talking in the hallways or a room next to the elevator can be the cause for unfamiliar noises that keep your baby awake. Apartments rented through Airbnb can have similar issues, especially considering multi-level apartment buildings or street noise. And, if you ever go camping with a baby, the noise from other campers usually extends long after your little one’s bedtime.
It’s worth using up a little luggage space for packing the best baby sound machine to help your baby sleep restfully. Whether you decide to purchase a portable white noise machine or use an app on your phone, using soothing sounds to help your baby sleep is one of my top recommended baby travel essentials.
In his book, The Happiest Baby on the Block, Dr. Karp goes into detail about using white noise for babies to sleep. It helps to calm your baby. When babies are in the womb, they are constantly hearing noises.
By using a white noise or sound machine your baby’s calming reflexing is activated. This will help keep your baby calm and get to sleep.
If you use a white noise machine at home, then for the best success on getting your baby to sleep while traveling, you’ll want to have some type of portable sound machine with you.
Is a White Noise Machine Necessary for Toddlers
I’m not a sleep expert, but from my own experience I have found creating a similar sleep environment to home will still help toddlers sleep while traveling.
The added benefit of having a portable white noise machine is blocking out unfamiliar noises to help keep your toddler asleep. Nightlights might help your toddler sleep in a new environment as well.
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Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she’s helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.
