Nursery set-up checklist Singapore: cot, room and safe sleep

Go through the cot, the room and the sleep rules once before the birth, then again when your baby starts to roll and climb.

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The cot

Check the cot is stable before you buy it
Source: CPSO
Slats are secure and no more than 4.5 to 6 cm apart
No broken, loose or missing brackets, screws or slats. Source: CPSO
No raised corner posts or cut-outs
Clothing can catch on them, a strangulation risk. Source: CPSO
Firm mattress that fits with no gap at the sides
Take the plastic packaging off before use. Sheets should wrap around the mattress corners. Source: CPSO, HealthHub
Casters, if any, have locking brakes
Source: HealthHub
Re-tighten nuts and bolts every so often
Follow the maker's maintenance instructions. Source: CPSO
Lower the mattress once your baby can sit up
This stops falls over the rail. Source: HealthHub

Every sleep

On the back for every sleep, naps included, until age one
Source: HealthHub
Cot in your room, not your bed, for at least 6 months
HealthHub says preferably a year. Bring your baby to your bed only to feed or comfort, then back to the cot. Source: HealthHub
Nothing loose in the cot
No blankets, bumpers, pillows or soft toys. Swaddles and sleep sacks Source: HealthHub
Dress your baby in your layers plus one, with no loose blanket
Avoid overdressing. Light, breathable cotton suits our climate. Source: HealthHub, Families for Life
Never let your baby sleep on a sofa, armchair or nursing pillow
Source: HealthHub, CPSO
Keep the home, car and caregiver's place smoke-free
Source: HealthHub

The room

Cot away from windows, blinds and curtain cords
No cords hanging within reach of the cot, including baby monitor cords. Source: HealthHub, CPSO
Electrical appliances well away from the cot
Source: HealthHub
Curtains or blinds that make the room dark
Source: HealthHub
A room you can keep at a comfortable temperature
Source: HealthHub
Window grilles fitted and kept locked
Keep chairs, stools and beds away from windows so a child cannot climb up. Source: HealthHub, CPSO
Chests of drawers and bookshelves fixed to the wall
Source: HealthHub
Optional: a dim lamp and a nursing chair near the cot
Source: HealthHub

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Questions parents ask

How far apart should cot slats be?

The Consumer Product Safety Office says no more than 4.5 to 6 cm apart. An older CPSO graphic printed 4.5 to 6.5 cm; the web page is the newer of the two.

Can my baby sleep in our bed?

HealthHub's safe-sleep tips say to share the room but not the bed: keep your baby in a cot for at least 6 months, preferably a year, and bring your baby to your bed only to feed or comfort.

Where are my ticks saved?

In this browser on this device, and nowhere else. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browsing data or opening the list on another phone starts it fresh, so use Print if you want a paper copy.

Nursery set-up and safe sleep checklist

The cot

Every sleep

The room

Questions parents ask

Sources

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