I never used a white noise machine with any of my kids when they were babies, which may explain why they were such terrible nappers. Compare that to my friends, who’d come over for dinner and board games with their babies in tow. Their kids slept soundly in our room with a white noise machine running, while we hung out in the next room. Traveling with a plug-in white noise machine is clunky, though, so I’m happy to discover the SoundBub. This adorable white noise machine is now at the top of my baby shower gift ideas list.
For parents who are on-the-go a lot, the SoundBub makes so much sense. The cute, soft design looks like a sweet stuffed furry friend that can clip onto your car seat handle, stroller, diaper bag, or really anything at all. But it’s way more than just sweet; it’s actually some pretty smart tech.
Related: gb Pockit: the heavy-duty umbrella stroller that fits in your bag.
The Bluetooth enabled speaker on the SoundBub allows you to stream audio — your favorite lullabies or kid-friendly podcasts — to entertain your child. Or when it’s naptime or bedtime, you just press the button on its belly to play soothing white noise.
But what I think may be their coolest feature is their VoiceShare app, which lets anyone you love log in and record messages you can play for your child through the speaker. How sweet is that? And if a little SoundBub nudge from grandma or their favorite uncle is what gets them to actually take a nap, I’ll take it.
You can find the SoundBub portable white noise machine at our affiliate Amazon or on their website.
This is cute, but frankly, I’d rather keep Bluetooth technology away from a baby. And the greatest white noise machine in the world is still made by Marpac (in America!), whose brand-new Hushh looks like it will do the trick. Even better, Marpac’s machines physically create natural sound, versus playing a recording of white noise. Studies have shown that recorded sounds do not communicate with the brain the same way that natural sounds do; in fact, recorded sounds can have a grating effect. I know it sounds like I must work for Marpac, but I don’t. I’ve just been using their products all my life, and now, my daughter uses them!