Many nurseries and playrooms contain a sheepskin rug – available in a variety of neutral colours and styles and giving a timeless look to the room, they are becoming an increasingly popular choice for parents. However, can a sheepskin rug benefit a baby in other ways? We’ve put together some information explaining how and why some parents choose to incorporate sheepskin rugs into their baby’s nursery, bedroom or play area.

We often hear that sheepskin rugs are used for tummy time. This is because the dense pile of fibres make it a supportive and comfortable material. Tummy time is fundamental for the development of neck and shoulder muscles in addition to the promotion of improved motor skills. Eventually, regular tummy time on an appropriate material leads to your baby building up strength for rolling, sitting and crawling. Sheepskin is well suited to tummy time – super soft and super supportive and of course all natural.

Sheepskin redistributes weight evenly relieving pressure and at the same time helping to regulate temperature. The leads some parents (particularly of older children who are able to roll unassisted) to choose sheepskin for sleep. We have a separate blog here relating to sleeping on sheepskin and of course always recommend parents look at the advice and research of the lullaby trust.

For toddlers, sheepskin rugs are a great idea for playtime. The lanolin in the fibres make it very comfortable and moisturising, with no harshness on the skin. The microbes in sheepskin are also thought to have health benefits – studies have suggested that babies who spend time on sheepskin are less likely to develop allergies and asthma. Sheepskin is also fire retardant, a great safety benefit and no fear of catching light near those cosy open fires.

Parents feel that sheepskin rugs are also a great practical choice since they require very little upkeep. They have naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial properties which means that they don’t need to be washed frequently. Most dirt can be brushed out of sheepskin with a specialist wire brush or spot-cleaned with water or a lanolin shampoo so all the beauty of nature with very little work to keep it looking gorgeous.

For the environmentally conscious parent, sheepskin is a fantastic choice. Sheepskin is a by-product of the meat industry, meaning that using sheepskin prevents a beautiful natural resource from being wasted. Our sheepskin comes from free-roaming flocks and is never treated with chrome or harsh chemicals. Vegetable dye is used to colour the sheepskin. Sheepskin also lasts many years as a high-quality rug and is often passed on or re-gifted – however, it is also totally biodegradable and far less harmful to the planet than synthetic faux sheepskin.

The versatility of a sheepskin rug provides additional benefits. It is backed with supple leather, meaning that it can be tucked around a bassinet or a crib to line it and add comfort. This makes it practical and makes it easy for a parent to get value from their high-quality purchase.

We hope that you have learned something about the ways in which sheepskin pram liners can benefit little ones and can be a fantastic addition to the nursery. If you have any more questions or want to know anything else about our sheepskin rugs, get in touch via email at baa@baababy.co.uk or reach out on any of our social media platforms.