First-time mothers are often told that they’re about to embark on a journey of a lifetime…and that giving birth is one of the most joyful experiences they’ll ever know. But these sunny expectations don’t often square with the very real challenges of the 4th trimester.

This is what new mom Darcie Burroughs found out when she brought home her son Beau.

“It was the most debilitating, intense feeling I’ve ever experienced in my life. No joke, probably the worst experience of my life during what is dubbed as the best experience of your life,” she shared in an Instagram post. “Nothing prepared me for this. All the research I did, newborn courses, books, podcasts, doctors’ visits, nothing.”

Darcie’s husband works in construction, so she felt like she was better equipped to weather the night shift. “You can fall asleep at a desk, but not on an excavator,” she reasoned. But lack of sleep magnified the “rollercoaster” Darcie was on.

It wasn’t tenable. Darcie knew she had to find a way to get more sleep.

“I was at my wit’s end. It was like an out-of-body experience,” she remembers.

A friend had told Darcie about a “magical bassinet” called SNOO, but Darcie had initially it ruled out because of its price tag. Then, late one night, in the throes of sleep deprivation, she took another look. “That’s when I realized there was a rental program. I thought that was so smart,” she says. She quickly placed her order. 

After less than two weeks in SNOO, Beau was sleeping 3- to 4-hour stretches. “It was so nice not to have to get up and hold the baby and shush him and rock him while recovering from a c-section,” Darcie says. “It was something I could rely on to take the burden off of me and my husband when I was in such a vulnerable state.” 

Not only did SNOO help Darcie get sleep, but it also reassured her about Beau's sleep. 

“It allowed me to track his sleep so I could see there’s nothing wrong with him. It gave me confidence again,” she says. 

Darcie says she’s still processing her postpartum experience, but thanks to professional treatment, she’s feeling much better these days. She also has warm feelings about her experience with SNOO.

“It taught me how to find relief and calm,” Darcie says. “It was an absolute miracle and a gift. SNOO is like Beau's third parent. We actually call him Uncle SNOO.”

View more posts tagged, real stories

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Submit your questions here.

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.