Organic Crib Mattress? How to choose your crib mattress.

Todays parents have three types of crib mattresses to choose from when selecting the mattress for their child.  You can go with a foam mattress, an innerspring mattress or an organic crib mattress.  Today’s baby thing post will look at the differences and how to select a crib mattress for your baby.

First I want go over what to look for when selecting a mattress.  You want to get a firm mattress.  The firmer the better.  To check this you should place your hands on the center of the mattress.  The more resistance you get when you try to squeeze your hands together the better.   SIDS has been associated with bedding that is too soft.  You also want to make sure that the mattress fits snugly in your crib.  It should not be a problem today as both cribs and mattresses have to meet certain standards when it comes to size, but just to be on the safe side you should not be able to fit two fingers between your mattress and the crib bars.  It is also a good idea to make sure there is plenty of ventilation for your mattress.  It is important for it to breathe so that odors and such do not get trapped in the mattress.

One more thing to keep in mind.  I have seen that they do recommend getting a new mattress for each baby.  They have seen a slight increase in SIDS cases when a baby sleeps on a used mattress even if it was a sibling.  They believe that it could have to do with spit up, drool and such seeping into the mattress.   I did in fact purchase new mattresses for each of my kids.  I just wanted to be safe, both of my boys spit up a lot and it made me feel better to have a new mattress.  Plus crib mattresses do fit in toddler beds, so we were actually using three crib mattresses at one time for a few months.

Different types of mattresses:

First you have the foam mattress.  Foam mattresses are made from polyester or polyether.   They are typically lighter which makes changing the crib sheets a bit easier.  They also usually do not last as long as innersprings, but are usually the least expensive.  If you decide to go with a foam mattress you want to make sure that it has a high density.  The higher the density the safer the mattress.

The next option is an innerspring mattress.  These mattresses have coils or springs inside.  They typically keep their shape for a long while and are heavier than foam mattresses.  They are pricier, but will last longer.

Finally, you have the option of going with an organic mattress.  Organic mattresses can come in the foam variety or the innerspring variety.   Basically, the organic crib mattresses do not have all of the chemicals that traditional crib mattresses have. They can be made from organic cotton, organic wool (which is naturally flame resistant), latex or soybean.

Traditional crib mattresses are treated with all kinds of things to make them fire retardant, to prevent mold from building up and to preserve them.  However, I am not entirely sure that all of the chemicals used to treat the mattresses are the safest option for anyone to sleep on let alone a new baby.   My husband and I did purchase traditional innerspring mattresses for each of our kids.  I do have to say though that if I had to do it all over again I would go with an organic crib mattress.  My kids have all seemed to cough a lot at night and have had some health issues.  I personally do believe a lot of it has to do with the chemicals they are exposed to on a daily basis.  I could be wrong, but that is how I feel now.  Go with what you are comfortable with, but be sure to follow the guidelines for selecting a crib mattress and remember the firmer the better.

Here is one of the more affordable organic crib mattresses that I have come across and like: