SnoozeShade Help Center
Frequently Asked Questions
General Snoozy Questions
What warranty or guarantee do you offer?
All SnoozeShade products are guaranteed to be fault-free for one year from purchase.
I am very proud of the fact that we set such high standards in our manufacturing that we very rarely get faults. My fault rate is 0.1%, however, there will always be the odd exception and I am always happy to resolve any problems.
Customer happiness is very important to me so please get in touch if your product has a fault. We will do what we can to help you, replace your product or, if it’s out of warranty, give you a discount on a new one.
You can also sign up for our extended warranty taking quibble-free cover to two years - simply sign up here
How is SnoozeShade safe?
I get asked all the time about the safety of my products and quite right too! I have always been obsessed with product safety.
To address as many concerns as I can, I have written this article which I hope answers any questions you may have.
If you still have something you'd like answered please just get in touch and one of the team will be happy to help
What sun protection do SnoozeShade products give?
All SnoozeShade products have the highest levels of sun protection on the market and are approved by the Melanoma International Foundation.
Many sunshades promote themselves as UPF50+ but ignore the areas which your child can see out of when making this calculation. The facts are - if you can see your child then so can the sun.
In a single layer, our fabric is darker than others because it gives the most protection and blocks 80% of UV whilst enabling little ones to see out. You can't see clearly in due to the way light refracts which is why I include zips on all products so you can check in on your little one easily.
If you see a product with a transparent layer or a paler window it simply won’t be giving any sun protection (unless it’s been chemically treated). We like to be very open about exactly what protection is given and where. Not all sunshade manufacturers are the same (which makes me very cross).
The SnoozeShade classic range (all black) has maximum sun protection and blocks 99% of UVA and UVB rays (UPF50+). The fabric used for SnoozeShade products is made especially for us, it is air-permeable (better than breathable i allowing air to pass through) whilst providing high level sun protection.
The Deluxe range blocks up to 97.5% of UVA and UVB. This is simply because it is a lighter colour. Dark colours (especially black) are best for blocking UV but some customers wanted a different colour choice so the silvery grey was designed to maintain high UV protection with a different look.
With some sunshades offering as little as 60% shade versus 100% shade for SnoozeShade (when in a double layer) you can see that you need to be careful in understanding the protection you are getting.
This then enables you to make an educated choice about what other methods of sun protection eg hats, lotions and clothing you need.
You call it a blackout shade. How dark is it?
Blackout curtains block 100% of light and therefore cannot be made of air-permeable fabric.
All SnoozeShade products block 94% of light when the fabric is in a double layer– which means that it significantly darkens the inside of your pram/stroller, cot or car seat.
Your child will be able to make out shapes and movement, tell whether it’s day or night – but it takes away their ability to latch onto anything stimulating.
If you look through the fabric from the outside it is not the same as what baby sees looking outwards.
Time and time again, parents have reported that their baby normally fights sleep when out and about but will nap happily under their SnoozeShade no matter where they are.
One question we get asked jokingly is ‘Is it soundproof?’ No it’s not, but we’ve had reports from parents who have used SnoozeShade at noisy weddings, festivals, airports, theme parks and in brightly lit busy shopping centres with great success because it takes away their baby’s ability to latch onto anything stimulating.
The end result is a well-rested child.
Great news for everyone.
Do I need to use all the straps?
SnoozeShade for prams and pushchairs:
SnoozeShade has been designed to fit every pram and stroller on the market. To date we’ve not found one that it doesn’t fit. There is always a way.
This means that depending on what style of pram you have whether you use all the straps, none of them or just a few.
On some you may need to use all the straps. On others you may only need to use one or two pairs. So don’t worry that it ‘doesn’t fit’ just because you can’t use all the straps – you may not need to.
We have done a quick video on our YouTube channel that shows you how to use the straps on your pram, stroller or buggy in two ways.
It’s worth watching as you may not realise how the straps can be attached. If you are not using some of the straps we recommend that you attach the pair to each other and then tuck them away to avoid the Velcro hooks catching the fabric.
SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats:
I recommend you tightly wrap the two top straps around the rigid carry handle. This then enables you to carry the car seat as normal with your arm through the carry handle.
If you have a maxi-cosi car seat that has a built in canopy that attaches to the handle simple take it off and leave it down. If your car seat has its own canopy (like a pushchair) you can use SnoozeShade over this as the canopy will provide support. However, if it’s hot please lower the canopy as it is not made of air-permeable fabric and will trap hot air whereas SnoozeShade fabric won’t.
SnoozeShade for Cots and Travel Cots:
You must attach all the straps around the legs of the cot for safety purposes. If possible, double wrap the straps for the safest fit. Again refer to this video on the correct way to attach the straps to each other as one way is very strong and one is not.
Can I use SnoozeShade products all year round?
In one word - absolutely!
You can use SnoozeShade products at any time of year to help baby sleep in the pram, baby car seat or cot.
In summer, it blocks high levels of UVA and UVB and stops baby from burning on a hot day. Just one instance of sunburn as a child can increase risk of skin cancer by 50% and five instances increase that to 80%. Sun protection of baby skin is vital!
In cooler months, our pram versions stretch over foot muffs and keep light rain, wind and chill at bay. It also stops the sun from getting into baby’s eyes when the sun is low in the Spring, Autumn and Winter or on a bright sunny Summer’s day.
SnoozeShade also protects from mosquitos, midges, cats and other pesky insects.
Can I use SnoozeShade products indoors?
Yes. But don’t just take our word for it. A reviewer from Which? commented:
“Our tester was impressed. Her baby slept for twice as long as he usually would when in his buggy. It even helped her baby get to sleep in the middle of a noisy toddler group.”
Your baby’s sleep routine can be maintained wherever you have to be – restaurants, camping, cafes, shopping centres, theme parks, airports or festivals. The possibilities are endless.
How does using SnoozeShade help my baby and I?
SnoozeShade is like a portable blackout blind for on-the-go families It enables you to be out and about but still maintain your baby sleep routine.
It’s the only one of its kind to be endorsed by a number of international baby sleep experts, approved by the Melanoma International Foundation and has won over 70 awards.
Until I invented SnoozeShade, the only option for us parents was to throw makeshift items over a pram or pushchair like a blanket or muslin. These are not always made from air permeable fabric; do not give sun protection; have to be lifted up which lets in light that wakes up baby or just simply fly off with the slightest breeze or jolt.
Using a SnoozeShade becomes a sign to sleep or sleep trigger for babies – like closing the curtains in a nursery. Baby starts to recognise that when SnoozeShade goes on it is time to sleep.
SnoozeShade helps babies sleep as it takes away their ability to visually latch onto anything stimulating and creates a cosy comfortable healthy nap environment wherever you are.
Deeper, longer sleep with no interruptions means your baby gets the sleep that he or she needs and we all know that well-rested happy babies mean everyone in the family has an easier time!
Many parents also use SnoozeShade to prevent well-meaning people from touching and disturbing their sleeping baby.
Should I still use other sunscreens whilst using SnoozeShade?
Dependent on the age of your child, yes.
Doctors recommend that babies aged under 6 months are kept out of direct sunlight completely as their skin does not have enough melanin to stop sunburn.
Medical opinion is divided on the use of sunscreen on infant skin. Baby skin is so thin that putting a sunscreen on could be harmful as it contains toxins that can't be tested on babies. But getting burned is equally dangerous as just one instance of sunburn as a child increases the risk of skin cancer by 50% and five occurrences increase the likelihood by 80%. It's not just a short term issue.
Most doctors take a common sense approach and recommend applying a small amount just to the areas that may be exposed to the sun eg hands/feet etc.
Other recognised sun protection methods are also encouraged eg seeking shade, hats and sunglasses.
For further advice on keeping your child safe in the sun, we recommend the UK’s NHS advice here and, if you are travelling abroad, it is worth checking local advice for the country you are visiting.
What safety testing has the SnoozeShade range been through?
I invented SnoozeShade as a mother, to use with my own daughter, and therefore safety has always been at the heart of every SnoozeShade product I have designed.
For me, safety must come first above all else, and I am proud that SnoozeShade is a ‘function over fashion’ product. I can’t make it in pretty colours as that would reduce the UV protection.
I was surprised to find out when I started that there are surprisingly few required safety standards for a pram or pushchair accessory.
I wanted to make SnoozeShade as safe as possible and so all products are designed to be as safe as toys for newborns which do have strict safety regulations.
As a mother, I know that if SnoozeShade is as safe as a toy for a newborn then it’s as safe as possible and safer than many other products on the market.
The BS EN 71 toy test means you cannot have straps that stretch longer than 22cm – over that length and it becomes a strangulation hazard.
This was highlighted on BBC2’s ‘Britain’s Next Best Thing’ TV programme back in 2011 when a pram product was rejected by Boots’ safety experts for having overly long straps. If you see a product that has long straps then it has not been tested to this standard (and it’s not the law that they are).
This is one of the reasons that I chose to have multiple straps rather than a couple of longer ones that would reach around the stroller frame or hood and why our drawstring bags have a Velcro breakpoint halfway along the straps.
It is also why we use hook and eye straps with super strong zips as they are designed to comply with anti-choking regulations. The poppers that we use on the Deluxe range are the only certified baby-safe poppers in the world.
Every product has been designed to comply with European Standards, particularly with reference to BS EN 71 standard for the safety of child use and care articles.
In addition, the SnoozeShade range has been tested, and is compliant with, the following safety standards:
BS EN 71 : Part 3 : 1994 Safety of Toys – Migration of Certain Elements
BS EN 71 : Part 2 : 2006 Safety of Toys – Flammability
CEN/TR 13387 Safety Guidelines
BS EN 13758 PART 1 (2002) – UV Radiation Through Clothing
BS EN 13758 – 1:2002 – Textiles Solar UV Protective Properties with measurement made in the visible light range
BS EN ISO 105-X12: 2002 – Colour Fastness to Rubbing:
REACH 1907/2006 Annex XVII (tests for presence of banned Azo dyes)
BS EN ISO 14184: Part 2 1988 (tests for presence of formaldehyde)
All products are also CPSIA and CPSC compliant for the US.
I have a discount code - how do I use it?
We do offer occasional discount codes via our newsletter and sometimes with other relevant companies.
Discount codes will work on all products but not any in the Special Offers section, on our Bundles (as they are already discounted) or gift vouchers.
SnoozeShade Original and Original Deluxe
What’s the difference between SnoozeShade Original Deluxe and SnoozeShade Original?
SnoozeShade Original Deluxe gives parents an alternative colour choice of lustrous silvery grey with black trim (instead of the usual black and green trim) and uses the world’s only safety certified poppers (instead of Velcro).
The Deluxe provides high level UV protection and blocks 97.5% (UPF40+). The Original blocks 99% and is UPF50+.
The chart below gives you all the key differences
How do SnoozeShade pram and buggy sunshades work?
SnoozeShade Original and Plus create a comfortable sleep environment for babies by enabling them to switch off from the busy world around them.
Babies often wake up during their natural sleep cycle and if they see something interesting, eg their parents or a duck pond, then it can stimulate them which prevents them going back to sleep. SnoozeShade creates a rather ‘boring’ environment which is comfortingly dark and removes the visual stimuli that could result in baby fighting sleep.
All SnoozeShade pram sunshades block 94% of light enabling them to sleep better and longer.
Many parents use SnoozeShade to prevent well-meaning people from touching and disturbing their sleeping baby.
We recommend using the Original for babies aged 0-6 months until baby doesn’t want to be covered up any more/wants to see out – in which case we’d recommend getting the Plus or Plus Deluxe which have a front viewing window.
What’s the sneak-a-peek zip for?
When a blanket or coat is thrown over a pram, pushchair or travel systems for baby it usually means you have to lift it up to check on baby, which then lets in light which can disturb your sleeping baby (or baby who is trying to sleep).
All SnoozeShade pram products feature a unique sneak-a-peek™ zip which enables you to quickly, discreetly and quietly check on your snoozing baby. You can choose to have it open or closed – whatever works for you.
How do I know SnoozeShade Original will fit my pram or pushchair?
SnoozeShade Original has been designed to fit every pram stroller or buggy on the market. And we haven’t yet found one that it doesn’t fit.
But this does meant that you don’t necessarily need to use all the straps provided for a great fit. The multiple Velcro straps means there are a multitude of ways to attach it but if you are unsure check out our YouTube channel which has a range of videos packed full of fitting tips.
It’s also very simple to fit, after all, it was designed by a real mum who knows how annoying fiddly products can be.
Can I use SnoozeShade with a rain cover?
SnoozeShade fabric will protect baby from light rain or drizzle. I’ve used it myself when I’ve been caught short with my daughter. I’ve heard of a customer caught in an Indian monsoon whose child stayed dry under their SnoozeShade but I wouldn’t call it waterproof.
In the event of heavy rain, SnoozeShade will fit under or over most popular pram, stroller and buggy rain covers.
They are also machine washable and can be popped in the tumble dryer on a low heat to dry if needed.
Is SnoozeShade Original or Plus suitable for double-width strollers?
All our SnoozeShade buggy shades can be used with double-width strollers as long as each seat in the stroller has its own hood – simply use one SnoozeShade per hood.
It is not suitable for double-width buggies that share one wide hood.
Can I use SnoozeShade Original all year round?
You can use SnoozeShade Original at any time of year -whenever you want to shade baby from the sun, wind or chill and help baby to sleep.
It also protects baby from pesky mosquitoes, midges and other annoying insects. It also deters cats and well-meaning people who want to disturb your napping child.
How long can I use SnoozeShade Original with my child?
Use SnoozeShade Original as long as you and your baby are content and comfortable using it. Some of our customers tell us they are still using it well into their child’s third year but every child is different.
As a general rule, if your child is sitting up in the pram and/or very nosy we recommend SnoozeShade Plus and the Plus Deluxe. They both have a single-layer front window which blocks 80% of UV but enables little ones to look out and enjoy the sights.
SnoozeShade Plus and SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe
What’s the difference between Plus and Original?
We describe SnoozeShade Original as Stage 1 (from birth) and SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe as Stage 2 (from 6 months).
As little ones get older and more alert (or nosy) they can start to resist being covered up – regardless of how much we parents know they need to nap.
My daughter decided at about a year old that she didn’t want her SnoozeShade Original on any more. So we came up with a new approach – SnoozeShade Plus – a stroller sunshade – with an integrated large mesh viewing window that allows little ones to see out but still be be protected from 80% of UV rays.
This was then further adapted for the SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe which allows you access to baby via a fully opening front panel.
SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe is larger, deeper and wider than SnoozeShade Original.
The key differences between the two are below:
What’s the difference between SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe and SnoozeShade Plus?
As it is a question I am often asked, I have created a chart to show the differences between the Plus and Plus Deluxe - click on the links below to visit either product to learn more:
When can I start to use SnoozeShade Plus or Plus Deluxe?
SnoozeShade Plus and Plus Deluxe are designed for use with babies aged 6 months and above, who are sitting up in the pram or for extremely nosy babies that want to see out or who hate being completely covered.
We recommend using SnoozeShade Original from birth until baby wants to see out.
SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats
What's the difference between SnoozeShade Infant Car Seat SunShades?
SnoozeShade Car Seat Sunshade Lite is a simple product, similar in concept to the Original. It was the first car seat sunshade to launch back in 2011 and has a single sneak-a-peek zip down the front. It blocks 99% of UV.
SnoozeShade Car Seat Sunshade has a fully opening window and an outer snooze panel that can be pulled up when it's naptime. It shades baby from 80% UV via the front window and 99% UV everywhere there is a double layer.
Will SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats will fit my infant carrier?
We’ve made both SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats very simple to fit onto almost any Group 0/0+ infant car seat or carrier.
Simply attach the straps tightly around the rigid carry handle when it’s upright and pull the shade over the car seat base. If you have a maxi-cosi style car seat with a canopy that attaches to the handle simply take it down.
Please note: The only type of baby car seat that SnoozeShade will not fit is sleeper or carrycot styles as they have a longer body.
If you have this sleeper style, you can use SnoozeShade Original when the car seat is attached to the stroller frame as a baby travel system.
SnoozeShade for Cots and Travel Cots
How do I know that SnoozeShade will fit my travel cot or cot?
SnoozeShade for Travel Cots fits all popular rectangular travel cots that are sized up to 105cm long and 80cm wide (when assembled) and take up to a 95cm x 65cm mattress. It has also been used very successfully with the triangular style cots eg BabyBjorn Travel Cot or Phil and Ted’s Traveller Travel Cot.
SnoozeShade for Cots fits all standard European or continental cots – specifically a cot that will take a mattress sized 120cm x 60cm.
SnoozeShade for Travel Cots and SnoozeShade for Cots are NOT suitable for use with a crib, cradle, bassinette, cotbed or pop up style tent travel cots.
We also have a version for cot beds in development. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for these please contact us.
Sun safety tips
Our tips on keeping baby cooler on a hot day
We’ve pulled together some helpful tips on how to keep your baby comfortable in hot and humid weather:
1. Pack plenty of drinks – hot weather can lead to your child becoming dehydrated. Before going out make sure you have plenty of fluids with you and offer it frequently during the day.
2. Look for shade – you may need to go out with baby out during very hot weather but try not to stay in the sun too long and find shade at regular intervals. Trees, building canopies and umbrellas can all provide shade for you and your baby. When using any kind of stroller cover turn the front of the pushchair out of direct sunlight whenever possible.
3. Go indoors – people who live in hot climates tend to stay indoors during the hottest time of day and head outside in the morning or late afternoon/early evening when it’s cooler. If you are outside and worried about the heat then seek cover and pop into a shop, restaurant or shopping centre.
4. Know the signs of dehydration – if it’s hot you’ll want to check on your child regularly but how do you know if your child is overheated? Firstly feeling their hands and feet is not sufficient as they can remain cool even when baby is overheating. Hair sticking to the skin or a hot stomach are both clues, as is a dry nappy or being floppy and irritable.
5. Dress for the weather – take plenty of layers with you. Dress baby in as little as possible when it’s hottest and add layers as it cools down. Take off any hats or extra clothing while your baby is napping – even if this means waking your baby up.
