Australia’s new AS 5407.3:2026 standard has changed the conversation around infant sleep safety.
As discussed in our previous article, AS 5407.3:2026 gives the industry a consistent way to test infant sleep products for carbon dioxide, or CO₂, rebreathing risk. Instead of relying on broad marketing words like “breathable,” the standard helps parents, retailers, and manufacturers focus on measurable product performance.
That is an important step forward.
But CO₂ rebreathing is only one part of the larger infant sleep safety conversation. Another important factor is airflow resistance.
Why Airflow Resistance Matters
Airflow resistance refers to how easily air can move through a sleep surface when pressure is applied.
For infant sleep products, this matters because babies can roll, shift, and press their face against the sleep surface during sleep. A sleep surface with lower airflow resistance may help support continued airflow around the baby’s breathing space, especially in situations where the baby’s face is close to or against the surface.
This does not replace safe sleep guidance. Babies should still always be placed on their backs for every sleep, on a firm and flat surface, in a clear crib with no loose blankets, pillows, bumpers, or toys.
But product design still matters.
A sleep surface should not only be firm and supportive. It should also be thoughtfully engineered to help reduce conditions where exhaled air may become trapped around a baby’s face.
CO₂ Rebreathing and Airflow Resistance Work Together
CO₂ rebreathing risk and airflow resistance are closely connected, but they are not the same thing.
CO₂ rebreathing testing looks at whether exhaled carbon dioxide can accumulate around an infant’s breathing space.
Airflow resistance looks at how easily air can move through or around the sleep surface.
Together, these two factors give parents a more complete picture of how an infant sleep product performs. A product may feel light, soft, or “airy,” but that does not necessarily mean it has been tested for CO₂ rebreathing risk or designed for low airflow resistance.
That is why clear testing language matters.
Parents deserve more than general claims. They deserve to know whether a product has been evaluated using meaningful, evidence-based testing.
Australia is Helping Lead the Global Conversation
Australia’s AS 5407.3:2026 standard is the first national consumer-product standard focused on measuring CO₂ rebreathing risk in infant sleep products. It was published by Standards Australia in May 2026 and is currently a voluntary standard.
The standard is part of a broader effort to bring more consistency to infant sleep product safety, especially around products marketed with terms like “breathable.” Standards Australia has noted that these types of claims can be confusing when there is no consistent way to verify what they mean in practice.
For parents, this shift is helpful because it changes the question from:
“Is this product breathable?”
to:
“Has this product been tested for CO₂ rebreathing risk?”
That is a much more specific and meaningful question.
What This Means for Parents in the U.S.
The U.S. has already adopted stronger crib mattress firmness requirements in recent years, but there is not yet a U.S. equivalent to Australia’s AS 5407.3:2026 CO₂ rebreathing standard.
That means parents in the U.S. may need to look beyond basic marketing claims when comparing crib mattresses and other infant sleep products.
Before choosing a crib mattress, parents can ask:
Has this mattress been tested for CO₂ rebreathing risk?
Does the mattress support airflow around the baby’s breathing space?
Has the product been tested as a full sleep system, including the sleep surface and mattress base?
Does the product still support the safe sleep basics: firm, flat, clear, and face uncovered?
The more specific the answer, the better.
Where Breathe Easy Baby Stands
At Breathe Easy Baby, our crib mattress system was designed around the belief that infant sleep products should be safer, cleaner, more comfortable, and easier for parents to trust.
Our mattress system combines a removable sleep surface with a supportive base designed to help air move through the sleep environment and away from the baby’s breathing space. This design supports our larger mission: helping parents create a safer and healthier sleep space without relying on vague claims or confusing language.
As the infant sleep industry moves toward more specific testing standards, Breathe Easy Baby remains committed to evidence-based product claims and clear parent education.
[Insert approved testing position here: Breathe Easy Baby has been tested to AS 5407.3:2026 / is currently being reviewed against AS 5407.3:2026 / is scheduled for AS 5407.3:2026 testing / has completed independent CO₂ rebreathing and airflow resistance testing.]
Why Testing Matters More Than Marketing
Many crib mattresses are described as “breathable,” but not all products using that word have been tested in the same way.
That is why parents should look for product claims that are backed by testing. Words like “breathable,” “airy,” or “designed for airflow” may sound reassuring, but they do not automatically confirm how a product performs when it comes to CO₂ rebreathing risk or airflow resistance.
At Breathe Easy Baby, we believe safety claims should be clear, specific, and supported by evidence.
The Takeaway
Australia’s AS 5407.3:2026 standard is an important step toward clearer, more measurable infant sleep safety claims. It helps parents understand the importance of CO₂ rebreathing risk and gives the industry a more consistent way to evaluate product performance.
But the conversation should not stop there.
Airflow resistance is also an important part of product design and infant sleep safety. Together, CO₂ rebreathing testing and airflow resistance testing can help parents better understand how a sleep surface performs in real-world conditions.
For families, the takeaway is simple:
Do not rely on the word “breathable” alone.
Ask what has been tested.
Ask how the product performs.
Ask whether the claims are backed by evidence.
At Breathe Easy Baby, we are committed to helping parents ask better questions, understand the science, and choose a crib mattress designed with safer sleep in mind.
