Setting up the nursery: what's needed and what to skip

The nursery industry is very good at creating the impression that your baby needs a lot. They don't. What they need is a safe, consistent sleep space and a comfortable temperature. Everything else is optional — and a fair amount of it is actively unsafe.

The only things a sleep space needs

A baby's sleep environment should contain exactly three things: a firm, flat mattress; a single fitted sheet; and your baby.¹ That is the complete list.

The AAP, NHS, and The Lullaby Trust are in close agreement on this.¹²³ Everything added beyond this baseline either adds no safety benefit or introduces risk. The nursery items that cause the most harm are not obscure products — they are the ones sold in matching bedding sets.

Choosing a sleep space

You have several good options, and none requires spending a lot.

Cot or crib — the standard choice. A full-size cot lasts until around 18–24 months. Look for one that meets current safety standards (BS EN 716 in the UK; ASTM F1169 in the US). Second-hand cots are fine as long as the mattress is new — the firmness and hygiene of an unknown used mattress cannot be verified, so replace it regardless.

Moses basket or carry cot — suitable for the first 3–6 months, until your baby can roll or push up onto hands and knees. Lightweight and portable, useful for day naps in different rooms. The same bare-sleep rules apply.

Bedside crib — attaches to the adult bed at mattress height. Your baby has their own firm surface; you have easy access for night feeds. A practical choice for the first 6 months of recommended room-sharing.²³ Check that the attachment mechanism is solid and that there is no gap between the crib surface and the adult mattress.

Room temperature

Target 16–20°C (61–68°F).²³ This is cooler than most adults keep their bedrooms, and intentionally so — overheating is an independent SIDS risk factor. A basic room thermometer helps, though a wearable baby monitor with a room sensor works just as well.

Dress your baby in a sleep sack (grow bag) with a tog rating appropriate for the room temperature. To check warmth, place two fingers on the back of your baby's neck. They should feel warm, not sweaty or cold. Signs of overheating include sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, and rapid breathing. Remove a layer if in doubt.

Blackout for daytime sleep

A blackout blind or curtain is useful for daytime naps, particularly in summer. There are no safety implications — it's purely practical. An inexpensive temporary blackout blind works as well as a fitted one.

What not to buy

Cot bumpers — including "breathable" mesh versions. All bumpers are associated with infant deaths from entrapment, wedging, and suffocation. The AAP and The Lullaby Trust advise against all bumpers.¹³ Some jurisdictions have banned their sale. No exceptions.

Themed bedding sets — the quilts, pillows, and decorative cushions that come with nursery sets have no place in the sleep space during the first 12 months. They are a suffocation risk. The set may look nice for photos; it should not be in the cot with a sleeping baby.

Sleep positioners, wedges, and nests — marketed as preventing rolling or managing reflux. The FDA has issued a specific safety alert: infant sleep positioners have been linked to infant deaths and should not be used.⁴ The same applies to inclined sleepers and baby loungers when used unsupervised or for sleep.

Weighted sleep products — weighted blankets and weighted swaddles have caused multiple infant deaths. The FDA has issued an explicit warning against using any weighted product with infants.⁴ No weighted item is safe in the sleep space.

Wipe warmers — not dangerous, just unnecessary. Babies adapt to room-temperature wipes within seconds and promptly forget about it.

Decorative mobiles over the cot — a mobile above a sleeping baby becomes a pull hazard once they can reach. If you want one for awake sensory stimulation, use it during supervised tummy time on the floor, not over the sleep space.

"Smart" breathing monitors clipped to nappies or worn as socks — heart rate and oxygen monitors marketed as SIDS prevention devices have not been shown to reduce SIDS risk and can generate false alarms and unnecessary anxiety.¹ The AAP does not recommend them for healthy term infants.

Safe sleep and the wider cluster

The nursery is where safe sleep happens every night. Sleep position, room sharing, and the sleep environment together account for most of the modifiable SIDS risk. If you haven't read the full safe sleep guidance, it covers everything: Safe sleep and newborn sleep.

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Also in this cluster: Essential baby gear · Baby-proofing by milestone

Sources

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment." Pediatrics 150(1), 2022. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188304/Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated-2022-Recommendations
2. NHS. "Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)." NHS, 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/
3. The Lullaby Trust. "Safer Sleep Advice." 2024. https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Do Not Use Weighted Infant Products." FDA Consumer Update, 2022. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/dont-use-weighted-infant-products