I already mentioned that the SNOO relies on three out of five S’s of baby soothing, so let’s discuss that in more detail. Swaying – motion To manually increase the intensity level, you push the activity button and hold it for a few seconds. When you lay your baby in SNOO, make sure their feet are at the end nearest to the Activity Button. Automatically responds and adjusts to your baby's fussing with motion and sound, often soothing upsets in under a minute. Some babies might fuss and self-soothe within 30 seconds many times a night. There’s no reason for the SNOO to interfere with self-soothing; it’s healthy.

Babies should always sleep on a safe and sturdy surface, so we appreciate how well-built the SNOO Smart Sleeper is. Made out of wood paneling breathable mesh, its attractive mid-century modern look fits in with most home decor styles. During our tests, the bassinet always felt stable—we never noticed any wobbling or creaky noises—and it’s held up beautifully over the months we’ve been using it. Plus, since the app really is a cinch to use, the bassinet and all its features and functions are long-lasting, too. It can be hard to tell right away if the Snoo is working for your baby or not. I highly recommend asking for advice from the members of the r/snoolife Reddit group. They will dive deep with you and analyze your screenshots of the Snoo app’s daily log. All-night white noise:Research has shown that white noise can help 80% of babies fall asleep in just 5 minutes. According to the FDA, there are no infant sleep systems or positioners that are allowed to market themselves as preventing or reducing the chances of SIDS or SUID.All-night white noise: Research has shown that white noise can help 80% of babies fall asleep in just 5 minutes.

Karp says that the white noise, on any level, isn’t supposed to be played 24/7, as babies need at least several hours a day to listen to normal, day-to-day sounds of their parents’ voices and the general noise of a home. If using the Snoo, parents can do this either by turning it completely off or letting their baby hang out outside the Snoo.To increase SNOO's level of sound and motion, simply push SNOO's Activity Button for several seconds. As you continue to push, the button will change colour and SNOO will advance to the next level of sound and motion. (You can adjust SNOO's sound and motion with the mobile App, too.) To increase SNOO's level of sound and motion, simply push SNOO's Activity Button for several seconds. As you continue to push, the button will change color and SNOO will advance to the next level of sound and motion. (You can adjust SNOO's sound and motion with the mobile App, too.) Consumer Reports advises parents and caregivers that they can let their baby sleep for short stretches in an infant carrier or car seat, if these products are used properly and the baby is positioned as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions. Just don’t over-rely on them, says William Wallace, CR’s associate director of safety policy. “Infant carriers and car seats are meant for transit, and should not be used as a substitute for a safe sleep environment,” he says. “CR recommends that parents and caregivers should move their baby to a crib, bassinet, or play yard if the baby is still sleeping once they arrive at their destination.”

It’s what gives you the extra freedom compared to other bassinets. This feature, however, is a peg more nuanced than the other settings.

How to rent the Snoo (or buy it used)

Below are the steps you must go through to start using the SNOO Smart Bassinet properly. These steps break down the booting-up process, changing intensity levels, and the automatic shut-off function. Also, don’t forget to connect your SNOO Smart Bassinet to the app first. Wirecutter staffers have been testing the high-end bassinet since 2018, with very mixed results. And as desperately as new parents crave sleep in those first exhausting months—for their babies and for themselves—many people also end up having concerns and complaints about the Snoo. It might take a week or so, but you’re golden once you have that down. Let’s speed that up. Happiest Baby and Dr. Harvey Karp Adds roughly 1 to 2 hours sleep each night.And most SNOO babies sleep 9 hours or more by 2 to 3 months. When you understand why SNOO works the way it does, using it becomes intuitive. It’s all about combining those basic principles with your baby as an “individual.”

As the weeks passed and my little guy adjusted to Snoo life, his wake-ups became less frequent, until I had to start setting an alarm to get him up for meals. (For the first few months of life, regardless of where they’re sleeping, infants need to eat every two to four hours.) At 5 weeks old, he would have happily slept through the night in the Snoo without my intervention. Babies who “practice tummy time” and sleep 14 hours or so in the Snoo, with the remainder spent elsewhere (such as in their parents’ arms or in a baby carrier) are less likely to experience developmental delays and flat head than babies who spend 18 daily hours of sleep in the same position without that crucial tummy time, Giannone says. But because babies often roll for the first time at night when they are alone in their own space, parents may miss that important milestone and keep babies in the Snoo longer than they should, she says. Parents might miss these early signs if a baby is in day care, too. Automatically respondsand adjusts to your baby's fussing with motion and sound, often calming babies in under a minute.

TL;DR

Triggers the innate calming reflex,which is Baby's “off switch” for crying and “on switch” for sleep. Richter moved her baby out of the Snoo at 3 months. “Transition was actually fine because he clearly wanted more space to move around,” she says. “We always had an additional white noise machine, which is crucial.” He was very happy in his new crib, she says. However, medical experts don’t know exactly how much white noise, and at what volume, is safe for babies’ delicate ears. The existing research on infants is sparse, and most of the research on harmful noise has been conducted on adults. According to the World Health Organization, hospitals shouldn’t exceed 40 decibels at night, and 30 decibels during the day. Long-term exposure in adults to noise exceeding 65 decibels has been correlated with heart disease. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noise exposure in adults of 80 to 85 decibels for over 2 hours can damage hearing. Many parents love the Snoo. Several of those I spoke with said that the product seemed to help fussy babies sleep—allowing their exhausted caregivers much-needed rest, as well. But despite its cult status among parents, parenting magazines, and design enthusiasts, medical experts who work with babies expressed concerns about the bassinet when I reached out to them with questions about the Snoo.