Buying Guides
Baby sleep buying guide
Our Nursery furniture ranges pass all British Standards safety and quality tests. We go beyond the legal requirement when we design our furniture, so that you and your baby can both sleep soundly. Alongside advice on what to buy, you can also take a look at our range of nursery furniture and bedding.
In many of our shops, you'll find our All Things Baby service, where Partners can help you choose what's right for you during pregnancy and beyond – find out more.
Moses, Baskets & Cribs
Moses baskets
A moses basket provides a safe and easy way to keep your newborn baby near you at all times. The handles and lightweight aspects make it easy to move, meaning you can always have your baby close by, wherever you are.
Moses baskets are small and can fit in any space – they offer a contained safe space for your baby to sleep. A moses basket is suitable for a newborn up to around 3-4 months old, or weighing 6kg.
A moses basket is no longer suitable once your baby starts to sit, push up or roll over.
Bedside cribs
Bedside cribs give you the ability to be closer to your newborn baby. They also enable you to feed and soothe them without being too far away, letting you create a safe sleep space next to each other.
Suitable for a baby up to 6 months or at the age where they are rolling over or pulling themselves up.
Our best selling brands are Chicco and Snuz.
Cots & Cot Beds
Cots and cotbeds are suitable for babies from birth. They tend to have multiple base positions – a bassinet height from birth until your child starts showing signs of being able to sit up unaided, and a lower position for when they become more mobile.
Cotbeds
Cots – suitable for babies until approximately 2 years old. Normally around 120 x 60cm, cots are a great solution for small spaces and offer an affordable price.
Cotbeds – suitable for babies until approximately 4 years old. Available in 132 x 70cm and 140 x 70cm sizes, cotbeds are convertible from cot to toddler bed – simply remove the side rails to make it an easy transition to their first bed.
Toddler beds – suitable for use from 2 until around 4 years. Smaller than a standard single sized bed and lower to the ground, this is a great way to transition from cot to adult bed.
Travel cots
These are the perfect solution for you if you are travelling abroad, going on a staycation or just visiting someone overnight. They are quick and easy to set up – in some instances, it takes under 5 seconds. Travel cots allow your baby to have a safe sleep environment even when you're on the move. Some will double as a playpen, allowing for greater versatility. We recommend allowing your baby to get used to sleeping in the cot for a few nights before you travel.
Features
Adjustable-height mattress base
Most cots come with 2-3 base positions
Teething rails
Clear non-toxic plastic protects your baby's gums once they’re teething and starting to chew
Tips for safer sleeping
- Your baby should sleep on a firm crib or cot mattress with a fitted sheet
- Always place your baby on their back, with feet to the foot of the cot
- Take care to avoid letting your baby overheat – regularly check your baby to make sure they're not too hot or cold
- It's normal for babies' hands and feet to feel cooler, so the best way to check your baby's temperature is by feeling their tummy or the back of their neck
- If their skin is hot or sweaty, remove one of the layers
- Between 16°C and 20°C is the recommended room temperature – you can use a thermometer to check your room temperature
- Be sure to remove any soft toys from the cot before each sleep period
- For more information please go to our safety checklist do’s & dont’s
Choosing the correct sleeping bag
- Baby sleeping bags are a good option as they prevent your baby’s head from being covered by wriggling under bedding – keeping them snug and warm, so avoiding the issue of kicking off covers and getting cold
- You can choose different togs for different seasons to help keep your baby at the right temperature – this will also be dependent on room temperature
- Tog is a measure of thermal resistance. Put simply, it means the warmth level. The higher the number, the warmer the sleeping bag.
- The tog rating you choose will depend on factors such as room temperature, what your baby is wearing and your baby's health
- Most sleeping bags are available in three tog ratings:
0.5 tog – for hot summer days and nights, and holidays in hot climates
1 tog – warm summer months and daytime naps
2.5 tog – for all-year-round use, except hot summer nights
- In warm conditions we recommend the sleeping bag is used with lighter clothing such as short-sleeved body suits
- In cooler conditions we recommend the sleeping bag is used with long-sleeved cotton pyjama tops and bottoms or all-in-one sleepsuits
- You can also select different size sleeping bags depending on the age of your baby. It is important that the sleeping bag fits well around the neck area so that your baby’s head does not slip down into the bag. Extra bedding should not be needed.
Approximate sizes of sleeping bags:
- 0-6 months (from 8lb 8oz/4kg)
- 6-18 months (from 18lb/8.1kg)
- 18-36 months (from 25lb/11.4kg)
Duvets and pillows
- Duvets and pillows are only suitable for babies over 12 months
- You should opt for a maximum 4 tog if the sides are still on the cot, or up to 7-9 tog for a single child’s bed
- Above 4 tog duvets should ONLY be used for a 3+ year child
- Ensure your baby's face is not covered while in use
- Duvets are not to be used in combination with sleep bags or blankets
- Take into account the room temperature and your baby's sleepwear
Blankets
- Blankets are fine as an alternative, so long as they're not too thick or doubled over, so there is no chance of overheating
- If using blankets, make sure they are firmly tucked in and come up no higher than the shoulders
- Ensure your baby's face is not covered
Sustainability BCI & GOTS cotton
- All of our 100% cotton sheets and blankets are non-allergenic and machine washable
- All of our bedding has been made using Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) cotton
- The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a not-for-profit organisation which exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in, and better for the sector’s future
- BCI works with partners around the world such as WWF, Solidaridad and Cotton Connect to train farmers to produce cotton more sustainably
- By buying cotton products from John Lewis & Partners, you’re supporting the training of these farmers to use water efficiently, care for the health of the soil and natural habitats, reduce the use of the most harmful chemicals and apply principles of fair and decent work
- We also have a number of products which are made from certified GOTS organic cotton. This means the cotton is responsibly produced to strict environmental and social standards
- A textile product carrying the GOTS label must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fibres; a product with the label grade 'organic' must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibres
Mattresses
The more comfortable you are, the better you sleep. This is just as true for babies as it is for grown-ups. Choosing a mattress for your new arrival is an important decision.
- All of our mattresses meet the highest possible standards of safety
- Choose a firm mattress and make sure it's always clean and dry
- We advise replacing the mattress for every child you have
- All our mattresses meet the highest possible standards of safety
- All of our mattresses have removable covers or easy clean surfaces
- It is important to select the correct size mattress for your piece of nursery furniture. Please refer to the following table:
| MATTRESS SIZE | MATTRESS NAME |
| 66x38cm or 74x28cm | Moses |
| 89x38cm or 84x40cm | Crib |
| 120x60cm | Cot |
| 132x70cm | Cotbed |
| 140x70cm | Cotbed / Toddler bed |
Different types of mattress
Fibre Mattresses
ANYDAY Fibre – made using 100% recycled PET, our fibre mattress comes with a wipe clean cover which keeps its interior fresh and clean, reducing the causes of allergies. This mattress is a great affordable solution for staying at grandparents.
Premium Fibre – made using the same great recycled PET filling as above. This mattress also includes a removable, quilted, washable cover. Ideal for quick changes after night time accidents.
Spring Mattresses
A spring mattress is durable, long lasting, promotes air flow through the springs, and provides a more optimal level of comfort. All of our spring mattresses include a removable washable cover which keeps the interior fresh and clean, reducing the causes of allergies.
Pocket Spring Mattresses
A pocket spring mattress offers all of the great benefits of the above but with maximum support. Individual spring units enable independent movement and therefore the most comfort for your baby. Once again, the mattress comes with a removable washable cover which keeps the interior fresh and clean, reducing the causes of allergies.
Features
Cool and dry
The fabrics in our Spring mattresses are vapour-permeable, which reduces the buildup of sweat. This keeps baby cool and dry, making for a better night’s sleep.
Hypoallergenic
The advanced materials used in the Spring mattresses pass the stringent requirements of Oeko-Tex 100 Class 1. In addition, the design and construction of Spring mattresses limit the growth of fungi and dust mites, which are the main producers of allergens in a cot.
Inner care
The inner care cover is a secondary non-removable cover. While the outer cover is in the wash, the inner care cover lets you continue to use the mattress, protecting against little accidents.
Pocketed spring
Pocket Spring and Dual Purpose mattresses both use pocket springs. These springs move independently of each other and are considered more comfortable and more adaptable to a child’s body shape.
Removable cover
If you opt for a mattress with a removable washable cover, these can be washed at 60°C – the temperature at which dust mites are killed. It also reduces the prevalence of fungi and other potentially harmful pathogens.
Reversible
All of our cot mattresses can be used either side up, which helps to extend their life. Spring, Pocket Spring and Dual Purpose models have two types of sleeping surface. On one side there’s a lofted fabric that allows air to flow and is ideal for a baby. The other side has a water repellent yet vapour permeable advanced fabric for a growing child.
Water repellent
It’s always important to keep the core of the mattress free from bodily fluids as this can encourage harmful organisms to grow. Our Premium Fibre and Spring Mattress ranges have water-repellent covers or a waterproof membrane.
Wipe clean
Spring mattresses have a wipe clean side, allowing for fluids to be cleaned quickly without having to wash the entire cover.
Good things to know when buying a mattress
- Always check the mattress size you’ve bought is the correct one for the size of your cot/cotbed before removing from the packaging
- Please ensure to always store the mattress flat or in the cot/cotbed, not upright
- Due to the nature of shipping, once the packaging has been removed and safely disposed of, please allow 24-48 hours for the mattress to settle before use
- Please check that any fitted sheets used are the correct size for the mattress. Sheets that are too tight may compress the mattress, leaving a larger than safe gap between the mattress and the cot. This also applies to sheets that may have shrunk in the wash
- Always position your mattress in the centre of your cot so that there is no more than a 30mm gap between the cot and the mattress on the side, top, or bottom, once it has fully expanded. This allows the mattress to settle in use and leaves space for bedding. A gap on any side under 30mm is considered safe and acceptable.
Tip
For a cot measuring 122cm x 61cm, we recommend a standard continental cot mattress size of 120cm x 60cm.
Safety checklist
Moses baskets and cribs
- Check the basket regularly, particularly the handles for signs of wear and tear
- Always ensure all users follow safety information provided on individual products and in instructions when assembling nursery furniture
- When using a bedside crib, once you've returned baby to their sleep space, please ensure all sides are raised back to original position
Do's
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Don'ts
Cots and mattresses
- Buy a cot that conforms to British or European safety standards
- Check that the drop side is secure and can't be lowered by a child
- Choose a firm mattress and make sure it stays clean and dry
- Make sure the mattress is the right size – once placed in the centre of the cot or cotbed there should not, at any point, be a gap of more than 3cm between the mattress edge and the cot
- Always ensure all users follow safety information provided on individual products and in instructions when assembling nursery furniture
Do's
- Use a worn, dirty or damp mattress
- Stick decorative transfers and labels on the inside of the cot or anywhere else your baby can reach
- Choose a mattress with handles, as they can trap your baby's hands or feet
- Buy a second-hand mattress, as they can contain harmful pathogens. We recommend a new mattress for a second child.
Don'ts
Bedding
- Check the room temperature regularly – your baby should not be too hot or too cold
- Use lightweight bedding in layers
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep
- Be sure to remove any soft toys from the cot before each sleep period
- Sleep your baby in the ‘feet-to-foot’ position (baby’s feet against the foot of the cot) to avoid their face becoming covered by loose bedding
- If using blankets, make sure they are firmly tucked in and come up no higher than the shoulders
- Make sure your baby’s head is kept uncovered so they don’t get too hot
Do's
- Use a duvet if your baby is under 12 months, as they may overheat
- Use a pillow if your baby is under 12 months
- Use blankets that are too thick or doubled over, to avoid the possibility of overheating
- Cover your bay’s face or head while sleeping
- Use loose bedding
- Use duvets above 4 tog; these should ONLY be used for children aged 3+
Don'ts
Finishing the nursery
Storage is vital when you have a baby, as it’s surprising how many bits and pieces you’ll accumulate.
Which furniture pieces you choose will depend on the size of your nursery. You might like the idea of coordinating all your furniture or choosing two or three key pieces such as drawers, a wardrobe and a changing unit.
A couple of things to note:
Do measure up before you order as you'll want your new piece of furniture to fit neatly into the room. A great way to check is to map out the space using newspaper or mark out your floor with masking tape
Make sure you have enough space to walk around your furniture, open doors and drawers. Don't forget to allow space to open the drawers underneath a cot or junior bed
- Important Safety Information: in order to prevent overturning, products must be used with the wall attachment device provided. Please refer to the assembly instructions for further information.
All Things Baby
Get prepared for your new arrival with an in-store or virtual appointment with one of our Nursery Advisors.
Get prepared for your new arrival with an in-store or virtual appointment with one of our Nursery Advisors. They’ll answer your questions and find the right products for you and your child. All appointments are free of charge with no minimum spend.
All Things Baby
Get prepared for your new arrival with an in-store or virtual appointment with one of our Nursery Advisors.
Get prepared for your new arrival with an in-store or virtual appointment with one of our Nursery Advisors. They’ll answer your questions and find the right products for you and your child. All appointments are free of charge with no minimum spend.
Interest Free Credit Available
Spend over £1,000 on Nursery and spread the cost over 12 months, or over 24 months when you spend £3,000 or more. 0% APR Representative. Terms and conditions apply.*
INTEREST FREE CREDIT AVAILABLE
Spend over £1,000 on Nursery and spread the cost over 12 months, or over 24 months when you spend £3,000 or more. 0% APR Representative. Terms and conditions apply.*
PARTNERSHIP CARD
Our rewards credit card gives you 1.25% back in points towards vouchers when you shop with us.
PARTNERSHIP CARD
Our rewards credit card gives you 1.25% back in points towards vouchers when you shop with us.
John Lewis plc, 171 Victoria Street SW1E 5NN acts as a credit broker. Credit provided under exclusive arrangements with the lender John Lewis Financial Services Limited
