Why Do Babies Hum Themselves to Sleep?

So, your baby has finally relaxed enough that they’re ready to fall asleep.

But wait, they’re making a weird noise. It almost sounds like they’re humming to themselves!

For some parents, it may be alarming, while others find it endearing. Luckily, there’s no need to worry if your baby has turned into a little songbird. In fact, babies who hum themselves to sleep are completely normal! So, why do they do it? Let’s jump into it and explore why there’s almost certainly no need for concern. 

Self-Soothing

So, why do babies hum themselves to sleep? Well, there are a couple different possible reasons. 

It’s safe to say that most babies make these little noises to self-soothe, like when children rock or sing themselves to sleep. It may not always sound like humming, but perhaps a “shushing” or little “mooing” sound. They may even sound like they’re doing mantras in their crib! 

Please don’t be confused and think that by them self-soothing, that means you’re being neglectful or not doing enough. While reassurance is okay if they’re really upset, you don’t want to do it all for them. 

By producing these repetitive noises, your baby is creating vibrations in the chest that are very calming. If this is the case, it will usually happen at bedtime, rather than when they’re actually asleep. They may wake up in the middle of the night and start humming or singing themselves back to sleep, again. These self-soothing techniques are very important life skills that will help them become more independent as they get older. 

Development 

After birth, your baby’s body is growing and developing like crazy! Their systems don’t stop developing after they’re born - a lot of work needs to be done, constantly. That can understandably wear them out, and that also means that they make a lot of noises! 

Not only that, but they’re also learning how to make sounds and test things out every now-and-then. Babies are just learning how to regulate their breathing and lungs. Keep in mind that some babies are just noisier than others, just like us adults - maybe your baby got your husband’s snoring genes!

Baby Humming While Sleeping Through the Night

If your baby is humming while they’re asleep at times, it’s likely completely natural. After all, they’re experience a lot of active sleep where they’ll experience eye-fluttering, faster heart rates, wiggling around, and may even produce humming, whimpering, and other noises. Whimpering and humming could signify that they’re moving from lighter sleep into a deeper sleep.

Is your baby humming throughout the entire night? If that’s the case, it may not be a situation of them self-soothing. If they are doing it more than just before they fall asleep, consider mentioning it to your pediatrician and possibly taking them to see an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) physician. 

Reflux

Regardless, it’s not a bad idea to take your baby to see their physician if they’re making these sounds throughout the majority of the night. Mention ruling out reflux to them, as it can inflame the throat, occasionally causing the floppy trachea we just mentioned. 

As parents, it’s completely normal to be worried sometimes when our babies do something we’re unsure of. It’s always better to be on the safe side and have them checked out if you’re concerned. One thing that can help rule these conditions out is by logging how often and when which situation this happens. 

For example, you can use your Baby Connect app to make an entry as soon as they start making their humming noises. Note how they’re sleeping: is it on their back, tummy, side, etc.? Describe the noise as best as you can. If you can, also log for how long they hum for. This information will be a huge help to your doctor, and can help them determine the cause for their sounds. 

Nasal Congestion

Up until they’re 3 to 4 months old, babies mainly breathe through their little noses. As you can probably imagine, they have super tiny airways! All it takes is a bit of mucus or milk to provoke congestion-related noises like snorting and whistling.

If it’s wintertime or they’re in a dry environment, it’s not unthinkable that they may experience some nasal congestion. This may not be a serious issue, but it could cause them to whistle or “hum” a little instead of breathing silently. Keep an eye on it and consider checking in with your pediatrician if it continues.

If your baby is making abnormal sounds and you’d like to better monitor them, we highly recommend turning off a white noise machine if you use one during this time. If your baby is humming themselves to sleep, though, they’re likely just self-soothing and are right on track with their development.