Your Next to Me Crib: More Comfortable
The short answer: most Next to Me cribs come with a thin, firm mattress that meets safety standards but doesn't feel cosy. A fitted mattress topper designed for bedside cribs, a room temperature between 16-20 degrees C, and a white noise machine are the three changes that make the biggest difference. The Zello White Noise Machine drowns out the household sounds that wake newborns, while a room thermometer like the DOQAUS 3-Pack keeps you from guessing whether the nursery is too hot or too cold.
- A fitted mattress topper adds 1-2cm of comfort without raising the sleeping surface above the crib's side rails
- Room temperature should stay between 16-20 degrees C, per Lullaby Trust guidance - use a thermometer, not guesswork
- White noise at 50-65dB masks door slams, traffic, and sibling noise that split-second wakes a newborn
- Warming the mattress with a hot water bottle (removed before baby goes in) takes the shock out of a cold surface
📚 Suggested Reading: Best Baby Sleeping Bags UK · Best White Noise Machines for Babies UK
Getting your newborn to sleep in a Next to Me crib sounds straightforward, then 2am arrives and the baby is screaming the moment you lower them onto that flat, cold mattress. You are not doing anything wrong. Most bedside cribs ship with a mattress that is safe but firm, and newborns who have spent nine months pressed against you are not used to open, unyielding surfaces.
The good news is you don't need a new crib. Three or four small changes - a topper, better temperature control, white noise, and a slight tweak to how you prepare the sleep surface - can turn a crib your baby rejects into one they settle into. Here's what actually works, based on what UK parents report and what the Lullaby Trust recommends for safe sleep.
Why Next to Me Cribs Feel Uncomfortable
The core issue is the mattress. Most Next to Me models - including the Chicco Next2Me, Tutti Bambini Joie, and the cheaper branded versions - ship with a 3-4cm foam mattress. It meets the BS EN 1130 safety standard, which is why manufacturers ship it. But a 3cm slab of firm foam feels nothing like being held against a warm body.
Newborns also struggle with the temperature transition. They arrive in a world that's 15 degrees cooler than the womb, and a thin mattress doesn't retain body heat the way a parent's chest does. Within minutes of being put down, the surface beneath them cools, and that temperature drop is one of the most common triggers for waking.
Third, there's the sound issue. A Next to Me crib sits right beside your bed, which means every creak of your mattress, every glass of water you reach for, and every rustle of the duvet happens inches from your baby. In the womb, your blood flow and heartbeat created a constant white-noise drone at around 70-80dB. Silence is actually unfamiliar and unsettling for a newborn.
1. Add a Fitted Mattress Topper
A mattress topper designed for bedside cribs is the single biggest comfort upgrade. Look for one that is specifically sized for your crib model - the standard Next to Me mattress is roughly 83 x 52cm, but check your manual as sizes vary between brands.
The topper should add no more than 1-2cm of depth. Anything thicker risks raising the sleeping surface above the lowered side of the crib, which creates a gap between the mattress and your bed that the Lullaby Trust considers a safety concern. A fitted cover that wraps around the mattress and fastens underneath is safer than a loose pad that can bunch up.
Breathability matters more than softness. Bamboo or cotton covers with a mesh structure allow air to flow through, which keeps the surface cool and reduces the chance of your baby's face pressing against a non-breathable layer. Avoid memory foam toppers entirely - they conform to the face shape and pose a suffocation risk that no amount of comfort is worth.
2. Get the Room Temperature Right
The Lullaby Trust recommends 16-20 degrees C for a baby's sleeping environment. This is lower than most adults find comfortable, which is why many parents overheat the room without realising it.
A room thermometer is the only reliable way to know. The Tommee Tippee GroEgg2 is a colour-changing option that shifts from blue to red as the room warms, while the DOQAUS Room Thermometer 3-Pack gives instant readings with a colour-coded display so you know at a glance whether the room is in the safe zone. Put one in the nursery, not across the hall - temperature can vary by 2-3 degrees between rooms.
Once you know the temperature, match the bedding. For a 16-20 degree room, a 2.5 tog sleeping bag with a long-sleeved sleepsuit underneath is usually enough. For warmer summer nights above 20 degrees, drop to a 1.0 tog bag or just a vest. Overheating is a bigger risk than being too cold - the Lullaby Trust links it directly to an increased SIDS risk.
A practical trick: warm the crib mattress before bedtime. A hot water bottle placed in the crib 15 minutes before sleep, then removed, takes the chill off the foam. The surface stays warm long enough for your baby to settle, and by the time it cools, they're already asleep.
3. Use White Noise to Bridge the Gap
In the womb, your baby heard a constant low-frequency hum from your heartbeat, blood flow, and digestive system - roughly 70-80dB of continuous sound. When they're born into a quiet room, the silence itself can feel exposed and unfamiliar.
A white noise machine at 50-65dB reproduces that background hum. Place it on the opposite side of the room from the crib, not right next to the mattress - you want the sound to fill the space, not blast directly at your baby's ears. Models with a continuous loop (no gaps or resets) work better than ones with a timer that clicks off mid-sleep.
The Zello Original White Noise Machine is compact, has multiple sound options, and runs all night on a single charge. If you'd rather try before buying, even a bathroom extractor fan or a phone app playing static through a speaker can help you figure out whether white noise makes a difference for your baby before you commit to a dedicated device.
4. Fix the Small Things That Add Up
Beyond the three big changes, a handful of smaller adjustments can help:
Check the crib straps and tension. A Next to Me that's slightly wobbly because the straps aren't tight against your bed frame creates a subtle rocking motion that some babies find unsettling. Pull the under-mattress straps taut and check them weekly - they loosen with use.
Use a fitted sheet, not a loose one. A sheet that's even slightly too large for the mattress creates wrinkles and folds that your baby can feel. Buy sheets made for your specific crib dimensions. The Chicco Next2Me sheets don't fit the Tutti Bambini models, even though the cribs look similar.
Try a swaddle or sleep pod. For the first 8-12 weeks, a swaddle wrap mimics the feeling of being held and suppresses the Moro reflex that causes babies to startle themselves awake. A product like the Love to Dream Swaddle Up lets the baby keep their arms up in a natural position while still feeling contained.
Time the feed right. A baby who's just been fed and winded will tolerate a firmer surface much better than one who's hungry or gassy. If your baby screams every time they're put down, try feeding, winding thoroughly, then putting them down while they're drowsy but not fully asleep.
Darken the room. Blackout blinds or a sleep shade over the crib section closest to the window make a noticeable difference, especially for daytime naps. Even a small amount of light hitting a newborn's eyelids can disrupt melatonin production.
What NOT to Do
Some common advice you'll see online is actively unsafe. Don't put pillows, loose blankets, or cushioned bumpers in a Next to Me crib - the Lullaby Trust is clear that any loose bedding increases SIDS risk. Don't use a sleep positioner or wedge to prop your baby on their side - these are not recommended for infants under 12 months.
Don't layer your own duvet over the crib rails to create a cocoon effect. It blocks airflow, can overheat the baby, and if the duvet slips it can cover their face. The crib needs to be open and well-ventilated.
And don't assume your baby will grow out of the discomfort on their own. Some do, but many don't until the crib environment changes. A baby who's refused their Next to Me for two weeks is sending you a signal, not going through a phase that resolves itself.
When to Consider a Different Approach
If you've tried a topper, corrected the temperature, added white noise, and your baby still won't settle, the issue might be the crib itself rather than the comfort level. Some babies simply prefer more enclosure - a Moses basket or a bassinet with sides they can feel against their body can work where an open-sided Next to Me doesn't.
Others outgrow the Next to Me early. If your baby is rolling, pushing up, or looks cramped against the side rails, it's time to move them to a full-size cot bed regardless of what the manufacturer's age range says. Safety trumps comfort when the crib is too small.
The first six months are hard enough without fighting the crib too. Get the surface right, control the temperature, and add some background noise - those three things fix the majority of Next to Me sleep battles.
Emma reviews baby gear for My Baby Now - prams, car seats, monitors, toys and everything in between. Parent of two, she has first-hand experience of what actually matters when you're navigating sleep deprivation and a screaming baby in a car park.
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Last reviewed: August 30, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links