One of the first questions we get asked by parents who want to buy a SnoozeShade is “does it fit a certain type of stroller”?

Surprisingly, this isn’t actually the most important thing we need to know!

To help, we’ve pulled together this guide to help you choose the best SnoozeShade for you and your little one. And to make it even easier, we’ve created a quick quiz to help you find out which SnoozeShade for prams or strollers (single or double) you need in your life – click here to take it now!

Which SnoozeShade Do You Need?

The first thing to consider is not just the type of stroller you have – it’s your little one’s age, sitting position and nosiness level.

If your little one is:

• 0-6m & lying flat – we recommend an Original or Original Deluxe
• 0-6m & sitting upright – we recommend a Plus or Plus Deluxe
• 6 months old – we recommend a Plus or Plus Deluxe

The exception to the above is that if you’re using a jogging or 3-wheeled pram, in lie flat mode or without a bassinet, then we would recommend starting with a Plus or Plus Deluxe regardless of baby’s age as you will get an easier fit from the start.

How Does SnoozeShade Make Your Life Easier?

• It keeps baby safely shaded without a fiddly umbrella (which you’ll probably just spend a lot of time adjusting as the sun moves every time you cross the road)
• It’s one shade that fits perfectly and provides full sun protection AND a distraction-free place for your baby or toddler to sleep on-the-go
• Check in on baby without disturbing an important daytime nap using the sneak-a-peek zip
• Going out for meals (day or night) is easier as baby can snooze while you eat (even if it’s past bedtime)
• Don’t worry about naps when travelling, keep it in your hand luggage so you can make airport delays and transits easier
• Even older children sometimes need to grab a sleep – you can use your SnoozeShade until your little one is out of the pram

For Babies From Birth To Six Months (Who Are Lying Flat in the Pram)

Doctors worldwide recommend that babies aged 0-6m are kept completely out of direct sunlight. Their skin is too sensitive for sunscreen and contains very little melanin, so they burn more easily. Sunburn as a child dramatically increases the risk of skin cancer as an adult. 

Daytime naps are vital for young babies as they need up to 7 hours of sleep a day (from birth) – the younger a baby is, the more daytime sleep they’ll need.

Did You Know?

Daytime sleep reduces cortisol in babies’ bloodstream which makes it easier for them to sleep at night, it also stimulates growth hormones. 

We have these products for babies who are lying flat in the carrycot (we use 0-6 months as an approximate guide as all babies are different):

• SnoozeShade Original
• SnoozeShade Original Deluxe

SnoozeShade Original blocks 94% of nap-stopping light and distractions.  It also protects baby from 99% of the sun’s UVA and UVB (UPF50+).  It attaches using velcro straps and comes in black with a choice of three colour trims – safety green, silver grey and pale pink

SnoozeShade Original Deluxe blocks 94% of light and shades baby from 97.5% of the sun’s UV rays (UPF40+). It attaches to the stroller with the world’s only baby-safe-certified poppers rather than velcro and has a neutral black trim and is a luxurious silver grey in colour. 

We also have SnoozeShade for Infant Carriers, to fit all types of Group 0/0+ car seat that have a carry handle. This can be used whilst driving or when attached to your stroller/pushchair travel system, and the ‘please don’t touch’ label acts as an extra deterrent – especially helpful for when your baby hasn’t had all their vaccinations!

SnoozeShade Original can be used in two modes:

• Snooze Mode – completely covers your stroller or carrycot to create a sleep-friendly environment that blurs distractions and shuts out 94% of light.
• Shade Mode – attach SnoozeShade to the hood and to the handle of your pram to create an overhead canopy that shades baby from UVA and UVB rays. If you’re using a stroller, you can also use it to cover just your baby’s legs – ideal if you’re caught in the summer sun. Once baby is asleep, you can easily check in with our ‘sneak-a-peek’ zip without lifting the whole cover or letting in lots of light, which can wake a sleeping baby.  

Our “snoozing baby” logo deters well-meaning people from disturbing your little one. Parents often find that using SnoozeShade becomes a sleep trigger for their baby in the same way as shutting the curtains in the nursery.

For Babies Aged 6m+ (Or Once Baby is Sitting Upright)

Daytime Nap Needs

At 6 months your baby will still need 3-4 hours of naps.  For many parents naps on-the-go will continue to be a thing until little one is out of the strollers. 

SnoozeShade’s inventor Cara used her Plus Deluxe until her daughter was five (for the occasional day at a theme park, evening meal out or airport transfer when using a pushchair made travel easier).  

We have three products designed for when babies are sitting up in the stroller and want to look out when awake (we use 6 months as a guide but every baby is different):

• SnoozeShade Plus
• SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe
• SnoozeShade Twin Deluxe (for twin prams with one wide hood)

These models are all designed for babies who are sitting up in the stroller and want to see out when they are awake.  If your baby has moved out of the bassinet or carrycot these are for you!  They are significantly larger than the Originals – almost 2.5 times the size and are designed to accommodate longer legs.

• They all have a two-panel front window. 
• The inner panel means baby can safely enjoy the view shaded from 80% of UV (the highest level of sun protection for a single layer).
• When naptime approaches, simply raise and attach the outer panel to cut out over-stimulating surroundings that can interrupt a much-needed nap (and increase UV protection to the maximum).

SnoozeShade Plus is black with a grey trim and attaches using velcro stretchy straps.  It blocks 94% of light and up to 99% of UV (UPF50+).  The inner panel is integrated (does not open) and is smaller than the Plus Deluxe’s – zip up the the outer panel to close it.  When not in use, secure the outer panel using the straps provided. 

SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe is a silvery-grey with black  trim and attaches using the only baby-safe-certified poppers in the world.  It blocks 94% of light and up to 97.5% of UV (UPF40+).  The inner panel is much larger than the Plus and fully unzips so to give you full access to your baby without removing the shade.  The outer panel is attached using poppers and can be secured in the integrated pocket when not in use. 

If you have a pram with one double-width hood then we recommend a SnoozeShade Twin Deluxe. If one child is sitting up and the other is flat-lying this is a great option. It’s the same as our Plus Deluxe – just for double wide strollers.

Here’s a useful chart for all the single SnoozeShades

Safety Advice:

Click here for more information on the extensive safety testing we put SnoozeShade products thorough.

Always check on your baby while they are in the stroller and don’t leave them unattended for prolonged periods of time. When it’s hot out, find as much natural shade as you can, or go indoors – and keep your baby cool, protected and hydrated at all times.

To reassure you, all of SnoozeShade products are designed to meet rigorous safety testing that goes above and beyond what is required by nursery industry standards.

This means that our products undergo extra safety tests to ensure that every single product we make is 100% safe for use.

All SnoozeShade products are made from our special laboratory-tested air permeable, lightweight and stretchy mesh fabric that allows air (hot or cold) to circulate easily.

Your SnoozeShade is completely safe to use in hot weather and is used happily by parents in Australia, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and other hot countries.

If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too.

What to take when travelling with a tiny baby!

Travelling with a newborn baby may not seem such a great idea but there are many reasons why it’s perfect for new parents wanting a break.

Becoming a parent does not have to signal the end of your wanderlust and if travelling makes you happy then it’s something you must do. Yes, there is a lot to think about but you will be making memories that can last a lifetime – and that’s priceless.

We hope this post will help calm your fears and help you to achieve the best summer holiday ever. We’ll start with the ultimate newborn baby travel checklist. Let us know if we’ve missed anything!

Newborn Checklist

Obviously, your baby’s needs are of the utmost importance and when you’re away, it’s a good idea to keep these in mind at all times. Because of this, we’ve divided our checklist into sections that will make it easier for you:

Sleep

Small babies sleep a lot, so you need to think carefully about their sleep needs and what those needs are likely to be by the time you go away. Don’t forget to pack:

• SnoozeShade for sleep on the go. Keep this in your hand luggage so you can whip it out at the airport when you need to.
• Travel crib (or make sure that there will be a suitable sleeping space for your baby when you arrive)
• Pushchair and sling/carrier
• Pop up UV tent. These are fabulous to take with you out to the beach as they provide sun protection and give your baby a sheltered space to kick out and rest
• White noise app. If your baby is unsettled, white noise can be amazing when it comes to soothing to sleep
• Dummies/pacifiers
• Blankets/swaddles

Try to plan travel around baby’s usual nap times if you can, or at least make sure you have the means for your baby to sleep on the go. For this, you need your stroller and SnoozeShade.

Feed

Breastfeeding moms may not need to bring as much gear as bottle-feeding moms but there are still a few travel essentials you need to remember:

• Breast pads
• Breast pump (if used)
• Nipple cream- just in case!
• Nursing bras
• Burp cloths

If you’re bottle-feeding, add these items to your checklist:

• Bottles
• Formula
• Bottle cleaner
• Spare teats
• Burp cloths
• Steriliser

Make sure you have enough supplies for the entire journey and some extra. You never know what’s going to happen and if you run out your baby is going to let you know she’s not happy! If you know you can buy your brand where you’re going, then just bring enough for a couple of days to save on packing space. It’s also a good idea to take a travel kettle if you’re not sure if there will be one there.

Essentials

Newborn babies come with a lot of baggage! For everything else, make sure you remember to bring:

• Infant paracetamol
• First aid kit
• Any prescribed medications
• Nappies – at least enough for your travel day plus one more
• Wipes
• Nappy bags
• Spare clothes
• Muslins
• Baby towel
• Soft toys
• Swaddle blanket
• Changing mats
• Baby toiletries- shampoo and body wash etc
• Baby car seat

Have we missed anything? Share your tips with us on our social channels.

Further Reading:

Going Self-Catering on Vacation? Here’s Our Checklist for Travel With Baby
Three Baby Sleep Problems – And Their Solution!
Which SnoozeShade Do I Need For My Pushchair?

Some useful items to helps your family vacation run smoothly!

When you go away with kids, chances are your changing bag is stuffed and you have a few more bags stowed under the stroller too. Kids equal a LOT of luggage but how many of these things are essential?

When travelling with kids, here are the essentials you don’t leave home without.

SnoozeShade

It’s top of the list! SnoozeShade is guaranteed to make your vacation with kids so much easier and here’s why.

• Sun protection. SnoozeShade provides a high level of protection from the sun’s harmful rays and is accredited by the Melanoma International Foundation too.
• Sleep on the go. Napping schedules are hard to stick to on vacation and there’s a huge possibility your baby/ toddler won’t be sleeping in a crib for most of their daytime sleeps. Not only will SnoozeShade protect them from the sun it will also create a cosy, darkened space for sleep. No distractions and no missed nap.
• A darkened space at night.  SnoozeShade for pack n plays was designed with parents on vacation in mind. It’s a breathable blackout cover for cribs that means your little one will stay cool and calm at bedtime. What’s not to love?

First Aid Kit

Thanks to @fiveadventurers for this tip. Make sure your first aid kit is well stocked and ready to go. Kids are always getting into scrapes and being away from home means you don’t have your usual stores or pharmacies to hand either. Make sure you include:

• Paracetamol; go for child-approved sachets as they’re easier to carry
• Head thermometer
• Plasters
• Antiseptic cream
• Prescription medications (if applicable)
• Bandages and tape
• Tweezers
• Antihistamines
• Insect repellent
• Emergency numbers for local services, should you need them
• Baby wipes
• Nappy bags
• Sterilising bags (if you need them)

Check your kit before you travel to ensure it’s all in date.

Sleeping Essentials

Getting kids to sleep on vacation is not always an easy task. On Facebook, Jane suggested taking your own Pack n Play mattress (roll it up or fold it if you can) to provide a little more comfort at night. Often the cots that are provided on vacation aren’t all that great, so this is a fantastic tip. Other sleep essentials include:

• A night light
• Blackout blind
• A white noise app for your phone or tablet to assist at bedtime
• Favourite comforter or blanket

Sun Protection

While your little one is out and about, make sure you keep them protected from the sun. The essentials you need:

• UV swimwear
• A UV beach tent
• Sun cream (over six months)
• Light, long sleeved tops to cover up when the sun is strong
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• PLENTY of water

Entertainment

I know, being on vacation should be enough entertainment but you know what kids are like! Travelling often means delays and kids get tired and irritable easily, so time out now and then might be a good idea. The following are great to take away with you:

• Books
• Favourite toy or games that can be packed easily
• iPad/ tablet with games and books and headphones
• Favourite DVDs (check there’s a player where you’re going)

What are your travel essentials when you go away with the kids? Share your tips with us on our social channels!

Further Reading: 

Ten of the Best Baby Sleeping Sacks
What Temperature Should My Baby’s Room Be?
Teething Causing Sleep Regression? Here’s What to Do to Help Your Baby Sleep

 

With Father’s Day approaching this weekend, the team here at Snooze HQ have decided its time we started talking a little more about the role of dads, and how their mental health needs a little air time too. So much great work has been done (and more still needs to be done) to raise awareness of the importance of maternal mental health, but when it comes to dads we’re sadly lacking a little. Whether its society’s views on what a dad ‘should’ talk about or what we perceive dads to be ‘able’ to cope with, the fact remains that lots of new dads and dads-to-be are struggling emotionally. Resources are out there to support families, but much of the focus tends to fall on mum- and while we’re not for one second disputing the real need for this, what we do believe is that there are a lot of dads who need to be able to access help too. With this in mind, we’ve been chatting campaigner to Mark Williams, who has shared some insight into how we can start focusing on protecting dad’s emotional wellbeing ahead of International Father’s Mental Health Day next week.

Mark Williams is a keynote speaker, author and International campaigner. In 2004 he himself experienced depression and suffered in silence for years until a breakdown, which ultimately led to the work he does today.  He founded International Fathers Mental Health Day and the #Howareyoudad campaign to make sure all parents are having support for the whole family.

Mark has spoken on television and radio stations around the world and works with Dr Jane Hanley who have both published articles on Fathers Mental Health together. Mark was awarded Inspirational father of the year and local hero at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2012 and was invited to meet The Royal Family on World Mental Health Day in 2016.
You can read more about Mark here:
www.reachingoutpmh.co.uk

We asked Mark his thoughts on dads and emotional wellbeing

Please take a moment to read, and if you know someone who may benefit from Mark’s advice please do pass this post on.

Can you tell us a little about the work that you do and why you feel it’s an important topic for discussion?

“I founded International Fathers Mental Health Day in 2016 which takes place every Monday after Fathers day. Coming from a personal perspective and after talking to hundreds of dads about their struggles with mental health, I am now a campaigner, author and keynote speaker on the importance of fathers mental health. I personally believe by supporting all parents during the antenatal and postnatal period it has far better outcomes for the whole family.  

As we know, the biggest killer in men in the UK is suicide and fatherhood pressures are much more than twenty years ago with higher expectations and roles of being the bread winner now changing.”

What tips would you give to fathers to be as they prepare for the birth of their child birth?

“Prepare and ask questions with your health visitor and other professionals on perinatal mental health. Make sure your own mental health is being looked after and research positive coping skills like mindfulness and relaxation techniques as this is important.  

There are some great books out there now and online resources like DaddyNatal or Commando Dads. I know now that I was totally unprepared for the transition of fatherhood and really struggled for a number of reasons after my son Ethan was born in 2004.”

 

 

What tips would you give to new fathers with regards to their new parenting role?

 

“Make sure you know the what the role of fatherhood is and entails, and what is needed for your family.  

The role of father has changed in recent times and with more stay at home dads and single dads than ever before in the UK, its vital you engage with other fathers whether online or with any groups in your area. If there isn’t it may be worth setting one up yourself as it so important to be around people during this time.

If you have a past history of anxiety, depression or have previous post traumatic stress disorders please look for extra support.”

Can you share links and information on support groups that new dads can access?

“Yes. The biggest network for fathers in the UK is the Dads Network which has online and resources of support. It also has great resources which will help sign post you to the support you may need if you’re struggling to bond with your baby. 

There are more resources out there now like Dads Pad, Dads Matter, Fatherhood Institute, Dads in Mind, Dads Can Cymru, Fathers Network Scotland, Black Dope Dads. If you’re struggling with your mental health please look for Chasing the stigma which is a database of what’s in your area.”

How can families best support new dads?

Its simple- make sure you ask them “How are you doing?” as we know one in ten dads will suffer depression in the postnatal period due to many reasons- whether it’s from a pervious history of anxiety, depression or trauma, lack of sleep, money worries, unexpected pregnancy, relationship difficulties and even looking after a loved one with postnatal depression. 

Also, remember that PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can result following either witnessing or experiencing a life threatening event- which in some birth experiences can happen to all parents.

For more information visit www.sleeplady.com

 

Please note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Let’s face it, Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone, but if it is a day that you look forward to spending with your partner, good for you! Now here’s the bad news. Becoming a parent can play havoc with your romantic plans on Valentine’s Day. Sorry! First of all, you need to be able to spend some time alone with your loved one and when you add children into the mix it’s sometimes easier said than done! Not ready for a babysitter yet? You need our help! Here’s how to get your baby to sleep on Valentine’s Day. You’re welcome.

Naps, naps, naps!

And once more for good measure. NAPS. Daytime sleep is so so important if you want your baby to sleep well at night. Do not be tempted to skip any daytime nap in the hope of getting an early night. It just doesn’t work. For one you won’t have any time to yourself through the day (paint your nails? Do your hair? Cook a romantic meal?) and for another you’ll end up with a seriously unhappy baby on your hands. Skipping naps makes babies overtired and less likely to fall asleep easily, or stay asleep for that matter.

Focus on the daytime sleep and make sure your baby is well rested and in a good routine today as normal. Use your SnoozeShade to create a cosy nook (indoors or outdoors- the location doesn’t matter) and to eliminate distractions. Stick to your usual routine and you’ll do just fine.

 

Keep bedtime where it is

You might be tempted to move bedtime a little earlier tonight, but doing this actually requires more than a few hours notice. If you want to move bedtime, you need to start doing so gradually over a series of days, moving nap times and awake times too- and we don’t have time for that.

Relax. Don’t introduce any bug changes tonight. Keep bedtime, and your bedtime routine, exactly the same as it always is and you’ll have a much better chance of success.

Stay flexible

One of the best things about being a parent is that life becomes delightfully unpredictable. Stay with us here. What we mean is that your baby is not a robot. They may well wake up in the middle of your meal, or they may well decide that tonight they are teething and that’s that. The thing is that if you allow this to stress you out, or upset you, then you’ll end up a gibbering week. Valentine’s Day is one day in the calendar, and truly you and your partner can celebrate alone time as many times as you like throughout the year. Your baby doesn’t have a calendar to hand right now, so keep this in mind and keep your sanity at the same time. Be there when your baby needs you, and make that alone time with your partner more special for its rarity when it does happen!

Let us know in the comments your best tips at getting baby to sleep!

In the winter, we like to wrap up warm and cosy- especially when we brave the great outdoors. But that doesn’t mean everywhere outdoors!

As ever at SnoozeShade, safety is always at the forefront of our minds. Regular readers and SnoozeShade customers will know that all of our products are subjected to very rigorous safety testing which goes above and beyond what is required according to nursery standards. But we don’t stop there.

We care about sharing the right information to ensure that parents are aware of guidelines when it comes to other aspects of their baby’s safety too, not just when using our products.

We want to let you know why your child does NOT need a coat in the car seat.

Your Child’s Winter Coat is Thick

Winter coats are thicker and more padded than other items of clothing; this goes for baby snowsuits too. When heading out of the house and into a cold car on a frosty morning it’s only natural that you want to be wrapped up. The problem with puffy coats is that they are unsafe to wear with a baby car seat harness; their puffiness can mean that the harness is too loose around your child, which makes it ineffective and dangerous in a collision.

If the harness is too loose, your child can move more than is safe to do whilst driving. If a collision occurs, your child’s coat will be compressed by the crash and the loose harness means that they may not be properly protected and could be thrown around or even ejected from the seat.

How To Determine If Our Child’s Coat Is Too Thick

Always stay on the side of caution and remove your baby’s coat or snowsuit before you strap your child into their car seat.

How puffy is too puffy? Try this simple trick to see how much looser the harness could be with the coat on. Strap your child into the car seat with their coat on and tighten the harness until you can just fit two fingers between the straps and your child’s chest. Then undo the harness, take your child out without adjusting the straps and remove the coat. Strap your child back into the car seat and see how tight and secure the straps are now. If there is more than a two-finger space between the harness and your child’s chest, you should always remove the coat before your journey starts.

Safer Car Journeys

How can you ensure your child is warm enough and still safe every time you take a car journey?

Place a blanket over your baby when you leave the house on cold days and after you’ve strapped your child into their seat securely, place it over the harness. Then warm the car up and remove the blanket.

Do the same thing yourself and never wear a coat in the car. That way, you’ll always know just how warm it is in the car and you know that your baby won’t be too cold – or worse, too hot.

Further Reading:

Safe Baby Sleep in Winter
What Temperature Should my Baby’s Room Be
Can My Baby Sleep Safely Outdoors

All SnoozeShade pram and buggy sunshades fit all styles of prams but there are some that are a tiny bit trickier to fit because of their design and that fact that there aren’t obvious places to attach the straps.

Important to remember is that you don’t need to use all the straps for SnoozeShade to fit your buggy.  Just use the ones you need (on some models you don’t need any and on others all 6 are required).

One I get asked a lot about is the Stokke Xplory due to its distinctive design and te pole at the front when in parent-facing mode.

Fortunately, I’ve been sent some pictures by happy parents over the years so here are some of the Original and the Plus (which is the same size as the Plus Deluxe) on the Stokke.

THE ORIGINAL ON THE XPLORY

As you can see from the photos when it’s in parent-facing mode you can attach the Original’s middle straps around the back of the Xplory and that will pretty much keep it on and you won’t need to use any of the others.

 

In forward-facing mode you can attach round the hood hinges or around the back. The choice is yours.

 

THE PLUS ON THE XPLORY

One clever parent sent me these photos where they had turned the Plus upside down and fed the pole through the horizontal zip. Works beautifully and will work the same with a Plus Deluxe.

How does your baby sleep? Do they sleep through the night? How easy is it to have a baby that sleeps well?

Sleep is a topic that bonds all parents. It’s the one topic that we all have an opinion on and we like to find out about how other people’s babies sleep, too.

In some ways, it seems that the question of sleep is a never-ending cycle of anxiety, guilt and frustration. We feel anxious if our baby won’t sleep, or if our baby sleeps too much. We feel worried if our baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet and we feel guilty if our baby is sleeping ‘too much’. We feel frustrated when our baby won’t settle and we feel annoyed if our baby wants to sleep when we have other plans. That’s why this feature looks at baby sleep patterns; we’ve collated all you need to know.

What are sleep patterns?

Simply put, sleep patterns are the patterns of activity that take place in the brain during sleep. They differ from person to person and for babies, they differ depending on your baby’s age. A baby’s sleep patterns begin to form during the last months of pregnancy and, like adults, babies have different stages and depths of sleep:

• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is a light sleep and newborn babies can spend up to eight hours a day in this condition. This is the part of sleep where dreams occur.
• Non-REM is a state of sleep that has four stages: drowsiness, light sleep, deep sleep and very deep sleep.
  

When a baby sleeps, they tend to pass through all four stages of Non-REM sleep and then go back to deep sleep and then light sleep, from where they then enter REM sleep. If you watch your baby as they fall asleep, you may even see this happening. This is a normal baby sleep pattern but be warned that the length of time your baby spends in each stage is entirely up to them. Other factors may affect their sleep patterns such as hunger, loud noises and disturbances and whether or not a nappy needs changing. On average, babies sleep for:

• newborn: 16-18 hours a day; 8-9 of which are at night, with 3-5 naps in total.
• 2-4 months: 14-16 hours a day; 9-10 of which are at night, with 3 naps in total.
• 4-16 months: 14-15 hours a day; 10 of which are at night, with 2-3 naps in total.
• 6-9 months: 14 hours a day; 10-11 of which are at night, with 2 naps in total.
• 9-12 months: 14 hours a day; 10-12 of which are at night, with 2 naps in total.

Of course, this varies from baby to baby but it’s a fairly good guide to work with.

So, what happens when sleep patterns are erratic?

Newborn babies do not know the difference between night and day. They do not know that you are supposed to sleep at night and nap during the day; this is something that they need to learn. The early days of a baby’s life is spent either feeding or sleeping anyway, so the best advice is to go with the flow at this stage. As long as your baby is getting around 16 hours of sleep a day, all is fine. If your baby has been sleeping ‘well’ but develops a more disturbed pattern, there could be many causes. Illness, teething, reaching developmental milestones and changes in routine can all affect sleeping patterns. Speak to your health visitor if you’re concerned and read up on baby sleep regressions – see the link below.

Why doesn’t my baby ‘sleep through’?

Newborn babies are certainly not designed to sleep through the night, or for stretches longer than around four hours at a time. Their stomachs are tiny – around the size of their fist – and need filling regularly.

Babies start to sleep for longer stretches at around twelve weeks. This is usually the point where they are able to hold more milk in their tummies and so can go for longer between feeds. However, sleeping through the night is still not as common as some parents might have you think!

The National Sleep Foundation says:

“By six months of age, night-time feeds are usually not necessary and many infants sleep through the night; 70-80 per cent will do so by nine months of age. Infants typically sleep 9-12 hours during the night and take 30-minute to two-hour naps, one to four times a day – fewer as they reach age one.”

How can I help my baby to sleep?

There are lots of ways you can encourage good sleep patterns and help your baby to sleep. As ever, we don’t champion one method over another; only you know your baby and the best ways to approach parenting. Things that you can do to help your baby to sleep include:

• sticking to a baby bedtime routine.
• keeping noises and other disturbances to a minimum at night time, to help babies distinguish between day and night.
• keeping lights dim during sleep time.
• using black out blinds, or a SnoozeShade (naturally!) for daytime sleeps.
• baby massage to help soothe and relax.

So, confess. How does your baby sleep? Have their sleeping patterns changed drastically lately? Does this concern you, or do you prefer to go with the flow? Do leave a comment and let us know!

Further reading:

A month-by-month guide to sleep regression
Three baby sleep problems and how to fix them
What should my baby wear in bed? Tips from our sleep experts

We know, we know. Winter can be absolutely grim here in the UK. There’s the rain, the sleet, the  hail and the snow. All of which can really make it seem like leaving the house is a bad idea full stop. These weather scenarios do NOT make for a pleasant outdoor experience! The thing is though, that being inside can be almost directly related to feelings of boredom, isolation, low mood and lethargy.  Whereas being outside invites endorphins to have a small party in your body, sending feel-good signals to your brain to elevate your mood and make you smile. Not only that, but studies have found that being outside for just 15 minutes a day can have a profound effect on the body, mind and soul. Here are our top three reasons why you really should go outdoors every day.

Being Outdoors makes you happy

We don’t mean nipping to put the bins out after dinner! Be outdoors. Zip up your coat, pop the SnoozeShade over the pram to protect the little one from light wind and rain (and promote better nap habits too) and embrace it. Research has found that kids need at least 15 minutes per day outside, but we say why limit that to kids? We parents need the vitamin D just as much, and sometimes we have excess energy to burn off too. If you have older kids, try to arrange at least one outing per day- if only to save your sanity! Yes, its so much easier when the weather is nice, but bad weather shouldn’t be a deterrent.

Being outdoors helps you sleep better 

Being outdoors helps to prepare the body for sleep later on, by boosting the blood pumping around your body as you move and by boosting serotonin levels too. Later on, your body will want to recover and rest during sleep and you’ll find the fresh air helps you ( and baby) to drop off more easily.  Not only this, but allowing your baby to sleep outside (on the go- thanks to the SnoozeShade!) can help too. Plenty of studies have been done on this topic, and research has found that sunlight helps to regulate a baby’s circadian rhythm a lot quicker if they are allowed to sleep outside (in the pram)- this means that their body clock is set a lot more easily.

And for older children, being outdoors in colder weather means that they will run around a lot more to get warmer, using up excess energy and thus feeling more tired at bedtime. Now if that’s not a good reason to get outdoors, what is?

Being outdoors helps you become more mindful

Being busy is a modern day curse, and though we’re definitely not taking anything away from the importance of the various stresses and strains we go through, there are many of us that could benefit from slowing the pace right down. If you’re able to schedule just fifteen minutes in your busy day to get outdoors and leave everything behind for a short while, the effects can be amazing. No screens, no demands, no anxieties- just for fifteen minutes. Instead, enjoying the peaceful time as your baby sleeps, or the sensory experience of being outdoors. The SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe has a features a look out panel that allows your little one to stay sheltered as they gaze at the world. Point out the trees, the birds, the people. Talk to your little one, and focus on really being in the moment. You could even time your naps around your daily walk and be outdoors for longer. Take your headphones, listen to an audio book and take some me time with benefits!

A note about the weather…

Yes, it’s cold. And its due to get a little colder still. But don’t let that put you off! Babies can be sheltered from the wind when they are outdoors. You know this already, but the SnoozeShade was invented so that babies could sleep on the go. Sleeping outside in the pram can have many benefits for both baby and parent, but there is no need for them to be completely exposed to dreadful weather. Pop on your SnoozeShade as normal and provide sufficient shelter to support or even lengthen that afternoon nap. Works like a dream! There is a really good saying that maintains there is no such thing as bad weather- just bad clothes. So wrap up warm, don’t forget your SnoozeShade, and get outdoors. You’ll all sleep better, and you’ll all feel better for it too!