Short answer? No.

Longer answer: new-borns and young babies in the early months are still distinguishing between night and day so we can help them along with this process by making the differences between day naps and night sleep more stark! While the early evening sleeps and overnight sleep happen in the dark and the quiet, the day sleeps can (and really should, for safety purposes) happen where-ever you are. That may be: in the car with the radio on, in the living room while you're watching tv or in the kitchen while you're having some lunch. The last thing you want to have to do is remember to tip-toe and whisper as you go about your day - plus, if an unexpected guest drops by or your older children return from school, they're not going to know the house is in a silent nap-zone.

Another thing to remember is, your little human that grew inside you for 9 months, is used to noise not silence (that is, from around 15 weeks gestation when their hearing began developing). The noise of your body as blood rushes around, your heartbeat, digestive system and distant sounds from outside, such as your voice. While there are many things about the outside world that will be overwhelming and over-stimulating, some noise around them as they sleep, is not necessarily going to be a problem. 

Of course, every baby is different and some will be more sensitive than others. Some may need more support settling in noisy surroundings while others may drift off just as the washing machine starts and wake as soon as it stops. Some may sleep through an entire exchange with the postman who rang the doorbell while others may wake at the first knock on the door before he even noticed the doorbell existed. Only you can know what your baby needs most. Perhaps some naps are noisy and others are quiet as you both benefit from some much needed rest. 

As a Newborn Care Specialist/Non-Medical Maternity Nurse, when the baby sleeps (often in a carrier, in contact with me), I often take the opportunity to get jobs done around the house - I put washing on, unload and reload the dishwasher, wash up and steralise bottles and unload the shopping. It's amazing what I get done with a snoozing baby following me wherever I go...

I'm by no means saying you should be doing all these things when your baby naps. In fact, I actively encourage you to rest when you can and to deligate such jobs to other people (like me!). I'm simply saying, if your baby is happy and settled and you are happy and settled, don't worry about putting the kettle on to make that cup of tea, or turning the volume up a bit while you settle down to the next episode on your box-set.