Transitioning Baby to a Crib: It's Easy to Wean SNOO's Motion!
Transition From Bassinet to Crib
One of the top questions parents ask about SNOO is, “How hard is it to transition babies to a crib from SNOO bassinet?” I LOVE that question because the answer is so simple: It’s pretty much a snap!
Bassinet vs Crib
Both bassinets and cribs can be safe options for newborns. However, one of the major differences between a SNOO bassinet and a crib, is the intended purpose. A SNOO bassinet uses motion and white noise to help teach your baby to self-soothe, and enhance sleep for you and your baby. Whereas a crib is larger, and can even be converted into a toddler bed. [Read more: Crib to Toddler Bed]
Transitioning from Bassinet
Every baby is unique and some take a bit longer to wean motion than others from a SNOO bassinet. But, a five or six-month-old infant’s brain is much more mature than a newborn’s and can sustain long, continuous periods of sleep without the need for rocking or swaddling (they still sleep better with white noise).
Let me explain:
During the first months of life—the 4th trimester—the world is too still for babies. They miss the constant rumbling sound, rhythmic motion and snug embrace that soothed them to sleep in the womb.
In utero, babies are rocked with every breath the mom takes. So, babies aren’t made dependent on motion after birth in a bed like SNOO, they’re born dependent on it. That’s why spending the night in a still silent room is so strange for babies…and actually can cause them to wake more often.
And, it’s equally key to understand that once babies reach 5-6 months, they have naturally outgrown their dependency on motion (and swaddling). So, have no fear, your baby simply cannot get addicted to SNOO’s motion!
Your baby has come a long way…and is finally mature enough to transition to the crib.
Recommended Steps for Transitioning from SNOO Bassinet to a Crib
There’s no rush to wean from SNOO! Parents who try it at 3-4 months often find their baby may do well initially, only to have his/her sleep disrupted by a sleep regression or growth spurt. I definitely recommend you wait to start weaning until 5 or 6 months. (Note: Even if your baby’s toes touch the bottom of the bed, it’s still not advised to start weaning until 5-6 months.)
Step 1: Free the Arms
Let one of your child’s arms out of the SNOO Sack (there are snap openings at the shoulders). Release one arm and see how your baby sleeps. If she is startling herself awake, go back to both arms swaddled and try again in a week.
After a few nights of good sleep with one arm out, you can free the other arm.
Step 2: Turn on the Weaning Feature
About a week before you want to move your baby out of SNOO and into a crib, go into your App settings and toggle on the "Weaning" option.
In "Weaning Mode," SNOO will not give your baby any motion on the blue baseline level, but will still play white noise. However, if your child cries, SNOO responds as usual—with motion & sound—until your baby is soothed, and then gradually returns to some sound, but no motion.
Always secure your child in SNOO by sliding the SNOO Sack’s wing loops on to the bed’s safety clips to ensure that your baby won’t push up and fall out of the bassinet (the main concern for babies over 4-5 months).
Step 3: Move to the Crib
When your child transitions to the crib—usually in 1 or 2 weeks—continue the white noise for all naps and nights. Most parents find that white noise is very useful for maintaining good sleep throughout the toddler years, and beyond.
Note: When you’re ready, white noise is easy to wean; just turn the volume down a bit each night over 1-2 weeks …and you’re done!
Reviews about SNOO Weaning Steps
Here, a few parents share first-hand accounts of weaning from SNOO:
“We turned on the weaning feature a couple of weeks before we planned to move our baby to the crib. I was worried about the first night, but it went really well! (We always bumped the level up to purple and let it gradually come back to the blue level—with sound, but no motion. He was always asleep before the Snoo stopped moving.) The switch to the crib was seamless and he has slept through the night in there ever since. Couldn’t be happier!” – Molly
“For the past 5 months (or 172 days) she has slept in her @happiest_baby SNOO….With her toes finally touching the bottom of the Snoo (100%+ percentile height!) we had to move to the crib! On her first night sleeping in her own crib, she slept 12 hours straight – 8PM to 8AM!” – pamelaz via Instagram (read her full review of SNOO on BrooklynFarmGirl.com)
FYI, the same white noise used in SNOO comes in MP3, available now in our store.
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