Finding the best mattress for crib use can be an overwhelming task for new parents.  With the abundance of features available today, buying a crib mattress can feel like you have stepped onto a car lot. Terms such as waterproofing, fire retardants, dual firmness, lightweight and heat sealed, you will soon be speaking a new vocabulary. 

One of the most confusing features for new parents seems to be the one-firmness versus the dual-firmness mattresses.  Many think that you can't use a one-firmness option on a toddler bed.  This is not the case.  You can use either the one-firmness or dual-firmness crib mattress on a toddler bed.  The main difference is the one-firmness will be the same firmness on both sides while the dual-firmness will have an extra firm side for crib use and a slightly softer side for toddler use. 

Is it necessary to buy a dual-firmness?  This is a question that we get asked a lot at GreenPea Baby.  What I tell parents is that if you are pretty sure that you are going to use your crib in the toddler stage, a dual firmness mattress will offer a slightly more comfortable sleeping surface for your toddler.  As crib mattresses have gotten firmer over the years, the same surface that is fine for baby may feel uncomfortable for a toddler who weighs more and moves around more than a baby.  With that said, you can also add a padded mattress pad to the one-firmness mattress and achieve the same result.  Depending on the quality of the mattress pad, this may end up being less or more expensive than buying a dual firmness crib mattress option. 

Both Moonlight Slumber and Naturepedic offer great dual firmness crib mattress options.