The SNOO is a responsive bassinet that combines gentle rocking motion with white noise and a built in swaddle to help babies through the fourth trimester!
Like all good things though, the use of this bassinet must come to an end at some point. Dr. Karp, the creator of the SNOO and Happiest Baby on the Block recommends discontinuing use of the bassinet at 6 months or when baby can get onto their hands and knees. Dr. Karp says, “Even if your baby’s toes touch the bottom of the bed, it’s still not advised to start weaning until 5-6 months.”
If you’re worried about them outgrowing the bassinet before then, it was created to fit babies up to 9 months old in size (90-95% in size).
According to their website, you will get notifications to begin using the weaning motion prior to the 5-6 month mark so that when they reach that age, you can seamlessly transition them into the crib! So start using that weaning option about 3-4 weeks before that age mark to give yourself time and make the transition easier on everyone!
Prepping for the transition out of the SNOO
If you’re transitioning from the SNOO to the crib, then I highly recommend making the crib a familiar space! Spend time in there during awake time first so that they recognize this as a safe and comfortable place.
Turn on some music, put in a fun new toy, do some tummy time in there, or play peek a boo with them. Make it exciting! Maybe it’s only for a minute to start and you work your way up to more time; you can do this several times a day.
Next, you can consider moving the bassinet into the room they’ll be sleeping in first before making the transition into the crib. It’s recommended to room share for at least 6 months with parents so you could move into the room with them temporarily as well. Speak with your pediatrician if you plan to discontinue room sharing earlier than the 6 month mark!
Finally, make sure you have white noise for their room since the SNOO has built in white noise and you’ll no longer be using that!
Weaning out of the SNOO
Here’s a step by step guide from Happiest Baby on weaning out of the SNOO!
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Discontinue swaddling first and let them have arms free. You can still use the SNOO as a regular bassinet without the built in swaddle. You can refer to this blog for tips on dropping the swaddle.
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Begin using the weaning feature. When this mode is “on”, the SNOO will not provide any motion (only white noise) unless baby cries. It does this until baby is soothed.
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After you’ve used the weaning feature for a week or so, try just using the SNOO as a normal bassinet (no movement, no swaddle, white noise only) since this is a familiar bed for them.
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Next step is moving into the crib! For a more gradual process, you can start the night in the crib and move into the bassinet when they wake up the first time. Your goal is to spend more and more time each night in the crib/less and less time in the SNOO.
If this part of the process is most difficult, you may want to research sleep training methods so that you have a clear plan of action for helping your little one make this transition!
The SNOO is a great device for the fourth trimester and can work really well for those first few months to keep everyone rested.
AUTHOR: Ashley Olson is a certified paediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep, and passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, desperate and sleep-deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 3 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one on one support in changing sleep practices!
