5 Best Cot Bed Mattress UK 2023 – Keep Your Baby Sleeping Safely

Buying a Cot Bed Mattress can be tricky.

There’s so much information to consider and you want your baby to be safe while they sleep so it’s hard to know what to do.

So I put together this guide to cut out some of the noise and tell you everything there is to know about choosing the Best Cot Bed Mattress.

I’ve got my favourites in the table below, just click the name and you’ll be taken to where you can order yours!

The hands-down winner has to be The Panda Cot Bed Bamboo Mattress. It’s got a waterproof layer for easy cleaning and it’s designed to reduce overheating and movement for a sounder night’s sleep for your little one.

Top 5 Best Cot Bed Mattresses Reviewed UK

1. Top Choice – PANDA BAMBOO MEMORY FOAM COT BED MATTRESS

There are loads of great things about the Panda cot bed mattresses, for one thing, they are very eco-friendly being made from bamboo and when your child has outgrown you can send it back to Panda and they’ll clean it up and donate it to charity if it’s still in good condition.

The memory foam inside is Panda’s own Hydro FOam which is specially designed to regulate temperature. This means your little one will sleep sounder through the night because overheating is a classic cause of disturb sleep and waking up through the night.

The bamboo cover is lovely and soft and completely hypoallergenic plus it’s removable and washable, and underneath that is a nice waterproof layer which keeps the mattress safe day in and day out. This is a great compromise because waterproof layers are never as soft so your baby (or toddler) gets a nice soft layer to sleep on and the mattress is still fully protected.

Overall a great baby mattress, eco-friendly, reasonably priced, waterproof, and comfortable. A great choice for your little one.

2. Best Organic Choice – 100% NATURAL TWIST COT BED MATTRESS REVIEW

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering what on earth a coconut filling is right? That’s not spring or foam!

Well, it could just be even better.

Coconut fibres get squashed together to act as a really firm supportive mattress base ideal for babies up to 12 months. Then you flip the mattress around and you’ve got a natural latex side ideal for toddlers. A little softer and still completely natural.

This is all wrapped up in wool which is a natural fire retardant with great breathability so no need for chemicals and it’s naturally hypoallergenic. That all goes inside a nice soft cotton case.

The only problem is it’s not waterproof so you’ll need a mattress protector like the one below.

But that aside it is a great baby mattress ideal for babies and toddlers and it’ll see you all the way through from birth to toddler, right up until they get their first “grown-up bed”

Overall, a great natural mattress pick. High-quality, long-lasting, all-natural and will see your child safely through their time in the cot bed.

3. Best Memory Foam Choice – EVE BABY MATTRESS

Available on Amazon the Eve Mattress is adored amongst adults and it’s no different for their baby mattress either.

15% of every sale goes towards the Lullaby Trust which is great and the whole thing has a waterproof washable cover. But it’s still nice and soft and breathable so your baby won’t overheat.

It’s made of comfortable pocket springs which are surrounded by a layer of memory foam for extra support.

A 5-year guarantee is wonderful because it’ll last the entire span of the cot bed years. They say it’s suitable from birth to 6 years but that very much depends on the size of your child.

This is available as a 12x 60 cm cot mattress or a 140 x 70 cot bed mattress.

Overall, I like that they support the Lullaby trust with each sale and the guarantee gives some extra peace of mind when using this pocket sprung and foam mattress.

4. Best Hypoallergenic Choice – John Lewis Spring Mattress For Cot Beds

The John Lewis Cot Bed Mattress is an ideal budget-friendly mattress.

It was designed with hygiene in mind and features two covers, the outside one is waterproof and if it needs to go in the wash in the middle of the night the undercover is less so but still very water-resistant if it happens twice in a night.

It’s all very breathable and generally very comfortable so your baby will be sleeping soundly for years.

It’s also available in a Cot Size just click here.

Overall, a solid choice if you need a cot bed mattress that’s simple, straightforward and good quality.

5. Top Cheap Choice – Mother Nurture Cot Bed Mattress

Now, this is a very budget cot bed mattress and that always makes me a little suspect. But it seems that it is bought straight from a factory that produces other brands baby mattresses so it should be fine.

It is made with a basic spring unit compared to the pocket spring found in others which means it’s not as comfortable but this does keep it nice and firm.

The outer cover is washable and then the inside cover is waterproof so it’ll need to be wiped down if the outer cover is removed for a wash in the middle of the night.

Overall it’s not the best mattress out there but if money is tight it’ll do you proud. Made by a manufacturer of a large number of baby products, your wee one will be in safe hands.

COT VS COT BED MATTRESS WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE

At first glance, it can seem like two different names for the same thing but in fact, they’re not. (I’m sure some of you will already know this but for those that don’t I thought I’d include it).

A Cot is smaller and suitable from birth till about 1-2 years old, whereas a cot bed is bigger and can be used from birth to about 5 years old.

It depends on how big they are of course but as a general rule that’s how it works out.

Cot beds also have removable sides and so turn into little beds for toddlers once they’re big enough to be trusted not to escape. Although a little more expensive. But for how long you can use them they’re better value, even more so compared to a moses basket which you can only use for the first few months.

Of course, if you don’t have space it’s a different issue because The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) recommends that your baby sleeps in your bedroom for the first six months. So if a cot bed won’t fit go for a cot instead.

I’m mainly focusing on the best cot bed mattress which is usually 140 x 70 cm but some of the mattresses also come in a cot size of about 120 x 60 cm so if you’re looking for a cot mattress you’re still in the right place.

BABY SLEEP SAFETY TIPS

The Lullaby Trust have a fantastic guide to baby sleep safety so I recommend checking them out for more information.

But the gist of what they say is to make sure the baby mattress is firm, flat, free from damage, and waterproof. So that’s all the things I’ve looked for in my cot bed mattress recommendations.

Some of them aren’t waterproof but John Lewis sell a great waterproof cot bed protector so you can pick that up quite cheap as well. But I’ll talk about that further down.

WHAT FILLING IS BEST

The Two main types of filling in a cot bed mattress are spring and foam.

Spring is always a good choice because it’s nice and firm and doesn’t require any chemicals to make. Robust, durable and long-lasting.

Foam has a lot of different types but memory foam is most common. It’s a little softer and more suited to toddlers than newborns who need the firmness of spring. As long as it meets safety standards memory foam is perfectly safe for babies.

The final bonus filling is Latex, latex is made from trees and is a great natural alternative to memory foam which is made chemically. Again great for toddlers but not ideal for newborns.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

Is It Hypoallergenic? Not essential since not every child has allergies but a hypoallergenic cot bed mattress keeps out dust and dust mites keeping the whole thing cleaner.

Is It Waterproof? as suggested by the Lullaby Trust making sure it’s waterproof is always good, but if it’s not, consider the mattress protector below.

BEST COT BED MATTRESS PROTECTOR

JOHN LEWIS COT BED MATTRESS PROTECTOR

This mattress protector isn’t like other waterproof ones because it doesn’t have that crinkly feel like a hospital bed.

Instead, it absorbs and spreads out moisture which quickly dries and you can just put it in the washing machine.

It also doesn’t have any dangerous straps to attach it to the mattress just a specially designed back that stops it slipping around.

Overall, the best Cot Bed Mattress Protector around.

OTHER COT BED MATTRESSES

SAFE NIGHTS BABY COT BED MATTRESS

Brand: Silentnight

Inner Material: Spring

• Designed With Safety In Mind
• Double-Sided
• Washable Cover
• Foam-Free
• Hypoallergenic

Check Price

If safety is your concern then look no further.

The Silentnight Safenights cot bed mattress has a special quilted cover that allows a free flow of air so if by some unfortunate circumstance your baby ends up on their belly they can still breathe.

If you’re putting them to bed properly they, of course, shouldn’t end up on their bellies but it’s great peace of mind if you’re a worrier.

The mattress is foam-free and treated with Purotex which protects it from allergens and dust mites and it’s recyclable.

It’s also double-sided with a thicker cover on one side for winter and thinner on the other for summer.

Overall, a great cot bed mattress if you’re looking for safety from a very reputable brand.

F.A.Q

CAN I USE A SECOND-HAND COT BED MATTRESS?

It’s not normally advised but if it’s from a family member and you can see and feel that it’s still good quality then it should be fine.

Just make sure there are no tears and have a feel to see if there’s any sags or soft sections. If there are, it’s no good and you’ll have to recycle or throw it out.

WILL A COT BED MATTRESS FIT INTO A COT?

Unfortunately not, a cot bed is bigger than a cot so you’ll need a different mattress for each if you decide to use both.

Conclusion

And there you have it, my top choice remains the Panda Bamboo baby mattress, it’s a superb choice made to the highest safety standards and will last your baby through all their cot bed years.

I know this is an important decision so click through the links in the reviews I wrote and read about what other parents are saying, that can be a great way to get the full lowdown on how good it actually is.

If you don’t like the Panda then check out the Natural Little Green Sheep cot bed mattress, all-natural materials to give your baby an excellent and healthy sleep environment to grow in.

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