Sheepskin for Babies: Health & Wellbeing Benefits
When used well, sheepskin is a wonderful natural material for supporting your little one's health and comfort. Here's exactly how — and why — it works its magic.
Keep Your Cool Baby
A commonly overlooked benefit of lambskin is that it is a thermo-regulator. Its naturally thermostatic qualities mean your baby will be kept warm and cosy in colder winter months and cooled down in the summer.
Sheepskin is breathable and naturally crimped, allowing air to flow through the fibres, creating air pockets and keeping your baby's skin ventilated. The fibres wick away moisture, discouraging sweat build-up and keeping baby's skin dry — sheepskin's absorbent fibres simply draw moisture into the heart of the fleece and away from that precious skin!
👉 Shop our sheepskin pram liners — perfect for year-round comfort on every journey.
Sheepskin fleeces naturally contain lanolin, the same ingredient you'll find in many of the best baby creams and emollients.
Lanolin is soft and soothing on delicate skin, reducing the risk of irritation and helping to calm any already-sore patches. And we probably don't need to tell you this bit — the cosy, cloud-like softness of sheepskin is naturally comforting, promoting deeper sleep and a more settled baby. Win-win!
👉 Explore our baby sheepskin rugs — beautifully soft for tummy time, play and rest.
It's a little-known fact that sheepskin liners act as an electrical semiconductor, creating a calming effect by eliminating muscular tension and stimulating circulation in the tissues. Combined with the natural bounce of sheepskin, this provides genuinely optimum support.
Medically shorn lambskin — shorn to around 30mm and medically tanned — is best for this. (It's also why our sheepskins are used by those who are bedridden, to cushion pressure points and prevent sores.) The thick fibre density cushions your baby's body evenly, distributing weight so little ones stay settled for longer on their perfect natural cushion.
One more science fact worth knowing: sheepskin is naturally fire retardant due to its high water and nitrogen content, meaning it requires far more oxygen to burn — completely safe near the fire.
Anti-Bacterial
Because sheepskin is made entirely of protein fibres, it simply doesn't lend itself to the development or multiplication of bacteria — great news for busy parents, as it requires very little cleaning. Having evolved as hardy outdoor animals, sheep have developed wool that naturally inhibits bacteria, fungi and dust mites (common allergy triggers), and also resists bed bugs and mould.
Studies presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress found that babies who sleep on animal skins in their first three months are 70% less likely to develop asthma by age 10, with those children also experiencing less hay fever and wheezing. The science: animal fibre is loaded with beneficial microscopic organisms that help build a baby's immune system from the very start.
👉 All Baa Baby sheepskins are medically tanned and chrome-free — safe from day one.
A Quick Note on Safe Use
We always recommend following the Lullaby Trust's safe sleep guidelines when using sheepskin in your baby's sleep space. Research confirms that babies placed on their backs on sheepskin are not at increased SIDS risk — and sheepskin pram liners and play rugs can be enjoyed safely from birth. If you have any questions about what's right for your baby, your health visitor or midwife is always your best first port of call.
So there you have it — sheepskin really is in a league of its own.
And if the science doesn't convince you, that sumptuous, cosy feel probably will! If you'd like to know anything else, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out on social media or drop us a line at baa@baababy.co.uk.
👉 Browse the full Baa Baby collection and find the perfect sheepskin for your little one.
