Safe sleep is the first consideration when planning a baby's sleep environment. This guide is a practical orientation to current Australian recommendations, not a substitute for advice from your baby's health professional or the full safety instructions supplied with a product.
Start with a suitable sleep surface
Red Nose advises placing babies on their backs for every sleep in their own safe sleep space. Use a firm, flat mattress that is the right size for the cot or bassinet. Keep the baby's head and face uncovered, and follow the product's age, weight and developmental limits.
The ACCC's infant sleep-product requirements include mandatory safety and information standards that suppliers must meet from 19 January 2026. Check product labels, instructions and warnings, and verify that the specific model is appropriate for infant sleep.
Keep soft items out
Pillows, cot bumpers, soft toys, bulky doonas and sleep-positioning products do not belong in a baby's cot. They can introduce suffocation, overheating or entrapment hazards. A tidy, simple cot is not an unfinished decorating project; it is the appropriate starting point.
Red Nose provides guidance about safe lightweight bedding and well-fitted sleeping bags. Follow the current advice carefully, including appropriate fit and keeping the head and face uncovered.
Think about the room, not only the cot
Red Nose recommends an infant's own safe sleep space in the same room as a parent or adult caregiver for at least the first six months. Keep the sleep space away from hanging cords, blinds, loose fabric, heaters and other hazards.
Avoid assuming that a pram, rocker, bouncer, swing or inclined lounge is suitable for unattended infant sleep. Check the product's purpose and official safety advice. If a baby falls asleep in a non-sleep product, follow applicable guidance to move them to a safe sleep environment.
Be cautious with accessories
Products that promise to improve sleep or prevent rolling can sound reassuring. That does not mean they are safe or medically supported. Before purchasing any accessory, check whether a current Red Nose recommendation, official recall notice or ACCC warning applies.
Do not add extra mattresses, pads or other after-market items to a sleep product unless explicitly approved by the manufacturer and consistent with current safety guidance. A better fit and fewer extras are often the safer choice.
Check again as your baby grows
A bassinet, cot or other product may have an upper weight, age or developmental limit. Revisit its instructions as your baby starts to move and push up. Check screws, components and the correct mattress fit regularly.
For the full recommendations, visit Red Nose Australia and ACCC Product Safety using the references below. If your infant has specific medical needs, speak with your healthcare team about safe sleep arrangements.
