- Promotes healthy sleep habits for babies and parents
- Responsive technology helps calm baby and lull your little one back to sleep
- Built-in swaddle helps prevent accidental rolling and overheating
- Currently being studied to reduce Postpartum Depression
If there’s one thing new parents have in common, it’s sleepless nights. I was reminded of this when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal baby arrived and I read that Prince William lovingly welcomed his brother to what he called “the sleep deprivation club, AKA parenting.” Yep, even royalty can relate.
But sleep doesn’t have to be in short supply for long, thanks to a high-tech bassinet designed to help babies and parents sleep better and longer. The SNOO smart sleeper from Happiest Baby, was recently named the best bassinet by The Bump for the second consecutive year and for good reason — its safety features and responsive technology set it apart from the rest of the sleepers out there.
The SNOO was created by pediatrician and child development expert Dr. Harvey Karp, with the help of designer Yves Behar and MIT-trained engineers. This responsive bassinet can detect your baby’s cries and respond with motion and sound that mimics the womb. The gentle swaying and jiggling paired with soothing white noise helps lull your little one back to sleep and keep them sleeping. As time goes on, the SNOO continues to promote healthy sleep habits and weans babies from constant motion while sleeping, thus reducing the need to “cry it out” and prepare baby for the transition to the crib.
“When using SNOO with newborns, oftentimes a difference is felt on the very first day of using it,” Dr. Karp said. “After a month or two, it may take a few days or up to a week to reeducate and acclimate the baby to the bed.”
The SNOO’s mobile app gives parents a report on their baby’s sleep and can be used to adjust the smart sleeper from newborn mode to weaning mode, whatever your unique little one needs to sleep soundly. The app also sends parents alerts if more response is needed and gives friendly tips from Dr. Karp.
While the technology used to create this smart sleeper is a great feature, the safety features are the icing on the cake for many parents. The SNOO comes with a built-in swaddle that attaches to the bassinet, helping secure wiggly wee ones and the smallest of escape artists. This swaddle is Dr. Karp’s favorite of all the SNOO’s features because it prevents dangerous accidental rolling, which he said was the cause of 20 percent of infant sleep deaths. The SNOO comes with three SNOO Sacks that are made of 100 percent cotton and mesh to help reduce overheating.
But the safety features don’t just stop with baby. While sleep for parents is priceless, it’s also a lifesaver and that’s where the SNOO goes above and beyond just a high-tech bassinet. Studies are underway at several universities to demonstrate the SNOO’s ability to reduce and prevent Postpartum Depression in mothers. Because the SNOO promotes healthy sleep habits, Dr. Karp also said it helps reduce obesity in babies and parents, car accidents, marital stress, and unsafe sleeping practices.
The SNOO smart sleeper is an investment at nearly $1,295 — but can you really put a price tag on your baby sleeping safe and sound? But if you’re budget conscious, Happiest Baby makes this more accessible and affordable with a rental option that costs around $3 per day, less than that fancy latte you will probably need to stay awake after a sleepless night.
