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What is the SNOO?
The SNOO…Sounds like it’s from the Grinch doesn’t it?
If you aren’t aware of what it is…it’s a basinet. A basinet that you strap your baby into and it wiggles them all night long.
Parents often ask if we recommend the SNOO, and it’s actually a pretty tricky question to answer.
So I’ll give you my PERSONAL opinion. I think it’s fine, for the first couple of months, on weaning mode. [Weaning mode means it only wiggles and jiggles when they cry and that it doesn’t provide constant motion throughout the night.]
The SNOO and Sleep
The first six weeks are mainly about survival for most parents. We lovingly refer to it as “the trenches.” If something or someone can get you an extra hour of sleep and do it safely, then god speed. But after your baby is around 6 to 8 weeks old, habits begin to be formed.
The earlier you can teach your baby self soothing skills, the better! If you spend the first 3-4 months of your baby’s life with them being put to sleep by motion and being swayed all night long…well, let’s just say, did you know we also offer sleep training?
We recommend using the SNOO however you’d like for the first 6 weeks, and then only using it on weaning mode until week 12-16, and then not using it at all after your baby begins to show signs of rolling.
The SNOO is a great TOOL
- If you are exhausted and need the baby to nap more than 20 minutes.
- If you have company or need to make dinner and need something else to wiggle your baby to sleep.
- If you need to eliminate the times overnight where your baby just needs a little bit of support.
SNOO concerns
My primary concern with the SNOO is that it doesn’t allow for any form of self soothing. The moment baby starts fussing it intervenes. Research [and working with tons of babies] has shown us that pausing your initial response to a baby to assess their cry has a direct correlation to babies sleeping through the night earlier!
We often use a methodology called the Sleep Steps to help guide babies towards independent sleep, and step one is PAUSE!
If you listen to them fuss for a moment vs intervening right away, sometimes your baby will fall back to sleep on their own! If you “train” your baby to need support to get back to sleep every time, these are habits that will need to be broken later.
So be mindful of how you are using the crib and for how long!
The real question is: Is it worth the money?
That’s a very individual decision!
If you’re renting it, or if it’s a gift or a hand-me-down, you might want to take it for your arsenal of baby tools. And if you can afford to purchase it without blinking at the money, then you can likely also afford sleep training when your baby is five months old.
However, I’d recommend skipping both and hiring a Newborn Care Specialist to ensure you and your baby are getting the most sleep possible! Are you looking into having a SNOO and overnight support as well? SNOO vs Night Nurse.
SNOO safety
The bonus of the SNOO is that it is a safe sleep space for your baby. They actually claim it’s a SIDS reducer [jury is still out- in my opinion it can definitely be a suffocation reducer.] It follows all of the recommendations, is FDA approved and you can definitely use it as a bassinet knowing that your baby is safe and sound throughout the night.
Many parents feel comfortable knowing that their baby won’t roll over onto their bellies because they are strapped into the crib.
We urge parents to consider the long term effects of restricted movement. We recommend the SNOO be discontinued when a baby begins showing signs of rolling back to front. The SNOO can be used as a bassinet, we just recommend the swaddle and movement be discontinued.
