Are baby sleep pillows safe for a newborn or under-12-months?

What OPSS found

The Office for Product Safety and Standards issued a formal safety alert on infant sleep pillows in December 2025, and Which?'s July 2026 follow-up investigation still found 37 for sale — many marketed with the words "newborn" or "infant" in the title, or shown with a visibly young baby in the product photos. Which? estimated roughly 1,200 sleep pillows were listed on AliExpress alone.

Why they're dangerous

Any soft, raised or contoured surface in a cot increases suffocation risk if a baby's face presses against it, and increases the risk of overheating — both established SIDS risk factors. This applies regardless of marketing claims about "head shaping" or "anti-flat-head" benefits; there is no pillow, positioner, nest or cushion considered safe for a baby under 12 months.

The safer-sleep basics

• Nothing in the cot except a fitted sheet — no pillow, no nest, no positioner, no loose bedding, no soft toys, for the first 12 months
• Back to sleep, every sleep, on a firm, flat mattress
• Room-share, not bed-share, for the first 6 months
• Read the full Which?/OPSS findings and safe alternatives
• See our newborn sleep guide for the complete safer-sleep picture