Snoo Review
Have you heard of the Snoo? The “intelligent cot” that will get your baby sleeping soundly through the night? It sounds like a god send for any sleep deprived parent…but does it really work?
I’ll be honest, I was in two minds about using the Snoo for my newborn baby Tabitha. If you google reviews they are all amazing, but there were still some worries I had about it, namely “would my baby get used to being rocked to sleep and never be able to self settle?”
So I’ve outlined my worries below, and then given my honest opinion on whether it really was a problem or not.
What happens if a baby vomits whilst in the Snoo? As they are essentially in a straight jacket, its hard to pick them up quickly and I worry that could be dangerous? This was something that really concerned me as I was worried Tabitha would be sick and not be able to move, and then essentially choke on her own vomit! However, I really didn’t need fo worry!! Baby’s naturally turn their heads when they vomit . The Snoo’s swaddle’s elastic wings make it so your baby is securely clipped into the bed, while still allowing for enough movement to turn the head if they are sick. It’s also REALLY easy to slide the swaddle out of the clips so you can pick them up instantly if you want to.
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2. What happens is my baby becomes addicted to being rocked during the night and won’t settle when we move her to a bigger cot? I was a bit hesitant about the so called “weaning” feature of the Snoo incase it didn’t work. Snoo recommends that your baby sleeps in the Snoo until they are 5 months and that you shouldn’t wean before then, so due to tabithas age I haven’t tried this yet. BUT friends who have used the weaning feature say it’s really good and easy to use. It works like this: Step 1: Remove your baby’s arms from the swaddle so they get used to sleeping unswaddled. Step 2: Turn on the Weaning Feature using the SNOO app (this turns off SNOO’s all-night motion). Step 3: Move your baby to the cot after a week or two of using the Weaning Feature.
I’m still Hesitant I must admit. The Snoo works by essentially “responding to your baby’s cry” so if your baby wakes in the night, it rocks it back to sleep. For a sleep deprived parent this sounds like a dream come true . You don’t have to jump up out of bed every time your baby makes a noise because the Snoo will gently rock them back to sleep for you. But this can result in contrasting opinions from experts.
With Rupert and Ophelia we had a maternity nurse who was ADAMANT that babies need to learn fo self soothe in order to sleep well, and this would mean not rocking/picking them up every time they cried. I asked her her opinion on the Snoo and she says she doesn’t recommend it.
However I think for some families it CAN be beneficial. I think the Snoo will work for some parents and not for others. If you are very anti letting your baby cry a bit when going off to sleep, then the Snoo might be perfect for you, but If you’re more of a “tough love mummy” (I wasn’t with my first born but def was/am with the other two!) then it might not be necessary.
If I was recommending the Snoo to someone I would first find out the type of parent they are and what they think about baby sleep and routines, and then see if the Snoo was suitable for how they want to parent. As I always say, every parent and baby is different and there isn’t a one piece of baby kit that universally works for everyone.
3. Im concerned the snoo wont enable me to bond with my baby because it basically does everything for me?
If a cot is entirely responding to your baby’s every cry, then surely it means your job as a mummy is slightly defunct? At first I didn’t like the fact that the Snoo shushed my baby and rocked it in place of me (I quite enjoy those nighttime cuddles!) but it also did mean I got to sleep. And as we all know, a well slept mother is usually a better mummy! I must admit, I did sleep well using the Snoo (and Tabitha did too) so I felt more rested in the morning, but If you’re the type of mummy who wants to cuddle and soothe their baby when they are upset then this might not be for you
Also don’t forget that there are still multiple times during the day when you can bond with your baby!
What do I do if Im travelling abroad and cant take my snoo with me? I cant afford to buy/rent another one but am worried my holiday will now be ruined because the baby is so used to sleeping in a snoo?
Ive not personally been able to test this out yet as we haven’t been abroad but Snoo is adamant that this need’nt be a problem as long as the trips are under 7 days, they’ve slept well in SNOO for at least 1-2 months and you continue to use white noise and swaddling (if they haven’t begun to roll over, if they have started to roll, then you need to stop swaddling).
I suppose this isn’t great news If you’re intending to travel abroad for longer than 7 days so for me, it’s about weighing up the options. If you’re likely to travel a lot with your baby whilst they are young, then the Snoo might not be right for you, but If, like lots of parents, you’ll be hunkering down at home with your little one then it won’t matter.
I cant afford a snoo as its so expensive! Can I rent one in the UK and how much does it cost?
Unfortunately, SNOO rental isn’t available in the UK yet. But they do offer gift cards on our site so friends and family can all chip in to buy SNOO if it’s something you really want (albeit it’s not the cheapest of gifts! 😂)
I love the look of the Snoo but don’t want to use it’s features. Is it possible to use it without?
Yes absolutely (although with that in mind it is a rather expensive Moses basket!) You can 100% just use the bassinet as a cot and just not plug it in. Obviously, the Snoos main purpose is to help your baby sleep (which it definitely does) so without the functionality turned on, it’s not going to do this.
Is it hard to put together when if arrives and is the app hard to use?
No and No. I managed to put the Snoo together single handedly (you don’t even need tools) and the instructions are incredibly easy to understand. The app is also VERY easy to use and understand - even at 3am in the morning
THE PROS OF THE SNOO:
It 100% helps you and your baby to sleep better (there is absolutely no denying this)
The swaddle feature is incredibly safe
The white noise is set at a great volume so it doesn’t disturb you as a parent and is actually quite relaxing to listen to
It’s insanely easy to put together. You don’t need a tool box or even a screwdriver!!
It looks fabulous. It’s without a doubt the most beautiful looking cot I have seen
The app is very easy to use
it 100% calms an upset baby. Within minutes of putting my screaming baby in it, the rocking function calmed her down Instantly.
if your baby has reflux you can get leg extenders so that the Snoo can tilt slightly
It also keeps your baby safely secured in a swaddle clipped into the bassinet. This prevents them from rolling over while sleeping — a common concern for parents
if you’re the type of parent who loves to know EVERYTHING about your baby then the app lets you see baby’s sleep schedules, how long he’s slept, number of wake-ups, stretches of sleep…..
Have a question about the Snoo? Or even a question about your baby’s sleep routine? Snoo have THE MOST AMAZING customer service where you can call abs ask anything and they will get an expert to advise
The swaddle is great! It has mesh sides to make it breathable and has the Ability to take arms out of swaddle as you wean from the snoo
The Cons
It is expensive! And considering you can only use it for 6 months of your baby’s life ifs not necessarily a great investment.
The elastic bands on the wings of the swaddle have to be slid onto plastic clips. Those openings are difficult to find, especially in the dark if you’re trying to put your baby back in it after a nighttime nappy change!
the swaddle is specific to the Snoo so you need to buy a fair few of them
If you travel a lot with your baby, then it might be a problem (see above where I explain why!)
Snoo guilt - some parents feel like they are literally letting a robot calm their child, and this can make them feel bad that it’s a machine, rather than a parent calming their little ones
You could get so reliant on the Snoo that you avoid travelling or visiting somewhere where it’s impossible to take your Snoo with. The Snoo is NOT travel friendly as it is very heavy.
Difficult to deep clean
The “weaning off the Snoo” Takes time so you need to be organised and start weaning quite some time before you want to move your baby into their own cot.
I’m short, If you’re thinking about getting a Snoo but are not 100% sure then please do get in touch. I’ll happily work out whether I think it would suit you and your family and if it’s worth the investment.
Tiffany x