Louise 
Best in Nursery – The Honest Midwife Awards 2026
Your baby’s sleep space matters more than almost anything else you buy. It’s where they’ll spend most of their early weeks, and it’s where safe sleep advice counts most.
The Honest Midwife Awards are now in their third year. They celebrate products that families value and would recommend to a friend. Entry is free. Brands send two samples, which are tested at home and reviewed by me as a registered midwife.
I looked at every nursery entry through a safe sleep lens first. A beautiful crib or a clever monitor is no use if it doesn’t support the basics. And no monitor replaces safe sleep practice – it’s an extra, not a safety net.
This year’s categories
- Best Bedside Crib
- Best Pregnancy Pillow
- Best Play Mat
- Best Baby Monitor
- Best Nursery Accessory
What I looked at
- Safe sleep – a firm, flat mattress, a secure attachment to the bed, and whether the product follows current UK guidance
- Ease of use – setting up, adjusting and using it in the middle of the night
- Comfort – for baby, and for you in pregnancy and beyond
- Practical features – storage, washable covers, and how long it lasts
- Value for money – whether the price matches what you get
- Real-life testing – night feeds, small bedrooms and tired parents
A Note on What We Test
The Honest Midwife Awards judge the products that are entered. We can only test what brands send us, or what we know about and can get hold of. There will be products out there we haven’t seen, and some of them may be better, safer or cheaper than the ones on this page. A win here means a product performed well against the others in its category in our testing. If you know of a product you think we should be testing, tell us. We’d like to hear about it.
Best Bedside Crib 2026
A bedside crib does one of the most important jobs in the whole nursery kit list. Current guidance is that babies sleep in the same room as a parent for at least the first six months, and a good bedside crib is what makes that manageable at 3am – baby close enough to reach without getting out of bed, but with their own safe, separate sleep space. Three well-established cribs made the podium this year, each taking a different approach to the same brief.
What We Looked At
- Safety – meets current British Safety Standards, secure attachment to the bed, stable construction
- Adjustability – height range and how many bed types it fits
- Longevity – does it earn its keep beyond the newborn stage
- Ease of use – assembly, folding, moving around the house
- Build quality – materials, finish, how it holds up
- Value for money – does the price reflect what you get
- Parent and professional feedback – what our tester and The Honest Midwife thought
Gold Winner: Huddle Baby Bedside Crib
The bedside crib that keeps earning its place in the house long after baby has outgrown it.
RRP: £219.95 | Shop the Huddle Baby Bedside Crib →
Why It Won Gold
The Huddle is built from solid European beech and offers 10 height settings, adjusting to fit mattresses up to 78cm from the floor – the tallest range of any bedside crib we looked at. It attaches securely to divan or framed beds with the straps provided, and the mesh sides let you see and reach your baby without getting up. What sets it apart is what happens after the newborn stage: the same frame converts into a child’s desk and bench, with no extra parts required, taking it from birth right through to around 12 years old. It’s a genuine four-in-one rather than a single-purpose piece of kit, and that longevity is reflected in independent reviews, which consistently rate it as a well-made, versatile design.
Key Features
- Solid European beech frame
- 10 height settings, fits beds up to 78cm mattress height
- Breathable mesh sides with a zip-down panel for co-sleeping access
- Converts to standalone crib, removable bassinet, or child’s desk and bench
- Secure strap attachment to divan or framed beds
- Suitable from birth to approx. 6 months as a crib; desk and bench usable to age 12
Things to Consider
Its solid wood construction makes it heavier and less portable around the house than lighter alternatives – worth knowing if you plan to move it between rooms often. The mattress is sold separately.
Silver Winner: Tutti Bambini CoZee Zen Bedside Crib
The dependable, well-proven all-rounder, and a crib with real award pedigree behind it.
RRP: £169-£299 depending on version | Shop the Tutti Bambini CoZee →
Why It Won Silver
The CoZee converts between bedside crib and standalone cot, meets current British Safety Standards, and comes with a mattress included. Parents consistently praise how quick it is to assemble and fold – the legs flip neatly into the crib itself, so there’s very little to put together – and it travels well thanks to its light weight relative to other bedside cribs. It remains one of the most trusted names in this category.
Key Features
- Converts between bedside crib and standalone cot
- Mattress included
- Zip-off inner liner and mattress cover, machine washable
- Oak wood detailing with mesh sides
- Unobtrusive storage shelf
- Available in multiple colourways
- Meets current British Safety Standards
Things to Consider
Our parent testers have found the bed-attachment straps could be sturdier, particularly if the crib is being packed and unpacked regularly for travel. It doesn’t extend into later childhood use the way the Huddle does, so its lifespan is more firmly tied to the newborn and early infant stage.
Bronze Winner: Obaby Cloud Bedside Crib
Simple, affordable, and does the core job without any fuss.
RRP: £145 (frequently on offer nearer £115) | Shop the Obaby Cloud Bedside Crib →
Why It Won Bronze
The Cloud is the most straightforward and most affordable of the three, with adjustable height to align with most beds, breathable mesh sides for airflow and visibility, and secure attachment straps to keep it firmly anchored overnight. It’s lightweight and easy to move around the house, and Obaby backs it with a 2-year guarantee against manufacturing defects. For parents who want a safe, no-frills bedside crib without the higher price tag of the other two, it’s a sensible, well-priced choice.
Key Features
- Adjustable height to align with most beds
- Breathable mesh sides
- Supportive mattress included
- Secure attachment straps
- Lightweight and easy to move around the home
- 2-year manufacturer guarantee
- Available in several colourways
Things to Consider
It’s the most pared-back of the three, without the rocking function, storage shelf, or later-childhood use the other two offer. If those extras matter to you, the Huddle or the CoZee are worth a look – but if you want a safe, uncomplicated bedside crib that does exactly what it says on the tin, the Cloud delivers.
Congratulations
Well done to Huddle Baby, Tutti Bambini and Obaby. Three well-made, well-proven bedside cribs, each suited to a slightly different budget and priority.
Best Pregnancy Pillow 2026
Sleep gets hard in pregnancy. Your hips ache, your bump pulls, and from 28 weeks we ask you to sleep on your side as well. A good pregnancy pillow is one of the few things that makes a real difference to how you feel the next morning, and the best ones keep earning their place once baby arrives. Three pillows made it to the podium this year, and they take very different approaches.
What We Looked At
- Sleep support – does it hold you comfortably on your side and take the strain off hips, back and bump?
- Adjustability – can it change shape and firmness as your body changes?
- Life after birth – does it work for feeding, or is it a pregnancy-only purchase?
- Size and practicality – does it fit in a normal bed, and can it be washed?
- Safety – clear guidance on use around babies
- Value for money – does the price match how long you’ll use it?
- Parent and professional feedback – what our tester and The Honest Midwife thought
Gold Winner: bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow
If sleep is the problem, this is the answer.
RRP: £159 | Shop the bbhugme →
Why It Won Gold
The bbhugme was created by three chiropractors specialising in maternity care, and it shows. The microbead filling lets you adjust the firmness, and the flexible shape can be moulded to support your back, hips, bump or legs depending on what hurts that night. It feels premium, the covers are washable and come in several colours, and it packs into a canvas bag for travel. Our in-house testers reported a real improvement in hip pain and the best night’s sleep of any pillow in the category.
A confession from me. I’m not pregnant and I don’t have a baby, but there’s one of these on my bed. When my husband is away I cuddle it. That’s probably the most honest review I can give.
Key Features
- Adjustable firmness via microbead filling
- Flexible shape – wrap, hug or straighten it to suit
- Designed by maternity chiropractors, made in Germany
- Washable cover, seven colours available
- Canvas carry bag included
- Usable postnatally for side-lying and propping while feeding
Things to Consider
It’s £159, which is a lot for a pillow. It’s also long at 145cm, so it takes up real space in a double bed. And it’s pregnancy-first – it can prop you while feeding, but bbhugme sell a separate nursing pillow for that job. One safety point we’d underline: never let a baby sleep on or with it, and never unzip the inner pillow, as the microbeads are a choking hazard.
A word on choosing between our top two. If sleep is your priority – hip pain, pelvic discomfort, just wanting a proper night’s rest – the bbhugme is our pick. If you know feeding support matters just as much to you as pregnancy comfort, and you’d rather not buy a separate nursing pillow later, the Najell is worth putting first instead. Both are excellent; it comes down to which job you need done most. However, as a pillow designed to support a good night’s sleep I LOVE this pillow.
Silver Winner: Najell 2-in-1 Pregnancy and Nursing Pillow
The pillow best built to do pregnancy support and feeding equally well. Sleep with it now, then untie it and feed with it later.
RRP: £109 | Shop the Najell Pregnancy Pillow →
Why It Won Silver
A knotted tie lets you change the length and firmness, and you can shape it into a U, J, I or C depending on how you sleep. When baby arrives, untie the outer cover and there are two smaller nursing pillows inside – no zips, no poppers, no extra purchase. It’s soft organic cotton, comes in a reusable bag. The Dreamgenii also covers pregnancy and feeding in one pillow, but the Najell’s two dedicated nursing pillows give more targeted support once you’re feeding, which is why it edges ahead here.
Key Features
- Adjustable length and firmness with a simple tie
- Shapes into U, J, I or C positions
- Two built-in nursing pillows inside the outer cover
- Organic cotton cover (95% cotton, 5% elastane)
- Supports cross-cradle, rugby hold and side-lying feeding
- Reusable storage and travel bag included
Things to Consider
It’s big – around 55cm across and up to 165cm long – so it needs bed space. The inner nursing pillows can’t have their firmness adjusted individually. And it takes a little practice to get the knot right for your body, which some testers found fiddly in the first few nights.
Bronze Winner: Dreamgenii Pregnancy, Support and Feeding Pillow
The sensible one. Small, affordable, and built around the thing midwives care about most – keeping you on your side.
RRP: £58.99 | Shop the Dreamgenii →
Why It Won Bronze
The patented three-part shape supports your bump, sits between your knees and holds a cushion at your back, so rolling onto your back in the night is much harder. That side-sleeping support is why it’s been midwife-recommended for years. It’s compact enough for a single or small double bed, the cover is washable, and it costs a fraction of the other two. For a first pregnancy on a budget, it does the important job well.
Key Features
- Patented shape supports bump, back and knees together
- Encourages left-side sleeping
- Compact – fits a single or small double bed
- Removable, washable cotton jersey cover
- Converts to a feeding cradle
- Lightweight and easy to move
Things to Consider
It’s firmer than the other two and the shape is fixed, so it suits people who like a structured, supportive feel rather than a soft one to sink into. It’s designed around sleeping on one side, so if you switch sides a lot in the night you’ll be moving it with you. For feeding, an extra cushion under your arm makes it more comfortable, so think of that as a useful second job rather than the reason to buy it.
Congratulations
Well done to bbhugme, Najell and Dreamgenii. Three pillows, three price points, and a good option at each.
Best Playmat 2026
A playmat sits in the middle of family life for years – tummy time in the early weeks, first rolls and crawls, then a landing pad for every toy in the house. It needs to be soft enough to protect a baby’s head, easy enough to clean after every meal that ends up on the floor, and, ideally, something you don’t mind looking at every single day. Three genuinely different approaches to that brief made the podium this year.
What We Looked At
- Comfort and safety – cushioning for tummy time and early crawling, non-toxic materials
- Ease of cleaning – wipeable surfaces, no gaps for crumbs and mess to collect in
- Design – does it look good enough to stay out in a living room
- Practicality – storage, portability, how it fits around everyday family life
- Build quality and longevity – does it hold up to years of use
- Value for money – does the price reflect what you get
- Parent and professional feedback – what our tester and The Honest Midwife thought
Gold Winner: Totter & Tumble Morris & Co Playmat
The playmat that doesn’t look like a playmat
RRP: £160-£180 depending on size | Shop the Totter & Tumble Morris & Co Playmat →
Why It Won Gold
Built in collaboration with heritage design house Morris & Co, this mat is designed to blend into a living room rather than announce itself as baby kit. It’s made from 1.3cm memory foam, giving proper cushioning for tummy time and early crawling, with a wipe-clean, one-piece surface that leaves nowhere for crumbs or spilled snacks to hide. It’s reversible, so you effectively get two designs in one. A genuine investment piece rather than a typical baby product. If you are wanting a playmat that fits in with your adult room and don’t want to have to keep putting it away this really is a beautiful addition.
Key Features
- 1.3cm memory foam cushioning
- One-piece, reversible design – two looks in one mat
- Wipe-clean surface with no gaps for mess
- Multiple sizes available (Standard, Compact, Round, Play Runner)
- Recyclable materials
- Heritage Morris & Co print collaboration
Things to Consider
It’s the most expensive of the three by some margin, and furniture legs can leave temporary dents in the foam that take a little while to spring back. For a family wanting a playmat that stays part of the room’s decor for years we feel this is worth the investment.
Silver Winner: FOLDiMATS
The one that goes where you go – foldable, portable, and properly safety tested.
RRP: from £100 | Shop FOLDiMATS →
Why It Won Silver
FOLDiMATS was built to solve a specific problem – a play mat with genuine memory foam comfort that still folds down small enough to travel with, whether that’s to grandparents’ or the garden. It’s made from PVC memory foam, wipeable and waterproof, and independently tested to EN71 parts 1, 2 and 3, with no phthalates or heavy metals. Beyond babies, its designs and construction mean it doubles as a yoga or exercise mat once the playmat years are over, which is a genuinely useful bit of longevity most playmats can’t offer.
Key Features
- Foldable design for easy storage and travel
- PVC memory foam construction
- Wipeable and waterproof surface
- Tested to EN71 parts 1, 2 and 3 – no phthalates or heavy metals
- Multiple print collections available
- Doubles as an exercise or yoga mat beyond the baby years
Things to Consider
It’s not designed for prolonged outdoor use or sharp surfaces, so it’s best treated as an indoor mat that happens to travel well, rather than a garden or camping mat. It sits in the middle of the category on price. FOLDiMATS are great – espeically if you want to fully tidy baby stuff away at the end of the day. If thats you then we would definatley recommend this play mat.
Bronze Winner: Just Kidding Stores Play Mat
Play mat and toy storage in one – and a returning winner from last year’s awards.
RRP: starting from £37.40 | Shop the Just Kidding Stores Play Mat →
Why It Won Bronze
This mat takes a genuinely different approach to the other two – a printed village-and-road play scene doubles as a drawstring toy storage bag, so tidy-up time takes seconds rather than minutes. Made from cotton and polyester with an anti-slip base, it’s light and easy to pack for a trip to the park, a holiday, or a visit to relatives. It won Silver in Best Nursery Accessory at last year’s Honest Midwife Awards, and it remains a clever, affordable option for families who want something practical rather than decorative.
Key Features
- Doubles as a play mat and a drawstring toy storage bag
- Cotton and polyester construction with anti-slip fabric base
- Printed village and road design for imaginative play
- Round, 150cm diameter
- Machine washable on a delicate cycle
- Lightweight and easy to pack for days out or travel
Things to Consider
At 1cm thick, it offers noticeably less cushioning than the other two mats, so it suits sitting and playing more than tummy time or early crawling. It’s the most affordable option here, and the storage-bag function is a genuine practical win, but it’s a different kind of product to the other two rather than a straight like-for-like comparison.
Congratulations
Well done to Totter & Tumble, FOLDiMATS and Just Kidding Stores. Three very different playmats, each doing its job well for a different kind of family.
Best Baby Monitor 2026
A baby monitor is one of the few pieces of kit parents genuinely rely on through the night, every night, for months. That makes this a category where “nice to have” features matter far less than whether a monitor does its core job properly – and, where it claims to track something as serious as your baby’s oxygen levels, whether that claim actually stands up. This year’s field also included the wider market, not just this year’s entrants, because a monitor with real safety credentials was too important to leave out.
What We Looked At
- Genuine safety and vital-sign accuracy – is any health claim actually validated, not just marketed?
- A proper parent unit – can you monitor your baby without your phone being the only option?
- Video quality and night vision
- Real-world alerting – does it flag things that actually matter, quickly and reliably?
- Value for money, including ongoing costs – some monitors come with subscription fees to unlock full features
- Parent and professional feedback – what our tester and The Honest Midwife thought
Gold Winner: Owlet Dream Duo
Parents have told us directly that this monitor has made a real difference – in some cases, they believe it’s been life-saving. That’s not a claim we make lightly, or often.
RRP: £379.99 | Shop the Owlet Dream Duo →
Why It Won Gold
The Dream Duo pairs the Dream Sock wearable sensor with the Dream Sight camera, continuously tracking pulse rate, oxygen level and sleep trends, with real-time alerts if either reading moves outside a safe range. It’s FDA De Novo cleared – the first baby monitor of its kind to achieve that – and clinically validated across all skin tones, accurate to within 3% of gold-standard arterial blood gas measurement. On top of the vitals tracking, it delivers 2K HD video with night vision, motion, sound and cry detection, and room temperature and humidity monitoring. We’ve heard directly from parents in our community about how reassuring – and in some cases how genuinely critical – this monitor has been, and that real-world feedback is what puts it clearly at Gold this year.
Key Features
- Dream Sock wearable sensor plus Dream Sight camera
- Continuous pulse rate and oxygen level tracking
- FDA De Novo cleared, clinically validated across all skin tones
- Accurate to within 3% of gold-standard arterial blood gas measurement
- 2K HD video with night vision
- Motion, sound and cry detection
- Room temperature and humidity monitoring
- Suitable 0-18 months (5-30lbs)
- Two-year warranty
Things to Consider
It’s the most expensive monitor in this category by some distance, reflecting the medical-grade technology involved. It’s suitable to 18 months, so families will eventually move on to a different monitor as their baby grows.
Silver Winner: Momcozy Dual Mode Smart Baby Monitor BM04
For parents who’d rather not have their phone be the only way to check on their baby, this is the one that gets it right.
RRP: £199.99 | Shop the Momcozy BM04 →
Why It Won Silver
The BM04’s real advantage is its dual-mode design: a genuine 5-inch handheld parent unit with a non-WiFi connection for private, always-available viewing, alongside an app option for checking in remotely when you’re out. It has a sharp 1080p camera, 350° pan and 110° tilt, two-way talk, motion and crying detection, and a temperature alert system, with up to 10 hours of battery life on the screen. For a family who wants a proper dedicated monitor screen rather than being tied to an app, this is a genuinely solid choice.
Key Features
- 5-inch handheld parent unit, non-WiFi mode for privacy
- Optional app mode for remote viewing
- 1080p HD camera with night vision
- 350° pan, 110° tilt, 2x/4x zoom
- Two-way talk
- Motion and crying detection, customisable safe-zone alerts
- Up to 10 hours battery (screen on), 20 hours in Vox mode
- Supports up to 4 cameras
Things to Consider
It doesn’t offer the vitals tracking of our Gold winner or the AI safety detection of our Bronze winner – it’s a strong, dependable video monitor rather than a health-monitoring device.
Bronze Winner: Cubo AI Smart Baby Monitor 3
The one that actually watches for the things that keep parents up at night – not just whether baby’s asleep, but whether their face is covered or they’ve rolled somewhere they shouldn’t be.
RRP: £229-£329 depending on mount style | Shop the Cubo AI Smart Baby Monitor 3 →
Why It Won Bronze
Where a lot of “smart” monitors lean on sleep analytics as their headline feature, Cubo AI’s real strength is its AI safety detection – genuine, real-time alerts for face coverings and rollovers, on top of a sharp 2.5K QHD picture with strong night vision. It also covers cry and cough detection, room temperature and humidity, and up to eight family logins so everyone can check in. For parents who want a monitor actively watching for physical safety risks rather than just logging sleep data, this is a genuinely strong option.
Key Features
- 2.5K QHD video with night vision
- AI-powered face covering and rollover detection
- Cry and cough detection
- Room temperature and humidity sensors
- Up to 8 concurrent family logins
- 3 full days of continuous playback
- Wall mount or floor stand options included
- One-year warranty, 45-day money-back guarantee
Things to Consider
It’s app-only – there’s no separate handheld parent unit, so you’re relying on your phone to check in. It also requires a fairly recent phone (iOS 16/Android 12 or newer) to run properly.
Congratulations
Well done to Owlet, Momcozy and Cubo AI. Three very different approaches to the same job – keeping you close to your baby, even when you can’t be in the room.
Best Nursery Accessory 2026
The small things in a nursery can make a big difference to how well everyone sleeps. This category covers the extras that help you get the room right – the right temperature, the right amount of light and the right amount of sound. The three winners here are all simple to use and sit at the lower end of the price range.
What We Looked At
- Does it help create a safer, calmer sleep space? – temperature, light and sound all matter
- Safety information – what the brand tells you about use and what we could verify
- Ease of use – can a tired parent set it up in the middle of the night?
- Value for money – does the price match what you get?
- Longevity – will it still be useful as your child grows?
- Parent and professional feedback – what our tester and The Honest Midwife thought
This year there are two Gold winners. They do very different jobs, and I couldn’t separate them.
Joint Gold Winner: Tommee Tippee Gro Egg 2
The simplest way to check the room is right, and a very good value one.
RRP: £32.99 | Shop the Tommee Tippee Gro Egg 2 →
Why It Won Gold
Keeping the room at a comfortable temperature is one of the basics of safer sleep, and the Gro Egg 2 makes it easy. It shows the room temperature as a colour at a glance, with a digital readout too, so you can decide how to dress your baby. Doubles as a night light with three brightness levels, and the soft silicone dome keeps the glow gentle. USB rechargeable, so there are no batteries to swap, and it stays cool to the touch. Tommee Tippee include Lullaby Trust safer sleep guidance in the instructions. It is suitable from birth and good value, and parents find it useful well beyond the newborn months.
Key Features
- Colour-changing display plus digital room temperature readout
- Night light with 3 brightness levels
- Soft touch-controlled silicone dome
- USB rechargeable
- Suitable from birth
- Lullaby Trust safer sleep guidance included
Things to Consider
A few parent testers questioned how accurate the readings are, so it is worth checking against a second thermometer when you first set it up. There is no plug in the box, only a USB cable, and the light can stay red in a very hot room.
Joint Gold Winner: Tommee Tippee Portable Blackout Blind
Light-blocking for naps, summer evenings and holidays, for under £20.
RRP: £24.99-£34.99 depending on size | Shop the Tommee Tippee Portable Blackout Blind →
Why It Won Gold
A good blackout blind can make a big difference to naps and to early summer mornings. This one sticks straight to the window glass with suction cups, so there are no drills or screws, and it fits windows up to 130 x 198cm. Velcro fastenings let you resize it. It is machine washable at 40°C, packs into a travel bag, and comes with a 3 year guarantee. Parents rate it 4.2 out of 5 from 75 reviews on the retailer’s page. It is low cost, practical and useful from the earliest weeks, and it is just as handy at grandparents’ or on holiday.
Key Features
- Blackout fabric for large windows
- Attaches with suction cups, no tools needed
- Fits windows up to 130 x 198cm, with Velcro to resize
- Machine washable at 40°C
- Travel bag included
- 3 year guarantee
Things to Consider
Our testers noted that the suction cups work best on clean, smooth glass. As with most portable blinds, check the fit around the edges to see how much light gets in.
Silver Winner: Momcozy Smart Baby Sound Machine
Plenty of sounds, a gentle night light, and app control for the tech-minded.
RRP: £42.99 | Shop the Momcozy Smart Baby Sound Machine →
Why It Won Silver
The Momcozy offers 34 sounds, including white noise, lullabies and nature sounds, with touch controls on the machine and an app for remote control. There is an adjustable LED night light, a built-in auto-off timer and a wake-up function that gradually raises the light or sound. Parents rate it 4.9 out of 5 from 278 reviews on the brand’s own site, and it comes with a 2 year warranty. It is a flexible choice that can grow with your child, from the early weeks into toddlerhood.
Key Features
- 34 sounds, including white noise, lullabies and nature sounds
- Touch controls plus app control (2.4G Wi-Fi)
- Adjustable LED night light
- Auto-off timer
- Wake-up function that gradually increases light or sound
- 2 year warranty
Things to Consider
The brand doesn’t state a maximum volume, so keep the machine well away from the cot, and never at maximum volume. Some of the features, such as the wake-up function, suit toddlers more than newborns.
Congratulations
Well done to Tommee Tippee and Momcozy. Three small, practical accessories that help make the nursery a calmer place – and two Golds for Tommee Tippee!
Congratulations to our winners
Well done to all our Best in Nursery winners. These are the products your baby will spend the most time in, so it was good to see so many brands putting safety first.
Whatever you choose, safe sleep comes first. Your baby should sleep on their back, on a firm, flat mattress with nothing else in the space. The Lullaby Trust has clear, up-to-date safe sleep advice, and I’d recommend every parent reads it.
Thank you to every brand that entered. Entry is always free, and each product was tested with care.
Next, see the winners in Best on Wheels, Best in Feeding and Best in Carriers.
