Introduction:
Sleeping babies, especially those aged under four months, can suffer death and injury in sleep environments, including suffocation - by direct covering of the face, for example from loose bedding, toys, etc; positional asphyxiation - the baby cannot breathe because its head falls forward because of the angle of the body resulting in upper airway obstruction; asphyxiation - the baby is in an enclosure with lack of airflow; strangulation from cords, ribbons, harnesses, etc; overheating; falls and entrapment.
While recognising that some aspects of safe sleeping can only be addressed through appropriate parental behaviour, this paper focuses on how safe sleeping can be promoted through appropriate requirements in product standards and hence product design and construction, providing guidance on the key parameters that should be included in standards to optimise safe sleeping and highlighting parameters that should be avoided. 

Drawing heavily on the guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the paper highlights the key parameters for sleep-related products.  It also notes that some products that claim to have a safety function do not actually address a real injury risk and might in practice increase risks. 
Product standards can ensure that products intended to have a sleep function meet all of the key parameters in their requirements, including appropriate instructions for use and the need to seek guidance from health professionals.  They can also ensure that it is clear to consumers in product information when a product is not intended to provide a safe sleeping function.