Second-hand cots and mattresses

What The Lullaby Trust’s safer-sleep guidance says

Official records show that The Lullaby Trust’s safer sleep overview states the safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, firm, separate sleep space — for example a cot or Moses basket — in the same room as you.

That page lists these steps for every sleep, day and night, until the baby is 12 months old (or 12 months after the due date for premature or low-birth-weight babies):

1. Lie the baby on their back.
2. Keep the cot clear.
3. Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress.
4. Keep the baby smoke-free.
5. Avoid the baby getting too hot.
6. Sleep the baby in the same room as you for at least the first six months.

The same overview gives a room-temperature range of 16–20°C and says the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, previously called cot death) is higher in babies who get too hot. That is The Lullaby Trust’s published guidance. It is not a MayTally assessment.

The mattress: firm, flat, waterproof

Official records show that The Lullaby Trust’s mattresses and bedding page states that the safest mattresses are firm, flat and protected by a waterproof cover, with no raised or cushioned edges or sides.

• The baby’s head should sink no more than a few millimetres into the mattress.
• The mattress should be in good condition: no rips or tears, and not sagging.
• It should fit the cot or Moses basket properly.
• A waterproof cover helps keep the mattress clean and dry because you can wipe it.
• Sheepskins, pods and nests are not recommended as a sleep surface.

The Lullaby Trust product guide (reviewed February 2025) uses the same three-word test: firm, flat and waterproof. It states that a waterproof layer matters more than “breathable” marketing, because it helps stop bacteria building up inside the mattress.

Mattress check

If a second-hand mattress is used, The Lullaby Trust’s published checklist is below. Tick what you can see on the listing or in the room. Official records show that a mattress which fails these published checks is to be replaced. This site does not approve a mattress.

Sources: Second-hand baby products · Mattresses and bedding

Checking a second-hand cot

Official records show four checks on The Lullaby Trust’s second-hand products page for any pre-owned item, including a cot. That page also says second-hand items should come from a smoke-free and pet-free home.

1. Instructions — the manufacturer’s instructions (or a PDF from the maker).
2. British Standards — a BS EN 716 / EN 716-1 mark on the frame, pack or maker’s site.
3. Official recalls — brand, model and any batch or date code, searched on the OPSS list. No match is Not found ≠ safe, not “No recall on file”.
4. All in one piece — no broken or missing parts; slats secure; base rigid and level.

If the cot has a drop side, official UK material asks whether the catches still lock and do not rattle loose. The Lullaby Trust product guide (February 2025) states that since 2020, bedside cribs should meet BS EN 1130:2019, and that cots should no longer have a side that fully drops down. If a bedside crib has a fully dropping side and no current standard mark, official guidance is to treat the standard as unverified.

US CPSC records show drop-side cribs were banned in the United States in 2011. That is an overseas advisory, not UK law. UK cots are assessed against BS EN 716. If a Marketplace listing is a US import, or the drop-side catches are worn, check the brand and model against official UK recall records before use. Do not treat a missing history as “probably fine”.

Keep the cot clear

Official records show that The Lullaby Trust’s “keeping a clear cot” page states babies need just two items in the cot: a firm, flat, waterproof mattress, and lightweight bedding.

That page says to leave out:

• pillows and duvets
• cot bumpers
• soft toys or comforters
• weighted or bulky bedding
• sleep positioners (wedges or straps)
• pods, nests, rolled-up towels, or anything soft on top of the mattress

The mattresses page states that cot bumpers can pose a risk of accidents once a baby starts to roll, and that soft or bulky bedding such as quilts, pillows and duvets is described as increasing the risk of SIDS. If sheets and blankets are used, The Lullaby Trust describes the feet-to-foot position: the baby’s feet at the foot of the cot so they cannot wriggle down under the bedding.

Travel cots and extra padding

Official records show that The Lullaby Trust mattress and bedding factsheet (February 2025) applies the same safer-sleep rules to a travel cot: a rigid frame and base, and a firm, flat mattress covered in a waterproof material. Travel-cot mattresses are often thinner and feel harder. The factsheet says not to place folded blankets or a quilt under the baby to make them “more comfortable”.

Keep the travel cot away from radiators, direct sunlight and blind cords.

Labels and British Standards

Official records show the codes listed in The Lullaby Trust product guide (reviewed February 2025). A standard mark means the product was tested against that standard. It is not a recall search, and it is not a promise that a used item is still in the condition it was tested in.

If there is no label, official records cannot be matched on brand, model and batch. Ask the seller for a close-up of the nameplate before you travel. Do not type a model copied from a different listing.

Check official recall records

1. Photograph the brand, model, standard code and any batch or date mark.
2. Search those details on OPSS Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls.
3. Run the same details through the MayTally second-hand checker, which looks up official records (OPSS, and where relevant Safety Gate). US CPSC listings, if they appear, are an overseas advisory — not a UK recall.

If official records show a recall that matches the model or batch, the recorded action is do not use that item as described in the notice. If no matching record is found, that is Not found ≠ safe — it only means no matching official alert was found. Do not read a missing match as No recall on file.