How to Choose a Cot Safely

TL;DR: A safe cot comes down to a firm, flat, well-fitting mattress with no gaps, slats spaced so a baby's head cannot fit through, and no drop-sides. Look for the cot safety standard, buy the mattress new if you can, and keep the cot clear with your baby on their back. For the first six months, the safest place is a cot in your room.

Choosing a cot can feel like one more big decision in a season already full of them. The good news is that a safe cot is not about spending the most or finding the cleverest design. It comes down to a handful of things that genuinely matter, and once you know what they are, you can look past the marketing and choose with confidence. This is general safety guidance rather than official medical advice, so pair it with your midwife, health visitor, and the sources linked at the end.

Start with the mattress, not the frame

The mattress is the part your baby actually sleeps on, so it deserves the most attention. It should be firm and flat, not soft or contoured, and firm enough that your baby's head sinks in only a millimetre or two. It should also be waterproof or have a fitted waterproof cover, which helps stop bacteria building up inside and keeps it hygienic. The Lullaby Trust explains that a firm, flat, waterproof mattress is one of the few things a baby truly needs for sleep.

Check the fit: no gaps

A mattress can be perfect on its own and still be unsafe if it does not fit the cot. There should be no gap between the edge of the mattress and the sides of the cot, because a baby can wriggle into a gap and get stuck. A useful rule of thumb is that you should not be able to fit more than two adult fingers between the mattress and the cot frame on any side. If a mattress slides around or leaves a visible gap, it is the wrong size for that cot.

Slat spacing and a fixed side

Look closely at the bars. Slats should be spaced so a baby's head, arms, and legs cannot slip through and become trapped: roughly between 45mm and 65mm apart is the widely used guide. Avoid cots with cut-out shapes or decorative fretwork in the ends, which can catch fingers or clothing. Drop-sides, the kind that slide down, are no longer recommended, and modern cots made to the current standard no longer have a side that fully drops. A solid, fixed frame with nothing loose or wobbly is what you want.

Look for the safety standard

You do not need to memorise the technical detail, but it helps to know what to look for on the label or in the instructions. In the UK, cots and cot beds should meet BS EN 716, the standard covering children's cots for domestic use. Seeing that reference is a quick sign the cot has been designed and tested against agreed safety requirements. RoSPA is a good general reference for nursery product safety if you want to sense-check a purchase.

New versus second-hand

A handed-down or pre-loved cot can be a lovely, practical choice, and often perfectly safe, as long as you check a few things. Make sure the frame is sturdy, all the fixings and screws are present and tight, the slats are undamaged and correctly spaced, and there are no cracks, splinters, or missing parts. Ask for the instructions so you can put it together properly. The one part most safety organisations suggest buying new is the mattress: if you do reuse one, it should have been made for that specific cot, be firm and flat with no dips, tears, or lasting damp, and have a clean waterproof cover. RoSPA's guidance on second-hand goods is a helpful starting point.

Set the cot up safely, and keep it in your room

The safest cot is a clear cot. That means your baby sleeps on their back, on the firm flat mattress, with nothing else in the space: no pillows, no duvets, no cot bumpers, no pods or nests, no soft toys, and nothing to prop or position them. Placing your baby with their feet near the foot of the cot helps stop them wriggling under the covers. The NHS and the Lullaby Trust both advise a clear cot for every sleep, day and night, to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For the first six months, keep the cot in your own room, day and night, which is the single easiest change linked to safer sleep. Keep the room comfortably cool, and site the cot away from radiators, windows, and blind cords.

A safe cot is a small, steady foundation under everything else that is happening right now. If those first weeks feel heavier than expected, that matters too, and our guide to postpartum depression is there when you need it. If you are feeding through the night, our notes on common breastfeeding challenges may help. And if you are ticking off the rest of the list this week, we have companion guides on choosing a pram, packing your hospital bag, and the specialists who care for you in pregnancy. Amara, inside Asele, can help you make sense of it all at your own pace.

References

1. The Lullaby Trust. "Mattresses and bedding." lullabytrust.org.uk
2. The Lullaby Trust. "Keeping a clear cot." lullabytrust.org.uk
3. NHS. "Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)." nhs.uk
4. RoSPA. "Baby sleep products." rospa.com
5. RoSPA. "Second-hand goods." rospa.com
6. BSI. "BS EN 716-1:2017 Furniture. Children's cots and folding cots for domestic use. Safety requirements." bsigroup.com