How to transition your baby out of the SNOO

The SNOO Smart Sleep Bassinet was created by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp. It is considered a luxury baby item because it provides continuous motion, white noise, and has a built-in swaddle that secures your baby onto their back. The SNOO automatically responds to your baby’s cries with increased motion and/or louder sound and the makers of the SNOO claim that it adds 1 to 2 hours of sleep each night for some families. The SNOO can make the newborn and early infancy sleep experience much easier for some families but a common question that arises is, “how and when do I transition my baby out of the SNOO?” 

Using a SNOO is not an essential baby item – it’s a personal choice (just like anything and everything related to baby sleep and child development) to use such an item. I would always encourage a family to do a risk/benefit analysis for items such as the SNOO (and any other baby sleep and development choice!) 

We didn’t use this device for either of our babies but I have friends and clients that have and enjoyed the experience – some with easier transitions away from it than others. 

What you will learn from this blog:

• How does the SNOO work? 
• When to transition your baby out of the SNOO
• Preparing for the transition out of the SNOO
• How to transition out of the SNOO
• Next steps if sleep isn’t going smoothly

How does the SNOO work?

The SNOO smart bassinet is designed with a specific swaddle you use to keep your baby on their back. This swaddle prevents rolling and movement of any kind. The swaddle is necessary as the device provides your baby gentle continuous motion during their sleep session, and the baby will need to be secure to ensure their safety. The motion can be accompanied with white noise also. If your baby begins to cry, the SNOO would activate with increased motion and louder white noise (you can select and adjust the settings to your preferences through the app) to help support them back to sleep. 

When should I transition my baby out of the SNOO?

The SNOO is designed and advertised to be used from birth to 6 months or once your baby can get onto hands and knees. They designed the device to comfortably fit babies up to 33 lbs. The makers of the SNOO recommend transitioning between 5 and 6 months old, although you may consider transitioning sooner if your baby begins rolling. For many babies, once they start rolling, they usually are much happier sleeping on their bellies, and it is perfectly safe for them to sleep in that position if they are able to get into that position on their own. 

Preparing for the transition out of the SNOO

When considering this transition, you’ll want to give yourself (and your baby) time to transition out of the SNOO – at least a week or two. Many families have the SNOO in the parent bedroom (room sharing) and so first up, you’ll want to consider if you will be transitioning your baby to a new sleep space (e.g., crib) in the same room or transitioning to a new room and a new sleep space (e.g., crib). There is also an option of transitioning the SNOO to a new room and then embarking on the SNOO transition once they are comfortable in a new room.  

When you’re considering the SNOO transition, you’ll also want to consider adding in a sound machine in their new sleep space to replace the sounds they are familiar with from the SNOO. You can read more about noise machines on this blog. 

Regardless of your sleep space location (your room or their own), you’ll want to introduce your baby to their crib to begin allowing them the opportunity to explore the new space and learn it’s a positive and safe space to be. 

During your baby’s awake time, spend time with your baby at their new sleep space (and potentially in their new room) by doing fun things! This may include reading books, singing songs, peek-a-boo, playing soft music, baby massage, etc. to help them become comfortable with the new surroundings. 

Now is also a good time to think about how you will respond to your baby when they wake in the night. Without the SNOO to respond to them with motion during night wakings, you’ll need to figure out what method you feel comfortable with to support them back to sleep. If you need guidance on this, support is always available to create an individualized plan to support this transition and your baby’s sleep journey. 

How to transition out of the SNOO

You’ve prepped and you’re ready! So let’s discuss how to transition your baby out of the SNOO.

First Step:

Start with the swaddle. The SNOO swaddle has zippers that allow you to “free the arms.” You can free one arm out of the swaddle at each sleep opportunity, alternating which arm you free for 3-5 nights, or you can go “cold turkey” and free both arms at once for a few nights before the crib transition. During this transition, continue to fasten the inner bands around your baby’s midsection. When you drop a swaddle, your baby will need time and practice to figure out how they want their arms to be during sleep – remember this is a new experience for them and their moro reflex needs time to integrate. 

Then:

Turn on weaning mode. After your baby has navigated the swaddle drop, you can begin to use the SNOO’s weaning mode. This mode will continue to offer white noise continuously, but the motion will only activate if they cry. Continue to use the weaning mode for one to two weeks. This will help your baby adjust to sleeping on a still surface. 

Last step:

After a few weeks of the above steps, it is time to transition to their new sleep space! There are two ways you could approach this final step. You could make it a gradual move by putting them in the crib for the first stretch of sleep (start with bedtime first) and then back into the SNOO for the rest of the night, or you can discontinue to SNOO completely and use your chosen method to support them back to sleep in the crib the rest of the night. Whatever you choose, stay consistent. The more they practice in the crib, the better and quicker the transition will go. 

Transitioning out of a SNOO can feel intimidating because of the big changes that come with this stage but it doesn’t have to be. With some preparation, support for your baby and consistency, you can make the transition to a new sleep space easily. If you’re wanting to take the guesswork out of the process with professional support and an individualized plan, I would encourage you to book a free connection call to continue the process for your family’s sleep journey. I promise we can make this a smooth transition for everyone. 

Wishing you a smooth SNOO transition!

Chelsea 

Chelsea is Mom of 2 and a Certified Baby, Toddler and Child Sleep Consultant with advanced certification in Infant and Early Mental Health and Pediatric Sleep Health. She supports families within Hamilton and beyond with hands-on, no cry-it-out, responsive methods towards longer naps and better nights. She has a Master’s of Professional Education (specialization in Applied Behaviour Analysis) and over 10 years of professional experience supporting families in the community. Chelsea works collaboratively with families to empower them with the confidence and tools they need to reach their unique sleep goals. Hear from rested families here and book a free call with Chelsea here to discuss how she can support your family’s journey to more sleep.