Is the Snoo really worth it?
If you are a new parent, you have probably heard of the SNOO. You see ads for it everywhere, marketing the product as a “must-have”, but do you really NEED the SNOO?
Unpopular Opinion - Nope!
And there are several reasons why I feel this way, but first let’s start with -
What is the Snoo?
The SNOO was created by Dr. Harvey Karp, also known for the Happiest Baby on the Block, and the Five S’s. The Snoo is a bassinet that responds to your baby’s needs.
“SNOO is a responsive baby bassinet that boosts a baby’s sleep by combining gentle rocking with soothing white noise and snug, safe swaddling. Created by Dr. Harvey Karp (The 5 S’s, Happiest Baby on the Block), SNOO helps babies by imitating the calming sensations of the womb.”
But Taylor, how can you dislike this popular (safe) bassinet?
The number one reason I can’t STAND the SNOO bassinet is because of it’s likeliness to create a child that relies heavily on props - swaddling past 12 weeks and rocking/swaying to sleep.
A product that “CALMS FUSSING - Soothes upsets by responding with increasing motion + sound, often calming crying in under a minute. & NATURALLY SLEEP TRAINS - Teaches baby to self-soothe with little need to cry-it-out”
Uh, what? If motion and sound is what prompts the self'-soothing, how are babies being naturally sleep trained? Babies can’t create motion themselves. Especially not if they are strapped down and swaddled.
I can’t tell you how many clients I have worked with that fell into the SNOO trap. Let me set the stage…
You bring baby home from the hospital and a few weeks in, as they gain their birth weight back, they begin sleeping longer stretches. 6 weeks old and sleeping 4-6 hour stretches at a time thanks to this glorious bassinet. At this time, parents really should begin the weaning process… but why stop a good thing when it is working?!
So, procrastination sets in turning the weaning mode on and before you know it, you are quickly approaching 12 weeks - when the AAP suggest it’s time to drop the swaddle. With baby having become heavily dependent of the swaddle and motion, you find it hard to get the sleep you were once getting so you drag it out a bit longer.
And here it comes. The FOUR MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION! Now this regression is the real deal. If babies haven’t had healthy sleep habits up to this point, there is often a huge setback in sleep.
Now we have a baby who is back to sleeping crappy with or without the SNOO (often times with), can usually only sleep swaddled or rocked, and is well past the age that is deemed safe to be swaddled and strapped down.
Okay, sleep props… but what else?
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I can’t stand products that promise more sleep but aren’t necessarily beneficial (or safe). Now the SNOO can be safe if used correctly, but this thing is not THE ANSWER for perfect sleep..
Parents initially buy this bassinet hoping that its the answer to sleepless nights, and it usually is for a while. But before you know it, baby is 6 months old and now it is officially time to get rid of it. However, baby has not yet learned the independent skill of sleep!
This is when most parents find me, although I have worked with a handful of 6+ month babies who were still in the SNOO. These babies, having spent MONTHS in this bassinet, take a lot more time and effort to work with. Talk about total change in sleep environment!
The Cherry on Top.
Not only do they push the sleep deprived spin on their product hailing it as the “World’s Most Awarded Baby Bed”, but this thing is $1495 (and just keeps getting more expensive every year - was $1295 when I started my business two years ago)! And if you want the swaddle that goes with it, add another $32.95 per.
I get it, us mama’s LOVE to buy stuff… but woah, spending $1500 on a bassinet they can only use for 6 months… That’s a nope for me!
Paying that amount of money for a product that will likely inhibit your little one from learning necessary sleep skills and using it for such a short time, just seems crazy to me. Especially given a sleep consultant is usually half the cost (or even less than that and those skills last a LIFETIME)!
PS. I know you can rent them. Not sure that’s any better but I suppose it all depends on how long and more importantly if you use the weaning mode. I have still had clients rent them for 6 months at $700+ and then purchase one of my packages.
My choice on an alternative.
I LOVE bassinets! And there are a ton out there, with awesome extras that can benefit you in those early weeks when sleep is non-existent, for literally a fraction of the cost! Like this one.
The key thing to remember is baby needs to sleep on a firm, flat surface!
Conclusion
The SNOO is definitely not a favorite of mine. I just have personally worked with too many parents who got slighted because of this product to see the value in it.
However, if you decide to use it, that’s perfectly fine! Just make sure you are aware of the props and begin using the weaning mode as baby get’s close to the AAP recommendation to drop the swaddle. Afterwards, you can definitely use as a plain bassinet until 6 months of age!
More than anything, I want you to be so educated on how to respond to your baby’s needs. If you’re interested in that, definitely go check out my newborn sleep guide.
You’ll learn sleep education for newborns/Infants, safe sleep tips, sleep hygiene, age appropriate schedules and suggestions for structuring your days and nights, how to help your newborn sleep longer stretches, soothing techniques for fussy babies, what changes at 4 months… and most importantly - how to lay a strong foundation for healthy, independent sleep (with no tears!)