Whether or not you have a baby in your house, you’ve probably heard of the SNOO Smart Sleeper : The ultrasafe (and admittedly attractive) smart bassinet that helps babies fall and stay asleep by mimicking the rocking movements of a mother’s womb.
Created by pediatrician and sleep specialist Dr. Harvey Karp, who wrote the bestseller “ The Happiest Baby On The Block “, the SNOO is designed to help infants from newborn to 6 months sleep through the night—and keep them safe and contained (since it can be dangerous for infants to roll over in the larger space of a crib). There’s also a soothing sound component that “shushes” baby to sleep, replacing the need for a white noise machine.
Now, for the smart part: The SNOO also detects fussing or crying and increases the rocking and shushing as needed to get baby back to sleep, so parents can make dinner or take a much-needed nap.
SNOO Reviews Will Tell You What Real Parents Think
According to the SNOO website (and thousands of rave SNOO reviews), it works: Most babies who sleep in SNOO bassinets sleep nine hours or more at night by two to three months of age, which seems miraculous considering most young babies don’t sleep more than a few hours at a time . The average rating from 900+ reviews on the website is 4.4 out of 5 stars, with many reviewers claiming the SNOO is a “game changer” or “the best bassinet ever.”
One SNOO owner, Minnesota-based mom Caris Li, said the SNOO worked wonders for her second child. “Our first baby was super colicky and would only sleep when being held, so when number two came along, my husband surprised me with a SNOO for Christmas,” she says. “It made such a huge difference with sleep! We love the combination of movement and sound, and the way it detects when baby is crying and increases the soothing as needed.”
How Much Does SNOO Cost?
The SNOO is admittedly a bit expensive, but for some parents, the extra sleep is worth the hefty price tag. A brand-new SNOO purchased on the Happiest Baby website costs $1,295 (with free shipping). There are also several accessories to add on, like fitted SNOO sheets ($19.95 a set), sleep sack swaddles ($27.95), and a shorter set of SNOO legs for users with lower beds ($64.95).
The SNOO (and a number of SNOO accessories) is also available on Amazon for the same price, but it’s currently only available from third-party sellers, which means you will probably have to dish out money for shipping.
3 Ways to Get a SNOO for Less Money
The high price tag doesn’t necessarily have to keep you from quality sleep. If you can’t take on the full cost at once, or you’d like to be able to try a SNOO before purchasing, there are a few ways around the cost of purchasing a brand-new SNOO.
1. SNOO Rentals
You can rent a SNOO month to month, directly from the source. The Happiest Baby site offers a one-month minimum rental option , which costs $112 a month and includes 3 swaddles and a fitted SNOO sheet, plus free shipping both ways.
2. SNOO Discounts
Outside of renting, there are also plenty of options for a cheaper SNOO purchase. The Happiest Baby website currently offers 40 percent off the purchase of a brand-new SNOO for military families (you just have to verify your status). If you’re a thrifter (and open to a little trial and error), you can also try out SNOO coupon codes just by Googling “SNOO discount.”
3. Used SNOO
For another cost-effective option, you can also likely find used SNOOs on local online marketplaces, but in that case, there’s no guarantee of quality or safety. You could also ask around to see if you know another parent you can trust whose baby has outgrown the SNOO and will hand it off to you at a discount.
Happy sleeping!
