These days, there are all kinds of cute gadgets out there that are designed to help make parenthood just a bit easier. You can get mobiles with your favorite cartoon characters on them, baby jungle gyms designed to improve coordination, and baby monitors that let you actually see your baby as he sleeps. One other thing that you can get is a baby sleep machine, which is basically a machine that makes soothing white noise, which has been proven to help babies fall asleep and stay asleep much more easily than they would otherwise.

There are many forms of these sound machines. Some look like alarm clocks, and others look like small, square boxes with buttons and slits for speakers. One popular option, though, is a sleep machine shaped like a teddy bear or, really, just about any stuffed animal. These little guys can be pretty cute, but before you invest in one of them over the other sleep machine options, consider all the pros and cons.

On the plus side, a sleep machine like this is just really cute. Besides this, these little guys don't have to be very loud because they can nestle right into your baby's bed while he's sleeping. Plus, they don't have to be plugged into a wall because they obviously run on batteries, which means that they are highly portable and can even be used when you're in the car, in a hotel, or just laying your baby down for a nap while you steal some much-needed mom time at a girlfriend's house. Some of these baby sound machines attach to the side of a crib or are made to fasten to the handle of your favorite stroller.

There are a variety of baby sleep machines on the market today which offer an assortment of soothing sounds for your baby. The sounds of a heartbeat or a mother’s womb are some of the most popular. The soft, familiar sound that comforts babies during their development. Other calming sounds might include a spring showers, ocean surf and whale songs. The soft, consistent sounds of spring rain help create a cozy atmosphere to lull baby softly to sleep. The calming sounds of ocean waves gently rolling against the sea shore provide a tranquil environment ideal for sleep. Gentle, harmonious whale songs promote relaxation, and are believed to elevate mind and spirit.

On the negative side, though, a sleep machine built into a stuffed animal could be a little bit dangerous for older babies, depending on how it's made. For the most part, these products are made like other stuffed animals involving electrical parts; they have a velcro-shut section inside which all the electrical pieces, wires, and speakers are hidden. These little compartments, though, might not be completely baby-proof, which could prove to be dangerous.

Also, these stuffed animals might not be able to be washed as easily as normal stuffed animals.

Before you decide to pick one of these up for your baby, remember that it's likely to be dragged around to a lot of places, and find out from the box or tag if it can be disassembled and tossed into the washer. That way, if the animal ever gets dragged through the dirt or spit up on, you can be sure to wash it fast and get it back in the crib that very night.