What To Look For When Buying A Baby Mattress
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Innerspring mattresses consist of steel coils and any of the previously mentioned materials. These highly structured mattresses are typically more expensive and heavier, something to consider when changing those sheets!
Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams Mattress is a favorite lightweight and cheap mattress at a little over 7 lbs and only $88.20. It has a waterproof surface to protect your baby from mold and mildew. This mattress is GREENGUARD certified and fits standard crib sizes.
Safety is a huge factor when picking out a crib mattress. If you are purchasing your crib mattress in the US, it must meet safety standards set by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials.
No matter which crib mattress you choose for your baby, it is essential that you follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for safe sleep. This includes putting your baby to sleep on his/her back and removing all toys, blankets, pillows or other things that could potentially suffocate your baby during the night.
ChemicalsYour kid is going to spending a lot of time on the mattress, so it makes sense to want safe materials against his or her skin. One certification to look for is GREENGUARD, which measures the chemical emissions from the mattress. If a mattress has been certified, that means an outside laboratory tested it to see whether it poses any air-quality risk to your baby.
Preparing a nursery is an exciting activity for most expectant parents, but while choosing a crib and a rocking chair based on your decor preferences, one of the most important purchases to be made will rarely be seen: a mattress for the baby crib.
While a crib mattress will almost always be covered by sheets, choosing the right mattress is essential for keeping your baby safe while they slumber. Read on to learn everything you need to know about choosing the right crib mattress for your baby.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies sleep on their back on a flat, firm, separate sleep surface free of blankets, bumpers, toys, or other objects. Consider the following for baby mattress safety.
A crib mattress must fit in a crib properly to be safe for use, leaving no space between the mattress and the side of the crib that could trap a baby's head. The interior dimensions of a full-size crib size are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). For any full-size crib, choose a crib mattress at least 27 1/4 inches 51 1/4 inches and no more than 6 inches thick.
When fitting your crib mattress, make sure there's not a gap of more than 1/2 inch at any point when the crib mattress is centered or more than 1 inch when pushed against the perimeter. As a general rule, if you can fit more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib, the crib mattress is too small.
We have been testing crib mattresses for over 13 years, giving us the experience and knowledge to help you find the perfect baby mattress for your infant or toddler. We hope this guide helps you find the perfect crib mattress for your family!
Most standard cribs have an internal space of 28\" wide and 52\" long, meaning that most mattresses will fit either slightly loose, perfectly, or slightly snug into the crib. We've never run into gaps greater than about 0.75\" when a mattress is slid to one side, which means that when the mattress is centered, that gap is less than half an inch.
Support: The most supportive mattresses, in our opinion, include the coil innerspring or pocket coils. These provide deep non-linear support across the entire body, especially when the mattress has a higher innerspring count. The more coil springs, the higher density and more comfortable and supportive the mattress. Polymer and foam cores are also supportive, but not as responsive to movement, and can become dented or sloped over time.
Weight: The heaviest option is the innerspring mattress, especially when it contains a high coil count. These can easily reach over 30 pounds. The lightest crib mattresses use the polymer or polyester core, such as those offered by Newton (see our Newton Crib Mattress review!), Babyletto, and Safety 1st. These typically come in at only about 8-10 pounds. Some of the popular Naturepedic crib mattresses use a unique wave support core that we find both comfortable and lightweight (usually about 14 pounds).
Durability: We hinted at this when talking about support, but foam and polymer core mattresses can develop indentations in common sleeping spots, especially after several years of use and when the mattress fits tightly into the crib (not allowing it to expand after being compressed). Modern innerspring mattresses are very durable, as are mattresses using hybrid (e.g., foam, cotton batting, innerspring, etc.) designs.
Needless to say, most parents don't like the idea of their baby sleeping on a crib mattress that is off-gassing harmful chemicals such as flame retardants, plastic precursors, dyes, and adhesives. Here are some of the most common VOCs that study found in crib mattresses:
Breathability: Many parents seek breathable crib mattress covers and cores just in case their baby rolls over and their face is pressed against the mattress. Most foam and innerspring mattresses are not highly breathable. The cover itself might be breathable, but the foam core itself is likely not. The top-rated and amazing Newton Wovenaire mattress uses a polymer core and mattress cover that are both highly breathable, making it a popular option.
Many modern foam and polymer mattresses increase the structural rigidity of the mattress near the edges, to mimic some of the edge support you'd expect in an innerspring crib mattress. We suggest looking for a mattress with ample edge support, to prevent sagging at the sides especially as your baby grows into a toddler.
Trust us, your baby does not know the difference between sleeping on a 4\" thick memory foam versus an appropriately firm crib mattress. It's simply not worth the risk of unsafe sleep. And to be fair, back-sleeping is best on a relatively firm mattress anyway, even for adults!
Transition to the softer side of the crib mattress around 12 months, which is a good time to flip the mattress over. Of course, this might vary based on developmental milestones or if you had a premature baby, so be sure to check with your child's pediatrician before making the decision to flip your mattress.
Breathability helps for a few reasons. First, it helps alleviate anxiety about your baby's nose and mouth resting against the mattress and having highly restricted breathing. Second, in warmer months and hotter climates, breathability will help keep the mattress cool.
Never use an additional mattress pad on a crib mattress unless your baby is over 12 months of age. The increased softness offered by a mattress pad comes with the trade-off of reduced safety and increased risk of SIDS.
This leads to some mattress shape disasters, whether it's basically flat, uneven, or completely misshapen. Then when you attempt to return the mattress for a refund, good luck trying to get it back into the shipping box! This headache is totally avoidable by purchasing a mattress that ships flat.
What if we told you that a vibrating crib mattress could help your baby fall asleep faster, get higher quality sleep, sleep longer through the night, reduce colic symptoms, and help fussy babies self-soothe
What crib mattress to buy This depends on your budget and needs. If you want to find the best combination of inexpensive and reasonable quality, then Safety 1st makes some great options. If you're looking to maximize safety, comfort, and versatility, then Newton, Naturepedic, Moonlight Slumber, Babyletto, and Colgate make excellent but pricier options. Be sure to check out our full crib mattress reviews to find the perfect option!
Why buy an organic crib mattress Because of the constant neurodevelopmental changes happening from birth, newborns and infants have increased vulnerability to repeated exposure to toxic mattress emissions. For this reason, we suggest considering a crib mattress that is at least Greenguard Certified, if not also certified organic, which will reduce the likelihood that harsh and potentially harmful chemicals are used during manufacturing and will be off-gassing during use. This includes not only the crib mattress itself but also the crib mattress protector. Remember that your baby will be spending many hours sleeping (fingers crossed!) with their faces and bodies against the crib, breathing the air, and getting fibers on their mucous membranes. Why not lower the risk while also encouraging safe manufacturing of baby products
Why are crib mattresses so hard and firm Organizations like the CPSC, AAP, and NIH agree that a firm sleeping surface is best for newborns and infants. The mattress should not only be firm, but also fit tightly into the crib. Never place anything in the crib with a newborn or infant, including pillows, bumper pads, blankets, or toys. The good news is that you'll rest assured that your baby is safer while sleeping on a firm surface, and dual-firmness crib mattresses will let you flip to a softer side when your toddler hits the right age.
When to flip a crib mattress Most parents flip their crib mattress when their child is about a year old. Because each child follows a slightly different developmental progression, you want to make sure that your toddler is at least 12 months of age and can roll over independently. The longer you wait to flip your mattress, the lower the risk of SIDS.
When to lower crib mattress When your baby begins to sit up, you will want to lower the crib mattress height from the top setting to about the middle setting. When your baby begins to pull up on their own, you will want to lower the crib mattress to its lowest setting.
In addition to the state and federally mandated standards, the main crib mattress certification to look for is a GREENGUARD GOLD Certified crib mattress. GREENGUARD GOLD measures the air quality and chemical emissions of a crib mattress. To meet these strict certification standards, an independent laboratory must verify there are not hazardous chemicals that pose a risk to infants and toddlers in the crib mattress or its components. All of our Sealy Baby crib mattresses meet the GREENGUARD GOLD certification. 59ce067264