How to Transition Baby from SNOO to a Cot—3 Easy Steps
One of the top questions parents ask about SNOO is, 'How hard is it to transition babies to a cot from SNOO?' I LOVE that question because the answer is so simple: It is incredibly easy!
Every baby is unique and some take a bit longer to wean motion than others. 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 mum takes. So, babies are not made dependent on motion after birth in a baby cot like SNOO, they are born dependent on it. That is why spending the night in a still silent room is so strange for babies…and actually can cause them to awaken more often.
And, it is 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, babies simply cannot get addicted to SNOO’s motion!
Your baby has come a long way…and is finally mature enough to transition to the cot.
Recommended Steps for Transitioning from SNOO to a Cot
There is 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 later. 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 is 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 cot, 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 fusses, SNOO responds as usual—with motion & sound—to soothe your baby, 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 keep your baby from pushing up and falling out of the bed (the main concern for babies over 4-5 months).
Step 3: Move to the Cot
When your child transitions to the cot—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 are ready, white noise is easy to wean; just turn the volume down a bit each night over 1-2 weeks …and you are 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 cot. 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 cot was seamless and he has slept through the night in there ever since. Could not be happier!” – Molly
“For the past 5 months (or 172 days) she has slept in her SNOO….With her toes finally touching the bottom of the SNOO (100th percentile height!) we had to move to the cot! On her first night sleeping in her own cot, she slept 12 hours straight—8pm to 8am!” – pamelaz via Instagram
FYI, the same white noise used in SNOO comes in MP3 format, available now in our store. You may also be interested in The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep: Birth to 5 Years by Dr. Karp—practical, effective sleep advice for the months and years ahead!
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