When you are raising a baby it seems like there are no shortage of milestones.
From starting daycare and sitting in a high chair, to throwing out the changing table and saying goodbye to the pacifier, those major moments can come up at your pretty fast.
And if you’ve been using a Snoo for the past few months, you might be thinking about the next major milestone – when to stop using a Snoo and transition your baby into a crib.
There are 3 things to look out in determining whether it’s time to wean your child off their Snoo: (1) age, (2) weight, and (3) strength and development.
But does your baby need to tick all three of these milestones?
What if you have a particularly tall baby and their legs are already touching the bottom?
And does it matter if your baby’s weight is well above average in the very highest percentile?
Let’s take a look.
Table of Contents
When To Stop Using Snoo
1. Age
The first milestone that indicates your baby is ready to stop using their Snoo is perhaps the easiest.
According to the manufacturers, once your baby reaches 6 months it’s time to transition to a crib.
There appears to be some leeway in this however, because Snoo was created to comfortably accommodate the largest 6-month old.
Or more specifically, the length of the Snoo can accommodate a large 9-month old baby boy.
While this does not mean that you should let your baby use their Snoo until they are 9 months old, it does imply that using it for a few weeks past the 6 month period is unlikely to cause any issues.
This is our opinion however, so it should not be taken as a recommendation.
2. Weight
The second sign that your baby is ready to transition from Snoo to crib is when they reach 25 pounds in weight (11kg).
According to this baby weight chart from CDC, the average (50th percentile) weight for a 6 month old is 16lbs for boys and 17lbs for girls.
Keep in mind that weight can vary a lot between babies, and the weight for a 98th percentile male baby is 22lbs, which is much closer to the maximum 25 pound weight limit advised by the manufacturers.
However, we can see from above that even if you have a very heavy 6 month old, they will still be below the 25 pound limit.
For reference, most cribs can safely hold a child that weight between 35 – 50 pounds, and in terms of age, 50 pounds usually equates to a child that is between 4 to 5 years of age.
3. Development
The final milestone that signals it’s time to stop using Snoo is when your baby can get on their hands and knees.
So for safety reasons, once your baby gains the strength and coordination to get into this position, it’s time to wean them off and into a crib.
What If You Have A Tall Baby?
Parents might understandably be frustrated if the feet of their 3 or 4 month old can touch the bottom of the Snoo, because they might think it signals the end of using this expensive piece of gear.
But the manufacturer advises that there’s no issue if your child’s feet can touch the end of the Snoo, especially as babies typically sleep with their hips and legs “open” rather than in a straight-down position.
Final Word
In conclusion, your child will be ready to stop using a Snoo when they reach any of these 3 milestones:
- They reach 6 months of age
- They weigh 25 lbs
- They can get on their hands and knees
It’s important for parents to note that the manufacturers advise that if your baby reaches any of the three millstones above, then you should stop using the Snoo.
Parents should not therefore wait for their baby to reach all three milestones before weaning their little one into a crib – as soon as your baby nears just one of the above millstones, it’s time to begin the transition.
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