Quieten The Nursery: How to Soundproof a Baby’s Room
When it comes to your baby, you definitely want the best for them.
Whether you are a first-time parent or not, the mere thought of having a baby in the house can be both an exhilarating and terrifying feeling at the same time.
You certainly want everything to be ready when the baby arrives.
Setting up the baby's nursery is undoubtedly one of the most important preparations new parents look forward to.
From picking up the right colors to the right toys and even the perfect decorations, the nursery is a big deal.
Although it may not seem as necessary, soundproofing the nursery is important.
This is where your baby will be spending most of their time.
You, therefore, need to ensure that it is as peaceful as it can get.
Soundproofing the baby's room also works both ways.
With a new baby, especially for first-time parents, comes constant crying and you just don't know what to do.
The baby's cries can be a disturbance to your neighbors.
Putting up some sound absorbers will take care of the problem quite easily.
Sound deafening doesn’t have to be rocket science. Neither should it cost you a fortune.
So how can you go about it?
How to Soundproof a Baby's Room
Not All Noise is Bad
You first need to understand that not all noises are bad for your baby.
White noises, for example, can be quite soothing and have a calming effect on your baby.
White noise basically refers to noise with many frequencies of equal intensities, for example, those from the air conditioner and vacuum cleaner.
White noise will also help in blocking out other noises from the baby's room.
Nowadays, you can easily get a white noise machine from Amazon and set it up in the nursery.
You could even get one that resembles a toy that your baby could play with.
1. Soundproof the Door
Most doors that are used in homes nowadays are usually hollow on the inside.
You can check if the door to your baby’s room is hollow by knocking on it.
If it’s hard and solid like the front door, then you have a solid door.
However, if it feels like a thick cardboard, it is probably hollow on the inside.
For such doors, getting a sound-absorbing blanket will probably be the best option for you.
You can get those from Amazon and you will be amazed at how much noise they can reduce.
2. Decorate and Add Furniture
If you have an old bookshelf lying around somewhere, take it to the nursery and stack it up with books.
Placing furniture against the room's walls could go a long way into muffling noise from the adjacent rooms.
You could also try to do some decorations.
Hang some fabric quilts on the walls or even some paintings. The point is to cover up much of the walls as possible. Sound echoes more in empty rooms.
Try to fill up the room with stuffed animals too.
3. Carpeting
It will only be a matter of time before your baby starts to crawl and the cot will no longer be able to confine them.
With all the newfound energy, you will want to keep all the noise inside the room.
Carpets are a great way to do so. You can go for a sound-deafening carpet.
You, however, do not have to. Normal carpets and rugs can also work the magic.
When it comes to rugs, wool works better than cotton while a tufted rug is better at containing sound as compared to flat-woven one.
4. Soundproof Art Panels
While soundproof foams are the best to use to deaden the noise in any room, they just wouldn’t cut it for a baby’s nursery.
For one, they would block out all the noise, including white noise.
Secondly, they wouldn’t look good in the nursery.
Soundproof art panels are a great alternative.
They are easily available on Amazon.
They come in a variety of colors so you can choose what works best with colors in your baby's nursery.
They are easy to clean, maintain and install and of course, they work just like soundproofing foam should.
5. Double Glazing
If you live next to a busy street, this may be a great option for you.
Double glazing is simply soundproofing your windows by adding an extra window on the existing one.
This is a more permanent solution as compared to the others.
However, the difference it makes is huge.
Your baby will be getting all the rest he requires even with the street bustling with activity.
If this option doesn't appeal to you, you can decide to get soundproof windows altogether.
6. Sound-Absorbing Curtains
Whether your windows are sound deadening or not, soundproof curtains will be a worthy investment.
These curtains are made of heavy fabric that keeps all the noise away from the room.
They also help in muffling the noises inside the nursery.
When picking out sound-absorbing curtains, be sure to pick out a color that is bright and cheery, something that rhymes with the colors in the nursery.
We wrote a whole guide on choosing the best soundproof curtains here.
On Soundproofing the Nursery
When it comes to soundproofing your baby’s nursery, no expertise or skill is needed.
However, you need to remember that the most important thing to consider is the health and safety of your baby.
For example, soundproof foams are not all that safe and when your baby begins to crawl, and is up and about, putting this and that into their mouth, you will need to be extra careful.
The same applies to the carpets and rugs used. You will have to ensure that these are regularly cleaned and well maintained.
Failure to do this, your baby could end up getting certain allergies and diseases.
Another controversial option is the soundproof curtains.
Given that they are made of heavy material, they tend to block out a lot of light from getting into the room.
While the dark may help your baby sleep quicker, it will at some point become too much.
Remember that your baby's brain is developing.
The darkness could affect the brain and their psychology. The aim should be to make the nursery as cheery and colorful as possible.
You are probably wondering, how do I hear my baby crying with all the soundproofing?
Not to worry about that. It is for this reason baby monitors were invented.
What's more, thanks to the advanced technology nowadays, you can get video monitors.
Unlike audio monitors that only allow you to hear your baby crying, with video monitors, you can actually see your baby.
You are able to see if they have completely covered their face with the blanket and if they are safe.
With the above tips, you and your baby will surely have an easier time. Try them out and see.
You might also like: How Loud is Too Loud for a Baby?
Quieten The Nursery: How to Soundproof a Baby’s Room
Every parent's worst nightmare is a crying baby in the middle of the night. Want to ensure a good night sleep for your baby (and yourself)? Here are 7 ways to soundproof a baby's room to prevent noise from entering the nursery.
Instructions
- Soundproof the Door
- Decorate and Add Furniture
- Use Carpets
- Soundproof Art Panels
- Double Glazing
- Use Sound-Absorbing Curtains