Image: @silverpebblephotography
When I was pregnant with Mason I spent HOURS researching everything from swaddles, to baby monitors, and even diaper creams! I was so excited for our little man to arrive, and as any mama does, I wanted the best for him. When I heard about the SNOO I was very intrigued and slightly skeptical.
I was already familiar with the mind behind the SNOO, Dr. Harvey Karp. He is the author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, which was so good I made both of my parents read it so they would know how to soothe Mace Man when they were watching him. He invented the SNOO with the ‘5 S’s’ for soothing a baby in mind – especially swaddling, shushing, and swinging.
The SNOO is designed to keep your baby in the safest sleep position, on his back, by using their ‘5 second swaddle’, which clips right into the bassinet. This prevents any possibility of your baby rolling into an unsafe sleep position during the night. It then utilizes a combination of white noise and a rocking motion to soothe your baby to sleep. If your baby becomes fussy, the SNOO cycles through 5 increasing levels of intensity – both for the white noise and the rocking. If your baby fails to be calmed within a few minutes the SNOO alerts you so you can provide a little TLC to your little one. Sometimes a baby just needs his mama, some milk, a diaper change, or a snuggle!
I decided to bite the bullet, and pay the hefty price ($1,160 – but they very regularly have great sales so keep and eye out). I was going to be a first time mom, and honestly, I am a pretty anxious person to begin with. It felt very reassuring that I wouldn’t have to check on Mason constantly to make sure he was sleeping on his back all night. The SNOO also meets all of the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep recommendations. It doesn’t hurt that it is absolutely gorgeous and looked so cozy.
When it arrived it was so easy to put together and get set up with the app. I didn’t even have to ask Tyler for help! Well, that is until I had to carry it up to our bedroom…this bassinet is HEAVY! But it is also so modern and beautiful. It was designed in conjunction with Yves Behar who has worked with Prada, Puma and Samsung…NBD.
Image: @silverpebblephotography
After we brought Mason home, I admit I was a little nervous to start using it! I mean, we would just put him in the swaddle, attach its little ‘wings’, press a simple button and trust this super smart bassinet to do its thing?! I think we waited a week until I finally felt ready to give it a go.
On the first night, I remember placing Mace in the SNOO right beside our bed, wrapping the little Velcro swaddle around his arms and zipping him in. He was a little fussy, and the SNOO increased its intensity accordingly. I’ll fully admit that when the SNOO got up to the higher levels it made me a little uneasy.
Of course the SNOO creators had already considered this and I was quickly able to use the ‘Motion Limiter’ setting on the app which stops the SNOO’s motion from going above level 2 (while the white noise will still increase). Mason quickly fell asleep. When he woke up during the night for a diaper change or to nurse I just placed him back in the SNOO and he was quickly back to counting sheep. For the most part there was no fussing and no rocking required. Obviously, every baby has his difficult nights but either we were lucky or the SNOO is pure magic.
We kept the motion limiter setting on for the full 5 months we used the SNOO as Mason was much more responsive to increasing white noise and a gentler rocking. All babies are different so it is nice to have options! I have to say now that he is in his own room I kind of miss the white noise from the SNOO. Apparently it helped me sleep too. (Don’t worry, Dr. Karp has an app for just the white noise if you want it!)
Image: @silverpebblephotography
Our bedtime routine was quickly established with the SNOO and it was a quick one. We set up the bedroom with his Zebra night-light and cool mist humidifier. Then it was diaper change, Owlet Smart Sock, jammies, nursing and a quick smooch and into the SNOO! By about 10 weeks he was sleeping 4-5 hours for his first stretch.
Mason grew very fast and he was often hungry overnight. He ate about every 3 hours after his first long stretch of sleep until just recently. When he nursed it was obvious that he wasn’t just nursing for comfort – he was a hungry little man! I don’t know that I would have been able to keep up with his needs, and my schedule as a doctor, as well as be present as a wife and mother if it weren’t for the SNOO. Knowing he was safe and being able to get a couple of extra hours of sleep at night absolutely made me a better Mom than if I was rocking him all night.
When Mason turned 4 months old he was above the 99th percentile for height and we knew his time in the SNOO was going to be coming to an end soon. I was a little worried about how he would do because the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping your baby in your room for 6 months to a year and Dr. Karp doesn’t recommend weaning from the SNOO until 5-6 months due to the continued prominence of the Moro reflex at this time (aka the ‘startle’ reflex). We started weaning Mason from the SNOO at 5 months, and yes, there is an option on the app for that!
You can select weaning mode on the SNOO and this will stop the motion unless your baby cries, while continuing the white noise. If your baby cries the motion resumes for a short period of time and then stop. The swaddle also allows you to free one arm at a time to get your baby used to having his hands free. After a couple of weeks of weaning, we moved Mason to his big boy crib in his very own room!
I couldn’t be more grateful for the SNOO for making our first 5 months as a family of three as smooth as possible.
Image: @silverpebblephotography
Major Loves:
- The SNOO was the safest sleep space I could find.
- The swaddle is easy as pie to use.
- The SNOO is absolutely gorgeous.
- The rumbly white noise even put ME to sleep.
- Mason went right back to sleep after feedings and diaper changes without any fussing.
- The weaning feature was so so easy to use.
- They have recently made ‘lifters’ – so you can raise the head if your baby has reflux or congestion!
Things you should know:
- You need to buy back up swaddles and sheets. Your baby will absolutely have a blowout or pee through his diaper a few times and the SNOO only comes with one sheet and one of each size swaddle.
- The bassinet is HEAVY! You aren’t going to be taking this on vacation with you.
- The rocking seemed a little intense without the Motion Limiter on. (just my opinion!)
- Mason grew out of it by 5 months. (but he is >99th percentile for height)
Hello! Thank you for your post. I see you said you used the Snoo AND the Owlet Sock. I have been wondering and searching the internet to see if this was possible since the Snoo moves and the Owlet says a baby can’t wear it in anything with motion. Please elaborate on how this went for you. Id love to use both too because I don’t want to choose between the possibility of more sleep vs less anxiety. Our little one is due in January. Thank you and congrats on your little one!
I have the same question about using the Snoo and Owlet together and how it’s worked for you
I use the owlet and the Snoo and it works just fine since it’s is rocking, not vibrating.
My owlet says “wiggling” the entire time the snoo is rocking so I’m not getting readings…does yours not do that?
My question has to do with the use of the Owlet and the Snoo together. I had a friend who bought the Snoo and the Owlet, and they returned the Owlet, because she said the motion of the Snoo interfered with Owlet. Just wondering what your experience is.
Found this by searching snoo and owlet so for others who may search in the future for me the snoo and owlet have worked fine together!
May I ask how they have worked fine in your experience? We just got the snoo and the owlet says that my baby is “wiggling” the entire time the snoo is rocking so it’s not taking his vital readings, I’m so bummed!
I also found thus via the owlet + snoo search. Thanks for posting. Hope it works!
Thank you! Your comment led me to take the plunge and love the combo?
It seems this is the place that google is directing the “snoo owlet” search so wanted to confirm: works totally fine. Our owlet won’t work in rock n play, swing, bouncer, etc but has no problem with the snoo!
When my baby is wearing the owlet in the snoo all I get from the owlet is the “wiggling” notification, it’s not reading his vitals. Did yours not do that? Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!
Does the mesh, which is all around the crib is soft in touch(hand feel) ?
I’m super confused. The AAP is very against positioners per their most recent recommendations. The Snoo when used with the swaddle is a positioner. The Snoo manual states it is only CPSC certified as a bassinet if used without the swaddle positioner and motion. As a physician I feel it is your due diligence to only recommend products that are current with the most recent AAP guidelines.