You’ve probably seen all the technical graphs and numbers on hearing protection pages: “attenuation”, “frequency”, “APV.” But what does any of that actually mean when you’re just trying to protect your baby’s hearing? Let’s break down the jargon in plain English.
Why babies need hearing protection
Babies’ ears are incredibly sensitive. Loud sounds that feel “fine” to us, concerts, fireworks, traffic, sports events, and even a busy restaurant can be overwhelming or even harmful to them.
The Alpine Muffy Baby earmuffs are designed to soften those loud noises so your baby stays safe, calm, and comfortable. They don’t block sound completely; they just make the world gentler on tiny ears.
Think of them as sunglasses for your baby’s hearing; they don’t make things dark, they just take away the glare.
Decibels (dB) are logarithmic, not linear; meaning every 3 dB reduction cuts the sound energy almost in half. So even small dB drops make a big difference to your ears.
What the attenuation table really says
That table full of numbers isn’t as complicated as it looks. It’s simply measuring how much noise the earmuffs reduce at different sound pitches.
Here’s how to understand it:
- Frequency (Hz) — this is just the pitch of the sound:
- Low frequencies (63–250 Hz): deep rumbles like engines, thunder, or aeroplanes.
- Mid-range (500–2000 Hz): normal speech, traffic, and everyday background sounds.
- High frequencies (4000–8000 Hz): sharp, piercing noises like sirens, screams, or fireworks.
- Average noise reduction (dB) — this shows how many decibels are cut out at each pitch. The Muffy Baby reduces around 22 dB at speech level and up to 35 dB for those harsh high-pitched sounds.
That’s a big deal; a reduction of 3 dB already halves sound energy, so 20 dB less is like turning the world’s volume knob way down.
| Situation | Normal loudness | What it sounds like with Muffy Baby |
| Quiet home | 40 dB | Whisper quiet — no need to reduce more |
| Talking voices | 60 dB | Calm conversation |
| Busy street | 75 dB | Feels like soft background noise |
| Vacuum cleaner | 80 dB | Drops to a gentle hum |
| Concert or loud event | 100 dB | Like hearing music from the next room |
| Fireworks or aircraft | 120 dB | Still loud but much safer for short bursts |
The “expected” number (APV)
Every baby’s head is shaped a bit differently, and earmuffs fit differently too. The “expected” value, or APV, is the realistic noise reduction you can count on even if the fit isn’t perfect.
For Muffy Baby, it’s around 8–9 dB overall, sometimes much higher for high-pitched sounds. That’s about half the perceived loudness, and it’s enough to make a noisy day safe again.
Parent tips for using them right
- Make sure both cups completely cover the ears; no gaps.
- Adjust the soft headband gently; it shouldn’t press hard.
- Keep them clean and dry, and store them in the travel pouch.
- Use them for flights, parades, races, concerts, motorbike rides, or anywhere sound might spike.
If the world is shouting, Muffy Baby turns it into a calm conversation.
They don’t shut life out, they make it comfortable, safe, and peaceful for your little one.
