The Best Snoo Alternative – An Affordable Bassinet for Baby

I gave birth to my 7th baby in August. For years (and for a number of babies now) I have looked at the Snoo bassinet and thought how nice it would be to own but I just could NOT spend over a thousand dollars on a bassinet my baby would use for only a few months, especially since I usually co-sleep for at least part of the night.

That sent me on a search for the best Snoo alternative. I’ve literally spent years researching this through multiple babies.

I suspect that many of you reading this article have faced the same issue. Because, let’s be honest, a lot of babies just do not sleep well.

Whether you’re new parents or seasoned parents, I’m here to help you in your search for cheaper alternatives to the Snoo. Hopefully you and baby will be getting better sleep soon!

Yes, I’ve Checked Out the Snoo Myself In Person – Here’s What I Thought

While pregnant with my 4th child, Gideon, I had the opportunity to attend a baby/child expo and I saw the Snoo smart sleeper bassinet in person.

Not only that, but I had the opportunity to speak with the doctor (Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby) behind the creation of the Snoo and he gave me a personal demonstration of how it worked.

If you aren’t familiar with the Snoo, it’s a bassinet that moves when baby starts crying. It also adjusts it’s speed (faster/slower) until the baby is (hopefully) soothed back to sleep.

I have to admit, I was impressed! It seemed like a great concept that could really help a baby sleep but that price tag, YIKES! For the average new mom, paying well over $1000 for a baby bassinet is just not an option.

Why Movement Helps Babies Sleep

I knew that babies liked movement but what I learned from talking with Dr. Karp is the why behind why babies like movement. I had never really thought about it before he mentioned it, but when you are pregnant, even when you are at rest, a baby is constantly moving because you are always breathing.

Every single baby comes out of the womb just USED to constantly being moved so it’s natural that they want to have constant movement of some kind for quite a while after birth.

Sleep Products I’ve Tried and Why I Don’t Think They are a Good Alternative to the Snoo

As a mom of 7, I’ve tried quite a few products to help my babies sleep, both bassinets and other things.

Halo Bassinest

I used the Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper with babies 3 and 4. It worked okay as a bassinet but didn’t have many bells or whistles.

At the time I used it, it seemed like the best out there, although now I think there are better options. I did really love how high it came up next to my bed and the swivel feature.

Fisher Price RockN’Play – Worked Well For Sleeping But Not a Bassinet and Recalled

My search for a Snoo alternative (and a better night’s sleep for both baby and me) began when I was pregnant with my 5th baby in 2018. I discovered the RockN’Play and after reviews from other moms, I decided to get that for my baby to sleep in.

For the most part, it worked well. My son slept decently in it when he wasn’t cosleeping with me, but it definitely wasn’t the flat sleeping surface that’s recommended by the AAP or a bassinet of any kind. Then it was recalled due to babies dying in it. Yikes!

Chicco Close to You 3-in-1 Bedside Bassinet – Good, But Not The Best Alternative

I got the Chicco Close to You 3-in-1 Bedside Bassinet for my 6th baby in 2020. While it’s not motorized, it had a vibrating feature that I thought would greatly help my baby stay asleep (or fall back asleep after the transfer).

And, as I suspected, it did. However, the vibration would only last for about 15 minutes before auto-turning off. Ugh!

I found myself monitoring the clock to make sure I got back to his room before the 15 minutes was up so I could tap the vibration button again and restart the 15-minute countdown.

That was less than ideal. I eventually purchased another device that I could add to the bassinet to make it vibrate for 30 minutes but, I mean, that still wasn’t great.

I did like that this bassinet could be raised extra high and slide right over to where it was basically on my mattress next to me.

So, while the bassinet was fine as far as bassinets go, it was not the bassinet I was searching for to provide my baby with movement to help them settle and stay asleep the way the Snoo would.

DockATot

I used the DockATot a lot with my 5th and 6th babies when they would cosleep in our bed after they were about 6 months old. It worked okay but it’s not actually recommended as a safe place for cosleeping (or as a place for baby to sleep in general).

DockATots also don’t offer any movement.

Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet – The Best Snoo Alternative On the Market Right Now!

Let me introduce you to the Graco Sense2Snoozze Bassinet. In my opinion, it’s the best alternative to the Snoo that you’ll find right now – and at a fraction of the cost!

Basic Specs of the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet

The Cry Detection™ Technology uses a built-in microphone that’s designed to hear baby’s cries and respond by automatically adjusting the bassinet’s settings to help soothe baby back to sleep.

This bassinet has 3 different speeds, 2-speed vibration, white noise, 10 sleepy songs, and 10 soothing sounds.

My Personal Experience with the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet

I got the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet to use with my 7th baby and have been using it for the past 6 months.

Things I Didn’t Like about the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet

There aren’t many things I dislike about this bassinet so let’s start there. Really it was just one thing.

It features a canopy, but I discovered early on that opening it up while the baby was in the bassinet proved to be problematic.

Whether the bassinet was moving or stationary, it was difficult to open it up without causing additional movement to the bassinet. It is a bit clunky.

I tend to have the bassinet already moving before I put my baby in it, so opening the canopy and then putting him in the bassinet proved too tricky. Because of that, the canopy is a feature I just don’t use.

The other thing I wish that was different about this bassinet is the vibrate feature. It does stay on for about 90 minutes but then it automatically turns off.

I wish there was a way to have it stay on until I turn it off. Still, 90 minutes is longer than other baby gear items I’ve tried so I am glad that at least it’s that long.

Things I Love About the GracoSense2Snooze Bassinet

All other aspects of this bassinet have been wonderful! My baby sleeps in it every night and I’m pretty sad that he’ll be outgrowing it soon.

This bassinet, like the Snoo, has a feature that detects crying noises and will turn itself on (or adjust settings if already on) to try to encourage your baby to fall back asleep by himself/herself.

I did try out the Cry Detection technology initially, to see if it would turn on when my baby cried. And yes, I can confirm that it does turn on just like it is advertised.

For my son, however, by the time the bassinet noticed he was crying and had started to make adjustments, it was too late. I have pretty particular babies and usually, when they start crying, they need Mom and nothing else is going to get them back asleep any time soon.

I am not the kind of parent who does any kind of cry-it-out with my babies. If you do, the Cry Detection technology will probably work much better for you than it did for me. I don’t like to let my babies cry.

So, instead of using the Cry Detection technology, I just decided to have my bassinet on all the time if my baby was in it. That has worked very well for us!

I love that I can turn it on and it will move back and forth until I turn it off – all night if I want, without a time limit.

Usually, at night, I turn the bassinet movement on, the vibration on, and the built-in white noise on, and I leave them on all night long. Since the vibration turns off after 90 minutes, any time my son wakes up to nurse and I put him back in the bassinet, if it’s turned off, I turn it back on.

Key Features of the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet

There are quite a few great features with this bassinet. First, it features mesh sides for maximum breathability and airflow.

As a mom, the mesh walls definitely help to give me extra peace of mind since my babies often move themselves until they are pressed right up against it.

As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce the risk of SIDS, the safest baby bed has a flat surface for sleeping, and therefore that’s what you will find with this bassinet.

The bassinet offers 3 different speed settings, a variety of white noise options, and two vibration settings.

It also has built-in storage pockets that wrap around the front of the bassinet. They aren’t huge, but big enough to hold a few spare diapers, a fresh sleeper, and a thin package of wipes.

Differences Between the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet and the Snoo

The biggest difference is the price. The Snoo is currently priced at $1695.00 while the Graco bassinet is just $319.99. That’s a HUGE difference!

The Snoo does offer a rental program (Graco does not) but you will still pay more for the Snoo, even if you choose to rent.

With the Snoo, you also need to use their Snoo sack (a Snoo sleep sack isn’t cheap either). When you use the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet, you can use whatever swaddle or sleep sacks you prefer, or even no swaddle at all.

Another way that these two bassinets are different is that the Snoo has a mobile app and the Graco Sense2Snooze does not. Personally, I don’t care about having a mobile app but it’s worth noting if that’s important to you.

The Snoo also offers Snoo Leg Lifters to raise the Snoo higher. I have not seen anything like that offered by Graco yet. That would be helpful for me since our bed is rather high.

Happiest Baby offers fitted sheets for the Snoo, however, I did not see an option for fitted sheets with the Graco Sense2Snooze.

The thin mattress on the GracoSense2Snooze does have a cover you can remove to wash, but it would be nice to have a second cover included so that when it needs to be washed you have a backup cover. I also wish that the mattress was waterproof.

Best Snoo Alternative Runner-Up

I couldn’t write this article without also mentioning the Graco DuoGlider Glider Swing. I’ve been using this swing with my current baby and love it so much!

I’m listing it as a runner-up alternative because it’s technically not a bassinet and it’s not totally flat.

For those who are looking specifically for a bassinet and/or flat sleeping surface, you’re going to want to stick to the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet.

However, if you have a baby who deals with reflux and you need something that offers your baby an incline, I can’t recommend the Graco DuoGlider enough.

I’ve used the Garco DuoGlider nearly every day for naps for my little guy and he LOVES it! He suffers from reflux and it’s really helped his little tummy a lot.

Using a combination of the Graco DuoGlider during the day and the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet at bedtime and in the middle of the night has been a great combination for me!

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, even with 7 children, I just can’t justify spending over a thousand dollars on a bassinet (or any piece of baby gear for that matter) that my baby will outgrow in about six months. When looking for the best alternatives to the Snoo, (without the hefty price tag) look no further than this Graco bassinet!

I have literally used this bassinet with my son every month for the past 6 months. It’s been a lifesaver at night, especially during his 4-month sleep regression (that seems to still be going on at 6 months!).

I’m certain if I was laying him down in a stationary bassinet he would wake up right away, so I’m extremely thankful for this bassinet with rocking motion and the affordable price point that it’s offered at.

It’s a serious game-changer!

Having the Graco Sense2Snooze is almost as good as having my own night nurse! I would definitely say that it’s a must-have for first-time parents.

Get the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet

For me, the choice is easy – Graco offers the best alternative to the Snoo. The Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet is much more affordable than the Snoo while still offering similar, amazing features.

You can buy a Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet at Target or add it to your Target Baby Registry.

Related Posts

I’ve got a ton of blog posts on my site that are helpful during pregnancy and when caring for your new baby. You’ll want to be sure to check those out!