Most babies outgrow their moses baskets in the blink of an eye so moses baskets are a great product to use second hand because it’s likely they haven’t had much use already. But for the well being of your baby it is a good idea to spend a few pounds to replace the moses basket mattress. This is because studies have indicated a link between babies sleeping on a second hand mattress and the likelihood of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It has been suggested that second hand moses basket mattresses can harbour bacteria that is harmless to adults and children, but poses a tiny (but real) risk to newborn infants. If the mattress has previously been slept on by a close family member (a brother or sister) then the increase in risk of SIDS is very, very small but if you have bought the moses basket from a friend, eBay, an NCT sale (or similar) then the risk is greater.

Moses basket mattresses should fit the basket well to optimise your newborn baby’s safety, so check the measurements of your moses basket to make sure the mattress you buy will fit securely, with minimum gaps around the edges.

Tags: baby, mattresses, moses basket