Feature: Jennifer O’Shea
When it comes to shopping for cot and cot bed mattresses for your babes, it can be an overwhelming process with what seems like a million choices and a sea of advice from baby and sleep experts. As well as being cosy and comfy to help your little one drift off into the land of slumber, baby mattresses need to be safe. The Lullaby Trust, offers advice on safe sleep for babies, and highlights the importance of making sure baby’s mattress is properly flat, and the correct size and fit for the cot or cot bed they sleep in. Another super important aspect is that the mattress offers firm support because this helps make sure babes can move around with ease, get plenty of airflow, and vitally a good, firm support means that if they roll over onto their front, they will keep a safe position and not be at risk of sinking into a soft surface.
So yes, we’ve been there, endlessly scrolling, searching, and adding to the online checkout basket only to be confronted by yet more choices and ultimately getting no-where and buying nothing! So in the hope of also helping other Mums’, Dads’ and caregivers with the mind-boggling search for the best baby mattress to help our mini humans get the cosiest possible night’s sleep, we teamed up with some of the best in baby brands to try, test and ultimately edit and recommend 3 of the very best.
Images: Courtesy of the brands
Winner: Little Green Sheep Natural Dual-Sided Pocket Sprung Mattress
Available in various sizes. Cot Size: £179.95
Why We Love It: Natural Fibres | Firm Support | Investment from Baby to Toddler
This mattress just feels like fantastic quality from the moment it arrived. Available in 7 sizes, this is the crème de la crème for mini babes. This hybrid mattress is double-sided with one surface specifically designed for maximum firmness and support for small tots, and the flipside has a slightly softer cushion and comfort for toddlers.
If natural materials are big on your list, then this is for you as it’s made almost entirely from natural fibres. The core is made from a layer of wool and combined with coconut husks – which are hailed as nature’s own springs apparently! The wool fibre also offers natural temperature-regulating abilities as well as an amazing resistance to bacteria and dust mites. The top layer is made from a natural version of latex which offers fantastic support.
You’ll also be pleased to hear that this material combination make the mattress fully recyclable. Note also that this mattress doesn’t offer a waterproof surface so you’ll need to add a mattresses protector if you want to fully protect the surface.
Runner Up: SnuzSurface Duo Dual Sided Cot Bed Mattress
70x140cm, £149.95
Why We Love It: 3 Firmness combinations to see tots through to 7 years old | Mesh Airflow and Temperature Control Design | Washable Cover
This super comfy mattress provides a firm but lovely soft surface, with a breathable mesh-like cover to promotes air circulation and keep babes body temperature regulated and cool. It has a handy waterproof cover which can be unzipped and put in the wash.
This is a clever design featuring a special core made up of three layers, featuring both foam and pocket springs. This design ensures longevity and offers the ability to tailor the mattress configuration to suite the age of your child as they grow. Choose from 3 combinations as your child’s mattresses needs evolve by being able to unzip the outer cover and rearrange the layers to adjust the firmness factor. Combination 1 is for babies up to 12 months, combination 2 is toddlers up to three years, and combination 3 is 3-7 years. How clever is that! We love the innovative design and the comfort.
Highly Recommended: Eve The Cot Mattress
Cot Mattress, £119
Why We Love It: Value for Money | Cushy feel ideal for 3 + | Responsive pocket springs | Waterproof Cover
This mattress is available in two sizes: cot or cot bed. Responsive pocket springs are layered between soft but firm foam to ensure a cosy but supportive surface. The mattress offers waterproof cover which is super handy. Age- wise this mattress is designed to last 6 + years and support babe from birth to 6 years old.
Slightly more on the cushy side, this is a great choice for toddlers 3 + who need a little less support than little babes and the price is really good value for money.