Are blankets safe for newborn sleep?

Loose blankets are not recommended for newborn sleep environments. They can increase the risk of covering a baby’s face or interfering with breathing during sleep. Safe sleep guidance recommends a clear, flat sleep space with no soft bedding, pillows, or loose items. Blankets can still be used for cuddling, wrapping during feeds, or pram use when your baby is supervised.

What materials are best for baby blankets?

The best baby blanket materials are breathable natural fibres such as cotton, muslin, and bamboo blends. These fabrics help regulate temperature and reduce the risk of overheating while still feeling soft against delicate skin. Cotton is especially popular because it is durable, easy to wash, and gentle on sensitive skin.

What is the softest and most breathable fabric for baby blankets?

Muslin and bamboo blends are often considered the softest and most breathable options. Muslin is lightweight and airy, while bamboo feels smooth and silky against the skin. Both allow airflow, which is important for keeping babies comfortable without trapping excess heat.

When and how should baby blankets be used safely?

Baby blankets should be used only during supervised times such as cuddling, pram walks, or tummy time. They can also be used for swaddling in the early newborn stage if done safely and appropriately. Once placed in a cot for sleep, it’s safest to remove loose blankets entirely and keep the sleep space clear and firm.

Buy Baby Blankets / Cellular, Bamboo & Organic

There is something deeply comforting about a soft blanket wrapped around a newborn - for the baby, and for the parent doing the wrapping. A well-chosen baby blanket becomes one of the most-used pieces in the nursery, a quiet constant through feeds, cuddles, and settled naps. Our range covers every fabric, weight, and season, from the first days at home to the toddler years.

The Living Textiles Forest Retreat Jersey Cot Comforter is a 100% cotton baby quilt with a white koala and eucalyptus print, plus a green polka dot underside—an adorable nursery accessory from Living Textiles.

The Bubba Blue Aussie Cuddle Blanket is a reversible, soft snuggle blanket featuring fluffy lining and adorable Australian animals among greenery and flowers—ideal for a cozy baby nursery.

Two Bubba Blue Organic Chestnut 2pk Cellular Blankets—one in white and one in light brown—are rolled up side by side on a plain white background.

The ErgoPouch Tuck Sheet Bedside Sleeper Daisy Sprinkle by ErgoPouch is a beige and white toddler nap mat with a floral and leaf pattern, featuring a built-in blanket as a TOG-rated baby bedding solution—shown on a plain light background.

The Bubba Blue Bamboo White Cellular Cot Blanket, featuring a waffle weave and grid pattern, is neatly folded on a plain white background.

The ErgoPouch Tuck Sheet Basinette Caramel Grid by ErgoPouch is neatly folded atop a mattress with a small grid pattern—a safe alternative to blankets for your baby—displayed against a plain light background.

Two Bubba Blue Bamboo White 2pk Cellular Blankets, featuring a soft textured pattern, are rolled up side by side on a plain white surface.

The ErgoPouch Tuck Sheet Basinette Daisy Sprinkle is a beige and white mat with a folded corner, small white flowers, yellow centers, green leaves, and a plain white top. It has a pocket and is ideal as a TOG-rated blanket alternative for newborns.

The Cam Cam Copenhagen Muslin Blanket is a soft, cream-colored muslin featuring small turtles, seaweed, and aquatic plants in blue and brown. This breathable baby blanket from Cam Cam Copenhagen combines comfort and style for your little one.

The Toshi Organic Blanket Storytime by Toshi is a soft, light green organic baby blanket with small white koala bear illustrations and leafy branches, shown neatly folded on a white background.

The Angus The Label Gift Hamper Small Oatmeal by Angus The Label includes a blue koala rattle, blue cloth baby swaddle wrap, wooden koala ear teether, shredded paper, and a “Hi Baby!” card with a blue rainbow design.

The Mamas & Papas Quilt Elephant by Mamas & Papas is a light gray, quilted blanket with a scallop pattern and a white band along the top edge featuring subtle embroidered elephant quilt details.

The Material Makes the Difference

Not all baby blankets are made equal - and the difference between materials becomes very apparent in actual use. Cellular blankets, woven in an open structure that creates small holes through the fabric, are among the most widely recommended for young babies: lightweight, breathable, and able to maintain airflow even if the blanket shifts during sleep.

Bamboo cellular blankets bring the same breathable structure with the natural temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic properties of bamboo - a meaningful advantage for babies with sensitive skin.

Organic cotton and muslin blankets are favoured for how they feel against newborn skin and how they improve with washing - becoming softer and more cherished over time rather than degrading with use. Sherpa and fleece blankets bring deep warmth for cooler months, pram outings, or the winter morning when the temperature has dropped faster than anyone planned for.

Blankets and Safe Sleep

Australian safe sleep guidelines advise avoiding loose bedding in the cot for babies under twelve months. For younger babies, a correctly fitted sleeping bag is generally the safer overnight choice.

For parents who prefer a blanket, cellular weaves are specifically recommended for their breathability, and tuck sheets designed for bassinets and bedside sleepers provide a secure, tucked-in option that stays in place through a full night.

From around twelve months, as the risk of SIDS significantly decreases and a baby becomes more mobile and aware, blankets become increasingly appropriate as part of the sleep setup. The current Red Nose Australia guidelines are always worth checking for the most up-to-date safe sleep advice.

A Blanket That Becomes Something More

The best baby blankets have a way of becoming part of the family story. The muslin used in the first weeks softens into the most-loved piece of fabric in the house. The cellular blanket from a baby shower gift gets pulled out for every pram walk for years. The sherpa thrown over a cold morning pram becomes the one a toddler refuses to leave the house without.

Choosing a blanket with some care - the right material, the right softness, a design that feels considered - is a small decision that can quietly become one of the most used, most treasured items in the whole nursery.

Top Baby Blanket Brands at Baby Village

Bubba Blue is one of Australia's most trusted nursery brands, offering cellular and bamboo blankets in organic cotton and bamboo fabrics across single and twin-pack options - quality, breathable designs made for everyday use from birth.

ErgoPouch brings their safe sleep expertise to the category with tuck sheets designed specifically for bassinets and bedside sleepers - secure, well-fitted, and built around the same approach to infant safety the brand is known for.

Toshi rounds out the selection with their organic cotton blanket range - beautifully designed Australian baby products that combine quality materials with the kind of warmth that makes them as suited to gifting as they are to years of daily use - and these are just some of the baby blanket brands we carry.

Shop Baby Blankets at Baby Village

The right blanket works best as part of a fully considered sleep setup. Browse the complete nursery range for everything else the sleep space needs:

Shop online with fast delivery Australia-wide, or visit our Alexandria or Miranda stores.

FAQs

The safest approach is to use lightweight, breathable blankets made from natural fibres like cotton or muslin, and to only use them for supervised time. In a cot or bassinet, safe sleep guidance recommends keeping the sleep space free of loose bedding and instead using a fitted sheet on a firm mattress. For warmth during sleep, a well-fitted sleep sack is often preferred over loose blankets.