Baby Bedding and Linen

The right baby bedding for your bub is safe, soft and built to survive a thousand washes.

Bedding Essentials for Every Nursery

Keep things simple, safe and easy to change at 3 am.

What Bedding Do You Need for a Newborn?

In the first twelve months, safe sleep guidelines are clear: a firm, flat mattress with a well-fitted sheet is all that is needed in the sleep space. For warmth, a sleepsuit or a baby sleeping is safer than loose blankets. The bed linen essentials for a newborn are:

• Two to three fitted cot or bassinet sheets — enough to always have a clean one ready
• A sleepsuit or sleeping bag in the right TOG rating for the season
• A waterproof mattress protector under the fitted sheet
• Muslin wraps for settling, swaddling and a hundred other uses

Choosing Between Bassinet and Cot Bedding

Bassinets and cots use different size sheets, and they are not interchangeable. If you’re planning to start in a bassinet and transition to a cot, you’ll need separate sets of fitted sheets for each. Measure your mattress before buying and check product dimensions carefully. Most bed linen ranges will specify bassinet, cot, cot bed or toddler bed sizing.

Lightweight vs Warm Baby Blankets

For babies under twelve months, blankets should only be used outside the sleep space (not in the cot) and always while under supervision. For older babies and toddlers who have transitioned to a bed, choosing between lightweight and warm bedding depends on the season and your home's temperature:

• Lightweight options — cotton or muslin blankets, low-tog sleeping bags — suit warmer months and temperature-regulated rooms
• Warmer options — jersey, fleece or higher-tog sleepsuits or baby sleeping bags — are better suited to winter or cooler climates
• Layer thoughtfully rather than using a single heavy cover — it is easier to adjust

How to Choose Safe Baby Bedding

For newborns, safe sleep practices are clear — firm, flat and bare. No pillows, bumpers or loose blankets in the cot for the first twelve months. As babies grow into toddlers, bed linen choices open up. Our guide to transitioning your toddler from cot to a bed covers when and how to make that shift.

What Is the Best Material for Baby Bedding?

The most practical baby bedding materials are natural, breathable and easy to wash at high temperatures. Here is a quick guide:

• Cotton — the most widely used material for baby bed linen. Breathable, durable, easy to wash and available across all price points. A reliable all-season choice
• Muslin — lightweight and breathable, particularly good for summer or warmer climates. Softens beautifully with every wash
• Bamboo — naturally temperature-regulating and incredibly soft. A good choice for babies with sensitive skin
• Jersey — stretchy and soft with a T-shirt-like feel. Fitted sheets in jersey are particularly easy to put on and pull off
• Fleece — warm and cosy but not breathable — best reserved for outer layers or blankets used outside the sleep space, not in the cot

Whatever material you choose, always check that items are washable at 60°C or above, which is the temperature needed to remove allergens and bacteria effectively.

The Final Word

The right baby bedding does not need to be complicated. A few well-chosen, easy-to-wash pieces that fit your mattress and suit the season will see you through the first years with much less fuss than you expect. Start simple, stock up on fitted sheets and let the laundry cycle do the rest.