That Time 2 Entrepreneurs Got Together and Had a Baby…
A story of how SNOO helps real families: The third in a series.
Some expecting parents are planners, and others figure it out after the baby arrives. Bailee and Nathan (ages 27 and 24, respectively) fall clearly into the first category.
The Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, couple own a furniture and mattress retail business, with 5 store locations. Bailee is also pursuing a law degree; although she’s currently on a break planned around the birth of Vincent (1 month old at the time of our interview). It’s fair to say they are BUSY!
The couple knew they’d need help with a new baby on top of meeting the demands of their company. So, they decided early on to try SNOO, hoping it might help keep life manageable.
“Running your own business is so completely unpredictable. And, so are babies,” Bailee said with a laugh. “We are busy people who value our sleep and need to be on our A-game during the day.”
Nathan added his reasoning, “For me, at least, SNOO was an investment…an investment in our time, which is so valuable.”
They Had Nothing to Lose in Trying It
“To be honest, we were really skeptical and wanted to use every bit of the 30-day guarantee,” explained Bailee. “So, we waited until I went into labor to order SNOO. We literally ordered it on the way to the birthing center!”
This timeline gave the couple actual before and after “data.” They spent 5 nights without SNOO, while they waited for their parcel to arrive.
Bailee continued, “We thought, if it does its job, it’s worth every penny. And it does!”
Life Before SNOO
According to Bailee, “The first night home, we were up all night. Vincent didn't sleep a wink (or so it felt).”
Bailee is a fan of some attachment parenting ideas, like baby wearing, and wanted to give bed-sharing a try. But it didn’t go well: “I had him in bed with us, and it scared the hell out of me. I could roll over on him, or Nathan could roll over on him, or he’s going to roll off the bed or the dog is going to jump on him... I just couldn’t do it,” said Bailee.
Nathan’s take on the “before” experience was quick and to the point: “The no-Snoo life? It sucks!”
Enter SNOO…
Per Bailee, SNOO produced instant results: “We put Vincent in it, and he was…out. I think that first night, he slept through the night completely. For a while, I actually had to set an alarm to wake him up to feed him!”
The change was dramatic for Nathan: “Whenever Vincent wakes up now, it’s only because he needs to eat. Bailee breastfeeds him, puts him back in the SNOO and he goes right back to sleep. I have time to hang out with Vincent during the day, because I’m not taking naps to stay awake.”
Bailee added, “It’s been great for us as a couple as well. Those 3 1/2 hours between when Vincent goes to bed and when we go to bed, Nathan and I have uninterrupted hours just to be together.”
The Future Is Bright
As two people who come across as always having a plan, Nathan and Bailee admitted they were pretty clueless on what to expect when a baby entered their lives. But so far, so good.
Lack of energy has not been an issue for Nathan. He was back working full-time just 4 days after his son’s birth. At one month, Bailee is working 10 to 30 hours a week, squeezing it in during Vincent’s reliable 2-hour naps, or after he goes down at 8:00 pm each night. It’s abundantly clear she’s loving motherhood when she sweetly describes her morning routine:
“I walk over to the SNOO, and Vincent looks at me, and he looks so happy… like I’m the greatest thing in the world,” said Bailey. “Feeling so confident in my ability to be a mom is huge.”
Photos courtesy Bailee and Nathan
View more posts tagged, real stories
Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Submit your questions here.