If you are a very tired parent of a new bundle of joy, or if you are an expecting parent and are curious if this new baby bassinet technology is worth it, you have come to the right place. We can answer all your questions; What is a SNOO? Why do I need one? Is a SNOO worth it? Are there other alternatives to the SNOO I should consider?
The SNOO is a smart bassinet created by the company Happiest Baby and boasts that it is the safest baby bed ever made. The SNOO’s second greatest claim to fame is that it can give your baby 1 to 2 more hours of sleep a night, just to start. Many parents (including this one) claim that after a few days their babies are sleeping 6 to 8 hours straight! What would you pay for an extra hour of sleep at night? What about for 2 extra hours of sleep? Would you pay $5, $10 or maybe $500? The point I am trying to make is this; sleep is worth something to every parent!
You may have read a recent article by Sleepwearbaby.com about all the ways you can save money on a SNOO. The Happiest Baby Company offers a number of discounts for Military families as well as Corporate and Referral discounts. Not all discounts that are offered apply to everyone. So if you are considering a SNOO at suggested retail price, I will break down the cost with you and show you how you can get a SNOO for less than $4 a day!
Buy or Rent
You have main options when obtaining your SNOO, you can either buy or rent it. If you choose to buy the SNOO than it is yours, for however long and however many children you decide to have. This is a very good option if you plan to have multiples or if you come from a family with a few expecting parents and you want the option to pass it along.
Renting also has two options, which is a new feature and another way to save money on a SNOO. You have the option to rent a SNOO for $149 a month flat rate, or you can select the Newborn Special option and rent it for $149 a month for the first 4 months and then receive a discounted rental price of $30 a month for the remainder of the time you use it. Its a great option to save a little money!
Cost breakdown
Renting
This is how I consider expensive baby costs. I like to take it day by day to consider if it is really worth the money. The SNOO rental costs $149 a month, plus an $89.50 cleaning and reconditioning fee. The total cost of renting a SNOO over a 6 month period is going to cost you about $983.50. Broken down to a cost per day is about $5.46.
Now consider that without renting the SNOO you would still be purchasing a Bassinet, which will cost you anywhere from $100 to $500. The average price of the top recommended Bassinets by babylist.com (excluding the SNOO) is $227. So considering you wont be paying $227 for an alternative Bassinet the cost of choosing a SNOO over an alternative is $756.50. This amount breaks down to about $126 a month or $4.20 a day.
Other things to consider, the SNOO comes with 3 SNOO Sacks. The average price of the top recommended sleep sacks on babylist.com is about $33. So with your SNOO you are also not purchasing $99 worth of sleep sacks. A savings that brings your cost of choosing a SNOO over an alternative to $657.50 over a 6 month period. This breaks down to $109.58 a month or $3.65 a day!
Buying
Buying a SNOO isn’t the right option for everyone, but is buying a SNOO worth it for you? Consider a few things. Are you planning to have more babies? Even if you only had two kids, the cost of renting a SNOO will be $1,967. Granted you wont have the thing sitting in your house collecting dust and getting in the way for the time between kids. However, purchasing a SNOO costs $1,595 and you do have the potential to resell after a couple of kids and get back some of your money. Pre-owned SNOOs are selling on eBay for between $500 and $1200 depending on condition.
Another thing to consider is if you live in a family or have friends who are having children around the same time. It might be a handy option to purchase a SNOO and split the cost with a cousin or friend who is due 6 months either before or after you!
Alternatives
Best Alternative Overall
4moms mamaRoo Sleep Bassinet
4moms is a company that uses modern technology to create better baby products. Their most popular product is the mamaroo, a multi-motion baby rocker that is bluetooth enabled, has breathable fabric and mimics the way baby moves while in the womb. 4moms has also developed a bassinet using the same concept and technology. A bassinet that moves like mom. If you can’t justify the cost for a SNOO, the mamaRoo Sleep Bassinet by 4moms is a solid alternative at $375 brand new.
Most affordable alternative
Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Bassinet
Fisher-Price is a long standing well loved name brand when it comes to baby accessories. The Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Bassinet is very highly rated and comes with a number of features like light projection, sound, multiple vibration settings and a mobile. For a very reasonable price that competes with the most basic bassinets, the Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Bassinet is a great deal for $148.
Conclusion
As always, go with what is best for your family, for your baby and for you. Sleep is a precious and rare thing the first few months with a new born, and there are few to zero other baby knick-knacks and accessories are worth a monetary investment, than the ones that will give you hours of sleep in return.