Womb, heartbeat, and shush for your newborn
Womb whoosh, a slow heartbeat, and gentle shushing that echo the sounds your baby knew before birth
Open the sound mixerFor nine months, your baby's world was warm, snug, and far from silent. Blood flow through the placenta makes a constant whooshing rumble, and a steady maternal heartbeat beats underneath it all — together often estimated at 70 to 90 decibels. Then birth arrives, and a quiet nursery can feel strange and exposed.
The first few months are sometimes called the fourth trimester: a stretch when newborns are still adjusting to the outside world. Recreating some of what they already know — a snug swaddle, gentle movement, and familiar sounds — can help them feel secure. Sound is one of the easiest pieces to offer, and the Newborn preset layers womb, heartbeat, and shush to do exactly that.
A low, steady rumble like the muffled blood-flow sounds before birth.
A slow lub-dub at about 60 beats per minute, the rhythm your baby grew up with.
A rhythmic "shhh" — the sound parents make instinctively while soothing.
Start with the Newborn preset, then adjust each slider in the mixer to suit your baby:
This pairing is the heart of the newborn blend. The low whoosh sits underneath while the heartbeat gives it a slow, steady pulse. Keep both gentle — it should feel like a memory, not a thump.
Add a little shush when your baby is fussy and winding down. Its slow rhythm mirrors rocking and patting, and many newborns settle to it during the drift to sleep.
If household or street noise keeps waking your newborn, blend in a quiet layer of pink or brown noise to soften the sudden sounds without adding brightness.
A sound machine is a comfort tool, not medical advice. To keep it gentle for a newborn:
For nine months, a baby hears a constant whoosh of blood flow and a steady maternal heartbeat. After birth, those familiar sounds are suddenly gone. Recreating a soft womb whoosh and a slow heartbeat can make the new world feel less unfamiliar, which many newborns find soothing. It isn't guaranteed to work for every baby, but it's a gentle thing to try.
The fourth trimester is an informal name for the first roughly three months after birth, when a newborn is still adjusting to life outside the womb. Recreating womb-like conditions — snug swaddling, gentle movement, and familiar sounds like heartbeat and shushing — can help a newborn feel secure during this transition.
Keep it gentle. Pediatric guidance generally suggests staying below about 50 decibels and placing the device a few feet from where your baby sleeps rather than right beside them. The womb was loud, but you don't need volume to recreate it — a low, steady sound is enough. Use the lowest level that helps.
Yes. Many families use a soft womb-and-heartbeat blend for both naps and nighttime in the early weeks. You can run it quietly while your newborn sleeps or use the timer so it fades after they settle. Keep the volume low and the device a short distance away, and follow safe-sleep guidance from your pediatrician.
The mixer runs on any phone, tablet, or laptop. For the early weeks, a few things pair naturally with soothing sound:
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Open the free mixer and start with the Newborn preset.
Start the mixerEveryday soothing and sleep
Shorter daytime sleep
Common questions about baby sound