If you’ve ever shuffled your entire setup across a park chasing the last patch of shade while your baby naps, you’ll understand why WA couple Kasi and Trent Taylor built ShadyBaby. It’s a portable UPF50+ shade awning that attaches magnetically to the side of your pram handle and opens with one hand, creating a shaded space for your baby wherever you stop.
The idea came during a morning at the foreshore with their newborn son, Layne. As the sun moved, so did everything else: the playmat, the pram, the dog, the coffees and the baby, until the family was squeezed into the last patch of shade left.
“With Trent working away and no family nearby, those little outings were how I stayed connected and confident as a new mum,” said Kasi. “But every trip started to revolve around the sun. During a feed I’d drape a muslin over us both and we’d end up hot and uncomfortable. Staying home began to feel easier, and it became incredibly isolating.”
“I looked at it all and said, surely there’s a portable shade that attaches to the pram so we can move it wherever we need,” said Trent. “We assumed someone had already made one. When we couldn’t find it anywhere in the world, we built it ourselves.”
Why portable shade matters
Cancer Council Australia recommends keeping babies under 12 months out of direct sunlight whenever the UV Index reaches 3 or above. But reliable shade is harder to hold than most parents realise. UV scatters and reflects, filtered light under trees still reaches delicate skin, and cloudy days are not UV free. For babies under six months, who are generally too young for sunscreen, shade is their main protection.
“We didn’t want parents chasing shade. We wanted shade to come with them,” said Kasi. “ShadyBaby is for that early stage, when sunscreen isn’t an option and shade is your baby’s best protection. That stage shouldn’t mean staying indoors.”
What you get
Almost 18 months in the making, ShadyBaby was researched, designed and engineered in Australia, with a provisional patent filed.
- UPF50+ canopy: lightweight ripstop nylon, rated excellent protection under Cancer Council guidance, and OEKO TEX® STANDARD 100 certified
- One-handed operation: pull tabs open and adjust the shade in seconds
- Pram friendly: magnetic collar mounts and ratchet straps fit most prams, with no permanent modification or damage
- Built to last: arms and pivot points made from Grivory, a high-performance reinforced polymer chosen for durability and safety
- Compact: folds into a slimline case (56cm x 12cm x 6.5cm) and opens to 150cm x 48cm of shade
- Colours: solid black and espresso
Pricing and availability
ShadyBaby launches on 29 November at shadybaby.com.au, RRP $179. Parents who join the presale list before then can secure theirs for $159. Replacement canopies are available for $49.
“Some of the best memories are made outside,” said Kasi. “Protecting your baby shouldn’t mean missing out on them.”
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