Safe Sleep and Cot Mattresses

Yes. The NHS advises a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for every sleep, day and night, for at least the first six months, and the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends room-sharing for at least the first six months, with the baby in their own sleep space near your bed but not in it.

Making it work

• A separate, flat sleep space: a cot, Moses basket or bedside crib that meets the standards for your market (see the answer on choosing between them).
• Near your bed, away from radiators and windows, with blind cords out of reach.
• Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or in an armchair.

When the baby moves to their own room, the nursery should be ready: see the answer on when the nursery should be ready.

At SUOMMO

Every SUOMMO creation begins with a form imagined around the arrival of a child. La Perla, Dodo, BELA and Moveo each give that welcome a different expression, shaped through the judgement and patience of the hands that make them. Explore Dodo Bassinet, Moveo Mini Crib, La Perla Crib and BELA Crib Gold with our Concierge, who can explain the intended use and limits of each model before you choose.

Choose a mattress that is firm, flat and protected by a waterproof cover, that fits the cot or Moses basket with no gaps. The Lullaby Trust recommends a new mattress for each baby where possible; if reusing one, follow its checks for condition, storage, waterproof protection, firmness and fit. It adds that a baby's head should sink no more than a few millimetres into it, with no raised or cushioned edges.

What to check

• Fit: the right size for the cot, with no gaps at the sides or ends.
• Firmness: the AAP describes a firm surface as one that does not indent when the baby lies on it.
• Standard: in the UK, The Lullaby Trust refers to BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021 for cot, travel cot and crib mattresses; meeting a mattress standard does not establish that a product prevents SIDS, so follow safer-sleep guidance as well as the product's instructions.
• Bedding: in the UK, The Lullaby Trust allows a well-fitted sleeping bag or blankets tucked in no higher than the shoulders; the AAP advises only a fitted sheet in the crib and wearable blankets for warmth. Either way, no pillows, quilts or duvets (see the answer on what a newborn needs).

At SUOMMO

Within each SUOMMO crib, the attention given to its outward form continues in the mattress developed by our Research & Development team and in the natural silk and selected cotton textiles worked by the SUOMMO Atelier. Conceived around the form of the crib, the whole belongs to one creation. Our Concierge can explain the mattress supplied with each model, its care and replacement.

The Lullaby Trust recommends a room temperature of 16–20°C for babies and suggests dressing them by the room, not by the season. It does not give a tog chart, because fabrics, layers and babies differ; instead it describes what to put on at each temperature.

A guide by room temperature (The Lullaby Trust)

• Below 16°C: a sleep bag without extra blankets on top; add a layer or a higher-tog bag if your baby feels cold.
• 16–20°C: a sleepsuit with a well-fitted sleep bag, or a sleepsuit with a lightweight blanket tucked in firmly.
• Above 20°C: use lighter clothing and adjust it to the conditions and your baby. In very hot weather, a short-sleeved bodysuit or just a nappy may be enough.

Checks that apply at every temperature

• No hats indoors.
• Feel your baby's chest or the back of the neck: hot or sweaty skin means they are too hot; cool hands and feet are normal.
• Use one correctly fitted sleep bag, following its manufacturer's weight, size and tog guidance.

The NHS and AAP recommend sharing your room with your baby for at least the first six months, with the baby in a separate sleep space. Reaching six months does not mean that you need to move them immediately; after that minimum period, the timing is a family decision.

Before the move

• Prepare the room in advance: cot, mattress and bedding as for any sleep (see the answer on choosing a mattress).
• Check temperature, blind cords and furniture stability (see temperature and newborn furniture).
• Keep the same sleep routine in the new room.

At SUOMMO

For families who wish to go further, SUOMMO creates bespoke nurseries, each conceived as a private commission. From the architecture of the room to the way light moves across a surface, the texture of a textile, the quality of sound and every bespoke creation, hundreds of decisions are brought together in one complete vision, created for one family and never repeated.

Our Concierge can begin with a conversation about your home and how you would like the room to be lived in. Discover more in Inside Suommo.

The words ‘non-toxic’ alone do not show which substances were assessed, how they were tested or whether the finished mattress is suitable for infant sleep; in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission expects such claims to be backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence. Ask for the evidence behind the claim and the requirements for your market. A safe cot mattress is firm, flat and protected by a waterproof cover and fits with no gaps; a new mattress is recommended where possible, with checks if reusing one; in the UK, The Lullaby Trust refers to BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021 for cot mattresses (see the answer on choosing a mattress).

Questions to ask about materials

• What the core, cover and any treatments are made of.
• Which standards and chemical rules for your market it meets, and what documentation is available.
• Whether any third-party label it carries covers the whole mattress or only part of it.
• How the cover is cleaned or replaced.

Yes. A baby's mattress should be firm and flat. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes a firm surface as one that does not indent when the baby lies on it, and The Lullaby Trust says a baby's head should sink no more than a few millimetres, with no raised or cushioned edges. Soft surfaces, pillows and quilts increase the risk of suffocation. More in the answer on choosing a mattress.

Safe-sleep organisations advise against cot bumpers. RoSPA lists cot bumpers among the products that can increase the risk of suffocation or overheating, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advises keeping bumper pads out of the sleep area. In the United States, the sale, manufacture for sale, distribution and import of padded crib bumpers have been prohibited since 12 November 2022 under the Safe Sleep for Babies Act. Keep the sleep space clear: a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet, as the AAP advises; in UK guidance, The Lullaby Trust also allows a well-fitted sleeping bag or a blanket tucked in securely.

More in the answer on what not to buy and the answer on choosing a mattress.

Either a foam or a natural-fibre cot mattress can be safe. What matters is that the mattress is firm, flat, protected by a waterproof cover, fits the cot with no gaps and, where possible, is new (see the reuse checks in the answer on choosing a mattress); in the UK, The Lullaby Trust refers to BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021 for cot mattresses. Foam, spring and natural-fibre mattresses differ in weight, breathability, care and price; ask how firm the finished mattress is and how the cover is cleaned. See the answer on choosing a mattress.

What matters most is that a mattress is firm, flat, fits the cot with no gaps and has a waterproof cover; the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against relying on products marketed as reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Ask what ‘breathable’ means for the finished mattress and what evidence supports the claimed benefit; the label does not establish protection against SIDS or replace a clear sleep space and the safe-sleep basics (see the answer on choosing a mattress).

A wool mattress can be suitable if it meets the same requirements as any other: firm and flat, protected by a waterproof cover, the exact size of the cot with no gaps; a new mattress is recommended where possible (see the reuse checks in the answer on choosing a mattress). Ask where the wool is used, in the cover, padding or core, and assess the finished mattress rather than the fibre name alone. Ask how firm the finished mattress is, which standard it meets in your market and how the cover is cleaned; see the answer on choosing a mattress.

‘Natural’ or ‘organic’ does not by itself establish suitability for infant sleep. Choose any mattress first by the safe-sleep basics, firm, flat, waterproof cover and exact fit (a new one where possible), and then by materials. If a certification is offered, check its issuer, scope and which components it covers. See the answer on ‘non-toxic’ mattresses.

A mattress should fit the cot snugly, with no gaps. Use the mattress dimensions and thickness specified by the manufacturer, with the correct fit around the whole perimeter; The Lullaby Trust says it should fit the cot or Moses basket well, with no gaps, and US guidance calls for a firm, tight-fitting mattress so a baby cannot get trapped. Never add a second mattress, improvise padding or force in a larger mattress; the outside dimensions of the cot are not a guide to the mattress size. See the answer on choosing a mattress.

A pram carrycot may be an option if the manufacturer states that it is suitable for the intended sleep use, including overnight sleep where relevant. The Lullaby Trust also specifies a completely flat sleep space, a firm waterproof mattress without cushioned or raised edges, and a hood that can be pulled back. A reclining pushchair seat is not automatically equivalent. Make sure the base is level, fold the hood back indoors, do not cover the pram, and check the baby is not too hot. Car seats are designed for travelling, not as a main place to sleep. See the answer on what goes in the cot.

In the cot: a firm, flat mattress that fits without gaps, covered by a fitted sheet, and the baby on their back, with feet to the foot of the cot. Not in the cot: pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, soft toys, positioners or loose bedding. UK guidance allows a lightweight blanket securely tucked below the shoulders; US AAP guidance recommends keeping blankets out of the infant sleep space. Follow the guidance relevant to your setting, with the baby on their back on a firm, flat surface. See the answer on the safest crib.

A newborn needs very little for sleep: a cot, Moses basket or bassinet that meets the requirements for its category, a firm, flat, well-fitting mattress with fitted sheets, and a baby sleeping bag of the right size or, under UK guidance, a light blanket tucked in below the shoulders (US AAP guidance advises no blankets). Place it in your room for at least the first six months, at a comfortable temperature, and lay the baby on their back. See the answer on what goes in the cot and what a newborn needs.

A newborn does not need their own nursery for sleep: official guidance such as the NHS advises that the baby sleeps in a cot or Moses basket in your room for at least the first six months. A nursery can still be useful from the start for changing, storage and quiet moments. See the answer on sleeping in your room and a small nursery.