Published on GOV.UK:
Baby Sleep Pillows: product safety alert
- Check
- This alert covers every product of this type, whatever the brand.
Product
- Product type
- Baby Sleep Pillows
- Description
- ‘Baby Sleep Pillows’ are products which are marketed or intended to be used as pillows or cushions for babies to sleep on or with, or to be placed on or with, unsupervised. The Product Safety Alert does not apply to nursing pillows or other pillows designed and marketed to be used only for breastfeeding. It also does not apply to baby or cot mattresses which comply with British Standard BS EN 16890:2017 + A1:2021. It also does not apply to pillows intended for children over 12 months which comply with British Standard BS 4578:1970.
Hazard
- Details
- ‘Baby Sleep Pillows’ have been linked to child fatalities in the UK and overseas. The main harms are suffocation and overheating which can lead to serious injury or death in babies. These harms can occur when a baby is placed on the ’Baby Sleep Pillow’ unattended or for sleep including when the pillow is put into a cot or crib. Suffocation: Soft, squishy materials can cover a baby’s mouth and nose if they are pressed against it and could cause the baby to suffocate. Overheating: If a baby is sleeping on a soft surface that their head can sink into, heat is prevented from escaping and they can get too hot. There is a higher risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) if a baby overheats.
- What the alert advises
- ‘Baby Sleep Pillows’ should not be used for babies under 12 months old. Do not place a ‘Baby Sleep Pillow’ in a cot or crib. If the product was marketed for baby sleep, or to be used unattended, you should contact the business that supplied the product; you may be entitled to redress under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Always follow NHS safe sleep advice (linked to in this alert under Additional Information and Resources), which includes: Always place a baby on its back to sleep; Be aware of signs that could indicate overheating, including a baby feeling hot on their tummy, sweating, especially from the face and head, being irritable or breathing faster than usual. Always place a baby on its back to sleep; Be aware of signs that could indicate overheating, including a baby feeling hot on their tummy, sweating, especially from the face and head, being irritable or breathing faster than usual.
What to do
- This alert is not about one brand or model but a type of product. Check whether you use one at home and follow what the alert advises above.
Have a product that seems unsafe? Find out how to report it
Official source
- Reference
- PSA8
- Notified by
- Office for Product Safety and Standards
- On The Baby Blog since
- 10 November 2026