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By Anna Brown. Safe-sleep guidance in this article was checked against Whānau Āwhina Plunket (NZ), The Lullaby Trust (UK), Red Nose (Australia) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (US) in October 2026. Guidance changes over time, so always check the current advice where you live.
The short answer: for supervised, awake time (tummy time, floor play, cuddles and feeds), a genuine sheepskin is a lovely thing to have in a nursery. Whether a baby can sleep on one depends on where you live. New Zealand's Plunket allows a short-hair sheepskin in the cot if it is covered with a sheet and nobody in the family has a history of asthma or allergy. Safe-sleep organisations in the UK, Australia and the US advise keeping sheepskins and other soft items out of a baby's sleep space altogether.
Setting up a nursery comes with a lot of questions, and "is a sheepskin safe for my baby?" is one of the most common ones we hear. This guide sets out what each country's guidance actually says, where a sheepskin is a good fit in a baby's room, and how to choose and care for one.
Can babies sleep on sheepskin? What the guidance says
Every major safe-sleep organisation agrees on the essentials: babies under 12 months should be placed on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface, with their face and head uncovered and no soft or loose items in the sleep space. Where they differ is on sheepskins specifically.
| Country | Organisation | What it says about sheepskin in the sleep space |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Whānau Āwhina Plunket | If you use a sheepskin, choose a short-hair type and cover it with a sheet. Not suitable if your family has a history of asthma or allergy, because sheepskins can collect house dust mites. |
| United Kingdom | The Lullaby Trust | Advises against using a sheepskin to line the cot, Moses basket or any other sleep space, because it can make the surface too soft and risks the baby getting too hot. |
| Australia | Red Nose | Lists lambswool among the items not to use in a cot, and advises against any soft items in the sleep space because of the risk of suffocation and overheating. |
| United States | American Academy of Pediatrics | Recommends keeping soft objects, including fur-like materials, and loose bedding away from the infant's sleep area, and avoiding overheating. |
In practice, that means:
- In the UK, Australia and the US, keep the sheepskin for awake time and out of the cot, bassinet and Moses basket.
- In New Zealand, Plunket's advice allows a short-hair sheepskin covered with a sheet, unless anyone in the family has asthma or allergies. Plunket does not set a specific wool length. Our shortest-pile baby rugs are the short-wool Babycare Sheepskin Baby Rug (shorn to approximately 30 mm) and the short-wool Bone version of the Kiwi Comfort Baby Sheepskin Rug.
- Wherever you live, if you are unsure, ask your midwife, Plunket nurse, health visitor or doctor. They can advise on your baby's age and circumstances.
What about a bassinet, Moses basket or pram?
Bassinets and Moses baskets are sleep spaces, so the same guidance applies as for a cot. The Lullaby Trust names the Moses basket specifically as a place not to line with a sheepskin.
Prams and strollers are where many families use a lambskin while out and about. Our Sheepskin Pram Liner and Stroller Comforter is shorn to approximately 25 mm and has slits for the harness. Always make sure the harness can still be fitted and tightened correctly with the liner in place, and follow your pram manufacturer's instructions and your local safe-sleep advice if your baby falls asleep while you are out.
Does sheepskin keep babies cool?
Wool breathes and can absorb moisture vapour without feeling damp, which is why a sheepskin feels comfortable to lie on in both cool and warm weather. It is still an insulating layer, though, and overheating is one of the reasons safe-sleep organisations keep soft items out of the cot. The AAP identifies overheating as a risk factor for sudden infant death.
For awake time on warmer days, a short-wool rug in a shaded, well-ventilated spot is the more comfortable choice, and lighter clothing helps. Keep an eye on your baby and move them off the rug if they seem hot or sweaty.
Where a sheepskin earns its place in a nursery
The most useful spot is on the floor beside the cot or feeding chair. Night feeds and early-morning starts are easier on bare feet with something soft and warm underfoot, and during the day the same rug becomes a tummy-time mat, a spot for nappy-free time and a soft landing for the first rolls and crawls.
A few other ways families use one:
- Over the feeding chair. A smaller pelt draped over a glider or armchair adds warmth for night feeds in winter.
- As a play and reading corner. For toddlers, a natural-shape pelt on the bedroom floor makes a cosy spot for books and quiet play, and it moves easily into a big-kid bedroom later.
- For cuddles and photos. A sheepskin makes a soft, warm surface for supervised cuddles and those first-month photos.
Short wool or long wool for a nursery?
Both are genuine sheepskin with the same natural warmth and breathability. The difference is feel and practicality:
- Short wool is denser, more even and lower-profile. It is easier to keep tidy, more comfortable on warm days and the practical choice for prams. Our short-wool Babycare rug is shorn to approximately 30 mm.
- Long wool (approximately 40 to 70 mm on our Babycare rug) gives the deep, plush, traditional sheepskin look. It needs a little more brushing to stay looking its best.
For a side-by-side comparison of sizes, wool lengths and which rug suits which job, see our baby sheepskin buying guide.
Sizing for a nursery
For tummy time and supervised play next to a standard cot, the XL Baby Sheepskin Rug (approximately 101 cm long) gives a growing baby more room than our standard baby rugs, which are around 81 to 94 cm long. For older babies and toddlers who need a bigger play area, a larger floor rug from our sheepskin rugs collection works as a play and story corner for years.
If the nursery is small, a single natural-shape pelt at the foot of the feeding chair is a good place to start.
Allergies, asthma and dust mites
"Hypoallergenic" gets used loosely in baby marketing, so here is the plain version. Wool itself is generally not a common allergy trigger, but like any soft furnishing a sheepskin can collect house dust mites over time. That is the reason Plunket advises against sheepskins in the cot for families with a history of asthma or allergy.
Lanolin, the natural wax in wool, can occasionally irritate sensitive skin. If anyone in your family has asthma, eczema, or a known wool or lanolin sensitivity, talk to your doctor or health visitor before introducing a sheepskin.
Keeping a nursery sheepskin clean
Our baby sheepskin rugs and the pram liner are machine washable, which helps when babies are involved. Between washes:
- Give the rug a shake and an airing outdoors in the shade regularly.
- Spot-clean small spills with a damp cloth.
When it needs a full wash:
- Machine wash on a gentle wool cycle in cold or lukewarm water.
- Use a detergent made for genuine sheepskin, such as our Woolskin Wool Wash. Avoid ordinary detergents containing enzymes, and never use bleach or fabric softener.
- Dry naturally, away from direct sun and heat. Do not tumble dry.
- While it is still damp, gently stretch the leather back into shape, then brush the wool once it is dry.
For more detail, including stains, see our full sheepskin care guide.
Before first use
Give a new sheepskin a few hours' airing outdoors in a shady spot before it goes into the nursery. Genuine wool can have a faint natural smell when it is new, and this fades quickly in fresh air.
If you spot a loose thread on the backing, trim it with scissors rather than pulling it, so the edge does not fray.
Frequently asked questions
Can babies sleep on sheepskin at night?
It depends on your country's guidance. In New Zealand, Plunket allows a short-hair sheepskin covered with a sheet, unless the family has a history of asthma or allergy. In the UK, Australia and the US, safe-sleep organisations advise against sheepskins and other soft items in a baby's sleep space.
Can I put a sheepskin under the sheet in the cot?
Plunket's advice in New Zealand is that a short-hair sheepskin should be covered with a sheet if it is used. The Lullaby Trust in the UK advises against lining the cot with a sheepskin at all. Follow the guidance where you live, and check with your health professional if you are unsure.
Is sheepskin good for babies?
For supervised, awake time it gives babies a soft, warm and breathable surface for tummy time, floor play and cuddles, and it lasts well beyond the baby years. For sleep, follow your country's safe-sleep guidance.
Can a newborn lie on a sheepskin?
Yes, for supervised awake time with an adult close by, such as tummy time or cuddles on the floor. If your baby falls asleep on the rug, move them onto their back in their cot or bassinet.
Is a sheepskin safe in a bassinet or Moses basket?
These are sleep spaces, so the same guidance applies as for a cot. The Lullaby Trust specifically advises against lining a Moses basket with a sheepskin.
The summary
A genuine sheepskin is one of the most useful soft furnishings a nursery can have: a tummy-time mat, a warm spot for night feeds and a play rug that lasts for years. The one thing to get right is sleep. Use it for awake, supervised time, and for anything to do with the cot or bassinet, follow the current safe-sleep guidance for your country.
Browse our baby sheepskin collection, or read our baby sheepskin buying guide to compare rugs.
