As the first official bed linen partner of Red Nose, every Sheridan baby product adheres to the highest safety standards.
To raise awareness for Red Nose’s Safe Sleep Week, we compiled your most frequently asked questions about safe sleeping, covering everything from safe sleeping practices, to temperature regulation and sheet selection. Red Nose Chief Midwife, Jane Wiggill, provides answers and tips for ensuring a safe sleeping environment for your baby.
How can I stop my baby from getting too hot or too cold?
Babies control their temperature through their face and their head. Sleep your newborn on their back and ensure their face and head remains uncovered during sleep. This is the best way to protect your baby from overheating.
When dressing your newborn and preparing the cot, you need to consider where you live, whether you have home heating or cooling and whether it’s summer or winter.
A useful guide is to dress your baby as you would dress yourself – to be comfortably warm, not hot or cold. It's unnecessary to leave the heating on all night or to monitor the room temperature with a thermometer, but ensure your baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature.
A good way to check your baby’s temperature is to feel their chest, which should feel warm (don’t worry if their hands and feet feel cool, this is normal). Given that temperature is controlled through the head, you can prevent overheating by removing hats or bonnets as soon as you go indoors or enter a warm car, bus or train; even if it means waking them.
Never use electric blankets, wheat bags or hot water bottles for babies. Instead, dress the cot with a breathable cot sheet and add a blanket to the cot for extra warmth in cooler months. We recommend a blanket crafted with natural, breathable fibres that are gentle on your newborn’s skin.
How do you select sheets for your baby?
Red Nose recommends lightweight sheets and blankets that are breathable and made from natural materials. Our selection of baby cot sheets are crafted in 100% cotton interlock jersey, or 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. Our cot sheets are crafted without the use of harsh dyes.
How do you make up a cot?
Always place your baby to the bottom of the cot and make the cot up with the sheets firmly tucked in reaching to their chest. This will ensure your baby stays safe with their head and face uncovered.
Are sheets safe for a baby?
Sheets and blankets are safe for your baby provided you select lightweight options and make the cot up correctly. Sheets and blankets can be used when you swaddle your baby, however if you decide to use a safe sleeping bag (one that is well fitted with arm holes and no head coverings), you don’t need additional bedding. Simply select a bag appropriate for the temperature of the room.
Why do I need to sleep my baby on their back?
Sleeping your baby on their tummy or side increases the chance of sudden and unexpected death. Back sleeping ensures your baby’s airways are kept clear, preventing suffocation and overheating.
What is unsafe to keep in the cot?
It’s unsafe to keep soft bedding including pillows, quilts, loose bedding or fabric, lambswool, bumpers or soft toys in the cot. Keep the cot simple, with bedding appropriate to the season (breathable cot sheets and a lightweight blanket for cooler months) and keep your baby safe while they sleep. Ensure all cot sheets and blankets are tucked in at chest level.
Nursery essentials to create a safe sleeping environment
Make the cot with lightweight, soft and breathable cot sheets that will help to keep your baby comfortable. We recommend Cloudsie, Olly, Adorah or Dreamsy.
In the cooler months, a lightweight blanket can be placed in the cot for extra warmth. We recommend Pembrooke, Eveleigh, Tristen or Odell.
Wrapping is a useful method to help babies settle and sleep on their backs. Swaddle your baby in a 100% cotton wrap for breathability and softness against the skin. We recommend Madisun or Mysie.
Refrain from putting toys in your baby’s cot and keep them in a storage basket in the nursery instead. We recommend Portah, Hadleigh or Emersan.
Learn more about providing a safe sleeping environment for your newborn and create a space that's as safe as it is beautiful.
Safe Sleeping For Newborns FAQ
As Red Nose’s official bed linen partner, each and every one of our baby products adheres to the highest safety standards.
To keep you well versed in safe sleeping year round, we compiled your most frequently asked questions and went to Jane Wiggill, Red Nose Chief Midwife, for expert advice. From safe sleeping practices, to temperature regulation to sheet selection, we have you and your little one covered— thanks to Jane's answers and best tips.
How can I stop my baby from getting too hot or too cold?
Babies control their temperature through their face and their head. The best way to protect your baby from overheating is by sleeping them on their back — making sure their face and head remains uncovered during sleep. When dressing your newborn, there are a few things to keep in mind: the season, where you live, whether you have home heating or cooling. A useful guide is to dress your baby as you would dress yourself — comfortably warm, not hot or cold. It’s unnecessary to leave the heating on all night or to monitor the room temperature with a thermometer, but ensure your baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature.
If you’re looking to check their temperature, a good way is by feeling their tummy: it should feel warm. Don’t worry if their hands and feet are cool, this is normal. One way to prevent overheating is by removing hats or bonnets as soon as you go indoors, or when you enter a warm car, bus or train — as temperature is controlled through the head. This should be done, even if it results in your little one waking up. Dress the cot with a breathable cot sheet; add a blanket to the cot for extra warmth in cooler months. Make sure the blanket is drawn to the level of the chest and firmly tucked in. We recommend a blanket crafted with natural, breathable fibres that are gentle on your infant's skin. Never use electric blankets, wheat bags, or hot water bottles
How do you select sheets for your baby?
When it comes to selecting sheets for your baby, Red Nose recommends lightweight sheets and blankets, that are breathable and made from natural materials. Sheridan’s selection of baby cot sheets are crafted in 100% cotton interlock jersey, or 100% organic cotton (GOTS certified), and 100% Belgain flax linen.
How do you make up a cot?
Always place your baby on their back to sleep with their feet at the bottom of the cot, and make the cot up with the sheets firmly tucked in and only pulled up their chest. This ensures your baby stays safe with their head and face uncovered.
Are sheets safe for a baby?
Sheets and blankets are safe for your baby — provided you select lightweight options, and make the cot up correctly. Sheets and blankets can be used when you swaddle your baby. However, if you decide to use a safe sleeping bag — one that is well fitted with armholes and no head coverings — you don’t need additional bedding. Simply select a bag appropriate for the temperature of the room.
Why do I need to sleep my baby on their back?
Sleeping your baby on their tummy or side increases the chance of sudden and unexpected death. Sleeping your baby on their back ensures your babys airway protection reflexes work, keeping their aieway clear, and helping to prevent suffocation and overheating.
What is unsafe to keep in the cot?
There are many things considered unsafe to keep in a cot: soft bedding including pillows, quilts, loose bedding or fabric, lambswool, bumpers, or soft toys in the cot. When it comes to toys, keep them in a storage basket in the nursery, and refrain from putting them inside the cot. To keep a cot safe, keep it simple. Appropriate bedding for the season — breathable cot sheets, a lightweight blanket for cooler months — and ensuring all cot sheets and blankets are firmly tucked in at chest level.
NURSERY ESSENTIALS TO CREATE A SAFE SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT
Make the cot up with lightweight, soft, breathable cot sheets that will help to keep your baby comfortable. We recommend Olly, crafted with 100% certified organic cotton, or Abbotson, crafted from 100% Belgian flax linen.
In the cooler months, a lightweight blanket can be placed in the cot for extra warmth. Our recommendations include Cillian, Organic Cotton Waffle, or our Cotton Plush blanket.
Wrapping — also known as swaddling — is a useful method to help babies settle, and sleep on their backs. Swaddle your baby in a 100% cotton wrap for breathability and softness against the skin. We recommend Henlet, Mysie, or Lydon.
Learn more about providing a safe sleeping environment for your newborn, and create a space that’s as safe as it is beautiful.