Abstract: An open care bed or infant warmer having a mattress supported on a mattress base cantilevered from a columnar or vertically disposed "back bone". The column carries an infrared radiant heater head at its upper end which directs heat down towards the mattress. The lower end of the column sits on a base of the infant warmer which is provided with castors for transporting the warmer. The mattress base comprises a box like frame over which a sheet is stretched to provide tensioned support for a mattress. The sides of the mattress base are provided with fold down side walls which are normally retained in a vertical position but are lowerable to a horizontal position, by free falling under the control of a friction controlled damping axle configuration. Adjustment of the angle of inclination of the mattress base is made possible by the use of a non-parallel arm type system providing a virtual pivot point for the mattress base which may be positioned near the center of the mattress.