Silver Cross TrueFit Dual-Sided Pocket Spring Cot Bed Mattress reviewed

The Silver Cross TrueFit Dual-Sided is a 140 x 70 x 11cm pocket sprung cot bed mattress with two different faces: a firm coconut coir side for babies and a softer foam side for toddlers. Silver Cross says to use the baby side from birth to 18 months and then turn the mattress over. At £165 it is the top of the TrueFit range and our pick of the three if you want one mattress to cover the whole cot bed stretch.

Two faces, one spring core

The faces are stitched "baby" and "toddler", so there is no guessing which way up it is. Coir is fibre from coconut husks; Silver Cross calls it nature's spring and says it is moisture-wicking and naturally hypoallergenic. We rate the baby side at 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale.

Why the order of the sides matters

A two-stage mattress only helps if the stages are used in the right order. The Lullaby Trust's factsheet on mattresses, bedding and cots points to research linking soft sleep surfaces with a higher risk of SIDS, which is why the firm coir face belongs on top in the baby months. Silver Cross's switch at 18 months is later than Simba's at 12 months for its own cot bed mattress, so follow the label on the mattress you own rather than a rule of thumb.

Care, fit and standards

The knitted cover has a water-resistant finish and zips off for a 30°C wash. The mattress fits standard and Silver Cross cot beds, in cot and toddler bed mode, up to about four years, and the square TrueFit corners are shaped to close corner gaps. Silver Cross's FAQ lists BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021 and BS 7177, achieved without antimony, phosphorus or arsenic based fire retardants. Baby Nest, Natural Baby Shower and Kiddies Kingdom list it at the same price as Silver Cross.

Is it worth the extra?

Against the TrueFit Reversible at £125, the extra money buys a natural, firmer baby face and a cushioned toddler face instead of two identical sides. Against the Simba Hybrid Cot Bed Mattress at £249, it is cheaper and keeps the baby side in use for six months longer, while the Simba uses a fibre baby side and adds springs only on the toddler face. If you would rather everything be natural and can live without springs, The Little Green Sheep Twist uses coir, latex and wool, though its cover does not come off.

If your child will sleep in the cot bed beyond 18 months, the Dual-Sided earns its price over the Reversible. If you only need a firm surface for the first year or so, the cheaper models do that job just as well.