When your baby is born, you might tell yourself that you’re never going to put your little girl or boy down! But the reality is, at some point, you’ll have to lay your little one in their chosen crib or bassinet. At some moment in your earch for a bassinet you want to compare SNOO vs mamaRoo; no wonder, since these two are one of the most popular bassinets around.
How do these two stack up against each other? Is one better than the other?
The SNOO smart bassinet is popular with parents because it’s a responsive infant bassinet that promotes your baby’s sleep by combining gentle rocking with calming white noise and snug, safe swaddling. The 4moms mamaRoo sleep bassinet is a Bluetooth-enabled sleep bassinet. It has 5 unique motions that rock babies to sleep, 4 built-in white noise options to keep your baby calm and generally retails at a much lower price than the SNOO smart.
While the SNOO and the mamaRoo might appear to be very similar, it will take some more in-depth analysis to see which one your baby would prefer.
Why is my article so different than what’s on the internet? As you can read in the final paragraph, I compared SNOO with all other smart bassinets so you have all information to make a decision.
Differences and Similarities Between SNOO and Mamaroo
Most parents can attest that exhaustion is the most common parent struggle these days. With so many added responsibilities, getting your fair share of rest when your new baby is learning a sleep routine can be tough. That’s why any type of gadget or form of baby gear that makes the process easier is welcomed with open arms.
Smart sleepers are gaining popularity because of their ability to use motion and sound to soothe babies and get them back to sleep, without mommy or daddy having to get up and do it. Enter our two products of the day – SNOO and mammaRoo!
To get a better idea of which product you prefer, it’s a good idea to compare their features.
Design
If you were expecting fancy-looking bassinets, you might be disappointed. Both products look rather plain in comparison to their many features.
The SNOO sports a slightly modern look with metal legs and wooden accents around the base. The mamaRoo however, looks similar to a plastic chair. The base of the unit is made entirely of white plastic and the actual bassinet features a wire mesh which is also white. If you were hoping for something with a little color to accentuate your baby’s nursery, you’ll have to accessorize it with colorful blankets as this unit is strictly white!
An advantage to the mesh sides is the steady airflow they provide. You’ll no longer have to worry whether your little one is getting adequate ventilation while lying in their bassinet.
Despite their plain exteriors, these models get the job done, so you shouldn’t put too much into the outward appearance.
Functionality
Since both of these products are designed as smart products, it means they’re both app-controlled via Bluetooth.
The SNOO bassinet has one key function the mamaRoo doesn’t have which is the ability to automatically detect your baby’s cries via an installed microphone. When this happens, the bassinet will turn on the white noise selected and gently start rocking to put the little one back to sleep. Believe me, it works!
Another major difference between the SNOO and the mamaRoo is the SNOO sack which attaches to the mattress and serves one major purpose: to hold your baby securely in place. Essentially it keeps your little one from moving around while the bassinet is in motion. The mamaRoo however, has no way of keeping the baby from rolling or moving around while the bassinet moves.
If you’re going to choose the mamaRoo, you might opt to choose a motion setting that just rocks the bassinet gently to keep the baby from rolling around too much.
Features
Some features on the many baby gadgets you have are nice-to-haves, meaning your little one will do just fine without them. The features on smart sleepers however are all geared to make your baby’s sleeping experience easier and more comfortable. When you’re deciding between these two products, it’s important to determine which features will benefit your little one.
| SNOO | mamaRoo |
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Some other impressive features found on the mamaRoo include the following:
- 5 speed options to find the perfect rocking motion your baby responds to the most.
- A nifty timer that can help establish and identify bedtime routines, allowing you to work around these routines.
- Flat sleep surface follows the AAP’s Safe Sleep Guidelines, ensuring your little one is comfortable and in the correct posture.
- The bassinet also has a height adjustment feature which allows better visibility or easier accessibility if you have the bassinet standing next to your bed.
- Mesh sides create a safe sleeping area because your little one receives adequate ventilation.
Features on the SNOO include the following:
- Dual mesh fabric walls aid breathability, safety and maximizes comfort as your baby won’t feel hot and stuffy on warm days.
- Swaddle wings keep your little one safe on their back, with no possibility of rolling over.
- The gradual weaning feature makes it easy for you to transition your baby from bassinet to crib.
- Different white noise sounds to copy womb sounds and ease fussing and crying.
- Multiple microphones with audio processing to identify the exact source of noise
- Responsive ambient light sensor for adjustment of LED intensity.
- As an accessory, SNOO comes with a 100% organic fitted sheet.
- 3 organic cotton SNOO sacks to keep your baby from rolling around (you can purchase additional SNOO snacks as you need them).
To show you just how a baby responds to time in a SNOO smart sleeper, watch this short clip!
Rolling Prevention
Statistics show that approximately 2,300 infants die of SIDS in the U.S. every year. In fact, SIDS is the third highest cause of infant mortality. It’s no wonder then that it’s a major concern for many parents.
SNOO however puts your mind at ease with their safety features which prevent rolling onto the stomach or falling out of the sleeper. SNOO’s sleep sack keeps the baby safely on their back to avoid rolling around. Made with 100% organic cotton, your little one will feel snug and sleep longer. The sleep sacks are a brilliant way to keep preemies or very small babies secure while they sleep. This goes a long way toward giving you some peace of mind!
The mamaRoo unfortunately doesn’t have a sleeping sack to prevent your little one from rolling around. This model has a flat, firm sleep surface crafted to help your little one easily fall asleep, but not to avoid excessive rolling around during the sleeper’s rocking motion. This is a point you should review when you’re considering this unit.
Weight Limit
Bassinets aren’t designed for babies to sleep in for the duration of their infancy. Both the mamaRoo and the SNOO can accommodate your bundle of joy from birth to about 25 lbs. On average, this means your little one will need to move to a crib or other type of bed around 6 months. Since some babies are more active than others, you might have to move your little one to a crib as early as 4 months.
If your little one can get up on their hands and knees they’ll have to be moved out of the bassinet because an active baby could get hurt. It’s important to know upfront that a bassinet is not a long-term sleeping solution. Taking this aspect into consideration might affect your budget since you’ll have to invest in a crib as well.
Cry Detection
Most parents spend the first few months of a baby’s life listening for little cries or fusses. This results in very little sleep for both parents and the baby. If your baby fusses a lot, it can be a very stressful time.
SNOO’s cry detection feature easily detects fussing or crying which then engages the rocking motion as well as the white noise sounds to calm and soothe the baby. More often than not, these types of white noise sounds combined with the rocking motion can easily lul the baby back to sleep. This is because it mimics the sounds and actions heard and felt in the womb.
The mamaRoo also features 4 common soothing sounds to react to your baby’s cries and fusses. These include the sounds of rain, ocean, and fan. Once crying is detected, a selection of 5 unique rocking motions soothe, calm, and improve sleep.
On both these models, the sounds can be controlled or enhanced via the app. This means if you hear your little one starting to fuss in the next room, there’s no need to get up and try and soothe them back to sleep. Babies then learn to fall back asleep without becoming too dependent on a parent coming to soothe them.
Price
For many parents, price is often a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a smart sleeper. Currently, the mamaRoo is considerably cheaper than the SNOO.
An advantage that might benefit some parents, is that SNOO does offer rentals on their smart bassinets. Since babies only use bassinets for a short time, you might not see the benefits of investing in one as well as having to buy a crib a few months down the line.
That’s when the rental option comes in handy. Be sure though to read all the terms and conditions to avoid any issues when it’s time to return the unit. You might find that renting a SNOO for about three months will be the same as buying a new mamaRoo.
How does The SNOO and Mamaroo Bassinets Work?
The SNOO and mamaroo bassinets both fall into the smart sleeper category. The general principle of these types of sleepers is to use smart technology to soothe and calm babies till they fall asleep.
Essentially, these sleeper bassinets mimic the constant rumbling sound and soothing rocking motion they felt in the womb. Babies associate this feeling with safety and comfort and will therefore respond to it out of the womb as well. Both bassinets can be programmed to respond to cries and fussing noises. The bassinet will then respond to your baby’s needs by rocking and producing white noise sounds to soothe your little one.
How Do You Control the Mamaroo and SNOO Bassinet?
It might sound strange to discover that both these products are app-controlled. But in a world where you can do almost anything via an app on your phone, are you really surprised?
These progressive apps allow parents to control the bassinet remotely as well as modify or personalize settings. With the app, parents can easily increase or decrease the level of sound or motion. You can even adjust the responsiveness of the microphones to respond to different levels of baby noises. Both apps can easily be downloaded from Google Play to your smartphone or tablet.
Does the Mamaroo and SNOO Have Sound Modes?
Both the SNOO and mamaRoo have been specifically designed to soothe your little one, without requiring too much handling and swaddling from the parents. Some babies soothe easier with quieter noises while others settle down with louder noises.
Volume control in the app settings allows you to easily adjust the level of noise your baby feels most comfortable with. The mamaRoo also features a variety of sound effects to calm and soothe your baby. Once you identify the sound your baby responds to, you can make it your default setting.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve made up your mind to invest in a smart sleeper, the only real question is, do you prefer the SNOO or the mamaRoo? Still not sure? Let me remind you why I like the SNOO Smart Sleeper so much.
The SNOO sleep sack in the SNOO bassinet is a clear winner in my books! The ultra-soft, easy- to-swaddle sack keeps babies happier, calmer and allows for a longer sleep. The SNOO wings help keep your little ones safe on their backs and secure in the bassinet. There’s very little chance of your little one rolling around during the bassinets rocking motion.
Take the stress out of nap or sleep time. Invest in a smart sleeper and let technology help you soothe your little one with sounds and motions they’ll soon grow to love! Give your baby (and yourself) the comfortable sleep you both deserve!
As we all know, a baby who sleeps well is a happy baby. And a happy baby equals happy parents!
For your information, I’ve compared HALO vs SNOO in another article which you might want to take a look at. You might want to read also my other comparisons, alternatives to SNOO.
Last update on 2024-10-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API