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12 Best Portable White Noise Machines for Travel with a Baby

White noise machines are the perfect way to help mimic your baby’s at home sleep environment. Not only that, but they can help to block out unfamiliar noises when you travel that might otherwise keep your baby awake.

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 our top recommended baby travel essentials.

Getting your baby to sleep on holidays (and staying asleep), is crucial to everyone being well rested and enjoying the family vacation as much as possible.

baby sleeping in baby carrier

One of the most important tips we’ve ever received for getting your baby to sleep on vacation is by recreating your baby’s at home sleep environment (as best you can).

Using white noise or other soothing sounds, similar to at home, is one of the easiest ways to do this. In fact, we’ve even brought our white noise machine for flying with a baby or toddler.

using white noise machine for baby on airplane

Hotel rooms can be especially troublesome, as people 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.

Top 3 Baby White Noise Machines for Travel
1. Baby Shusher – best for those that want one to use at home and on the road. The Baby Shusher plays a human voice shushing to calm your baby.

2. Yogasleep Hushh – best for parents looking for the best value. This highly rated white noise machine is USB-rechargeable, has continuous play or a shut-off timer plus it has a small amber LED nightlight.

3. MyBaby SoundSpa – best for the budget conscious traveler. This portable white noise machine still offers 4 sounds and 4 shut-off timer options.

12 Best Travel White Noise Machines for Baby

best sound machine for baby with clip for carrier or stroller

While we 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, we wouldn’t recommend it for travel.

These are 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 and one we’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!

using white noise app for baby while traveling

What Makes the Best Travel White Noise Machine for Babies

Here are the five features that are most important to review when researching the top baby sound machines.

  1. Ability to recharge is best, but for short trips a battery operated one with new batteries.

  2. How long is the usage between charges. This is important if you want to use it for the whole night.

  3. Look for one that is small in size and portable.

  4. On-the-go use with a clip for a stroller makes it easy to use when out exploring.

  5. Automatic shut-off timers or continuous play are key, depending on what is best for your baby.

9 Things to Consider When Purchasing the Best Portable Sound Machine for Baby

  1. What types of noise would you like it to play? Would you prefer your white noise machine play lullabies in addition to white noise?

  2. How long will you be playing it for? Do you want it to play all night or just as your baby is falling asleep?

  3. Is it battery operated or can it be charged by USB?

  4. How long does the USB charged battery last? Will it last all night?

  5. Can you use it while it’s charging?

  6. What other functions does the white noise machine have?

  7. Will it last through baby and toddler years (with other functions like night light or setting awake time)

  8. Does it have an automatic timer if you don’t want to use it all night.

  9. Is a cry-activated soother important?

Why White Noise for Babies

If you’ve ever read the 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.

using portable sound machine for baby

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

We aren’t sleep experts, but from our own experience we 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.

using a travel white noise machine for toddler or baby

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Best Travel Sound Machines for Baby