Why the Snoo Doesn’t Work: Exploring Common Challenges and Solutions

The article has been reviewed by medical expert Margaret Dogwood, BSN, RN

If you find that your Snoo doesn’t work for your baby, don’t worry – you’re not alone! Parents from all around the country are constantly burdened by the fact that this machine isn’t actually helping them 100% of the time.

And to help parents like you, we designed this article to address all possible causes, reasons, challenges and solutions that you might encounter when using the Snoo – and, of course, whether it’s worth it or not!

The Snoo might just not be the perfect “material” for your baby. Moreover, your baby could be less or more than the required height and weight for it or they could be extremely sensitive to their surroundings.

Before diving right in, let us first try to understand what the Snoo is and what its purpose is in nurturing and taking care of a newborn.

What is Snoo? Understanding Parents’ Expectations

Don’t worry, you’re not alone if you didn’t know about this yet! Like you and me, many parents aren’t actually aware of what Snoo is! So, to help you understand what this is, the Snoo is a sophisticated bassinet made to calm infants and enhance their sleep.

It uses state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology like motion sensors, built-in speakers, and others to help parents recognize when their baby is crying. In turn, it automatically responds by gently rocking and playing white noise. I mean, how cool is that?

The Snoo aims to mimic the calming effects of being in the womb, making it easier for infants to relax down and fall asleep again. Moreover, it promises to improve not only the sleep, but also the overall health by both parents and babies through better sleep.

Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D., Pediatrician, inventor of Snoo, and Founder of Happiest Baby, Inc., says that many people think and view it as a luxury item, when, in fact, it’s cheap for what it can give you!

             The majority of people have assumed it to be a luxury item, similar to Moses’ basket or a fancy crib, but in reality, it is just a caregiver extending the baby’s sleep time.”

But hey, not all babies actually respond to it healthily. In fact, some parents report their babies not being comfortable in it!

The Snoo Doesn’t Work: 5 Reasons Why It’s Not

If you recently purchased Snoo and you don’t think that it’s helping you or your baby in any way, don’t worry, you are not alone. Feedback and reports about Snoo not being as effective as it promises arose in the recent years.

So, we delved deep and tried finding all possible reasons, so you don’t have!

Individual Preferences + Baby’s Temperament

Babies have individual temperaments and tastes, thus how they react to the elements of the Snoo may differ. Not all newborns will react favorably to the motion and sound produced by the Snoo, admits Dr. Harvey Karp, a renowned physician and its inventor.

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, white noise played in low volume can soothe and calm babies.

             According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, playing white noise for babies at a low volume can help them relax. That’s because newborns may associate being in the womb with the muted, humming sounds.”

Some babies could find the white noise or the gentle rocking upsetting rather than calming! So, be sure to check and observe your baby!  

Age and Weight Range Limits

Another thing to note would be the limitations of the Snoo – it’s not meant for all types and kinds of babies. In fact, it’s engineered for newborns to babies at about six months. Generally, they’re for babies who need to be in one position or until they learn how to roll.

The Snoo may stop helping a baby sleep after they reach the recommended weight or age restriction. Dr. Tanya Altmann, a pediatrician, emphasizes the significance of removing infants from the Snoo when they surpass the recommended age range.

Increased resistance to the bassinet’s characteristics is possible, especially if the adjustments aren’t done swiftly.

Discomfort and Distress

Like us adults, our babies wouldn’t be happy if they stay too long in a specific area. As a matter of fact, babies actually prefer being free or loose instead of being snuggled up and restricted – like how a Snoo is designed.

Due to this, they might cry, wail, and resist the Snoo, forcing you to remove them from it.

NOTE: A thing to remember is to keep your babies in the Snoo only for short periods!

Environmental Sensitivity

I mean, you can’t really rely or trust your baby about something the first time. When it comes to comfortability, external elements like temperature, lighting, and room acoustics might affect a baby’s sleep habits since they can be sensitive to their surroundings.

The Snoo offers a regulated atmosphere, although it might not be able to accommodate all personal sensitivities.

Renowned Pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Shu highlights that some infants may need particular environmental circumstances to attain adequate sleep. In certain circumstances, the Snoo’s features might not be enough to get over these sensitivities on their own.

             Your child is likely well-rested if he or she wakes up in the morning cheerfully and readily and does not have a breakdown in the late afternoon due to being overtired.”

Underlying Conditions (Physical and Medical)

Last but most definitely not least would be conditions that are either acquired by your little angel or gotten from birth. What we mean by this would be gas issues and problems, discomfort, or them being agitated by something (rashes, etc.)

Those that have been gotten from birth, however, could be medical conditions that require attention, disrupting their sleeping patterns.

It’s neither menial nor extravagant that your baby doesn’t find the Snoo worthy. However, by practicing proper use of the device, you can help them be familiar with it altogether!

What Should I Do if My Baby is Not Sleeping Well in Snoo?

Happiest Baby Inc., the company that manufactures Snoo gives a few tips to parents in case they find their little munchkins agitated when they’re on the Snoo.

1.       Pick your baby up!

Try manually lulling them to sleep or swaddling them. In the morning, practice with them so they get more familiar with the Snoo.

2.       Feeding time

One reason why the Snoo’s magical touch is insufficient is because your baby is hungry. Make sure that you feed them before you let them catch their Z’s.

3.       Be moderately noisy

Most parents want it to be extremely quiet when their babies are off to catch the sheets. When, in fact, it should be the other way around so they don’t get distracted with noise while they are sleeping.

4.       Do check-ups daily

Before laying them to sleep, check if your baby’s temperature is at bay. They could be extremely cold or warm; that might be the reason why they’re not feeling the Snoo completely.

Snoo Newborn Tips

I know that the Snoo is something to get familiar with, I mean, I can’t blame you! I myself even had to get used to it even after three months of using it.

So, to help you, I did due diligence and gathered a few tips I can (from parents with experience with it) and from medical professionals, too on how you can successfully make your baby love it!

–          Build Snoo Memories – It’ll help you more than you think!

–          Experiment With Other Items – Try loud white noise, a pacifier, or food; experiment with it!

–          Keep Naps Short – Arguably, under two hours would be the perfect time for napping.

–          Learn Baby’s Cues – Observe your baby and try looking for cues!

FAQs

We prepared a couple of the most asked questions about why Snoo doesn’t work for your baby so you don’t have to find it yourself anymore!

Why Is SNOO Not Responding?

If Snoo’s response is delayed or if you don’t find it fast enough, increase the baseline of the device so you get heightened responsiveness from it. Adjust it accordingly as your baby matures.

How Do I Know If SNOO Is Working?

Simple – you’ll know that it’s working if you wake up less in a night compared to when you weren’t using it! The device is engineered to calm your baby down in about 60 seconds, then, it’ll turn off. If your baby is still crying, then they need to feed.

Best Snoo Settings For Newborn

The best setting for newborn babies on the Snoo would be Motion Limiter Setting. Next up would be the Preemie, to give your baby the gentle back and forth rocking.

Final Verdict

So, do you think that Snoo is the solution you are looking for in handling and taking care of your baby? Is it the device that can shave off hours from your time looking over your little angel?

It is for most parents, so, if you find that your Snoo doesn’t work out quite as well like how other parents see it, go back to this guide!