Annie Mullens, founder of WeePlan Baby Planners, is a premier, certified Baby Planner and Independent Maternity and Child Product Consultant. Check out their Virtual Baby Planning services http://www.weeplanbabyplanners.com/login.
As a product consultant to my clients, I get asked all the time what I think are the most important items to “splurge” on for their new baby. I always say there are two items that I recommend you purchase the best possible option (regardless of price) that you can. (Go ahead and skimp on a bunch of other items…I promise that no baby ever suffered from too few bedazzled onesies!) Those two items that I emphasize are your car seat and your baby’s mattress.
You take great care to choose the best of the best for your baby’s well-being and safety, so a car seat seems to be an obvious choice. There is nothing more dangerous that you can do, but to strap your precious one into the equivalent of a very well padded steel box on wheels and drive it down the highway at 60 miles per hour. But why worry about a mattress???
Here’s why. Most babies sleep 16 or 17 hours a day, so their crib is where they are spending the majority of their time. Because of this, you'll want to choose a safe and non-toxic spot for them to catch all those Z's. Traditional mattresses are layered with a variety of chemicals including PVC, polyurethane foam and toxic flame retardants. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission requires all mattresses to meet stringent fireproofing standards, a requirement that most manufacturers meet by using boron, boric acid, and/or antimony. These chemicals can pose a health risk to babies and should be avoided. Look for a mattress that uses less toxic materials such as wool, baking soda, or hydrated silica to meet these requirements.
So how can you be sure you're getting a non-toxic crib mattress for your baby? I’ve narrowed it down to two great mattresses that I would recommend.
First is the Nook Sleep Systems Pebble Pure mattress. At $395.00 it’s not exactly cheap, but let’s look at what you’re getting. Standard infant crib mattresses are often comprised of non-porous plastics and synthetics that impede airflow. Even "organic" mattresses do nothing to ensure air circulation through the mattress interior and require non-breathable mattress pads. The Nook Sleep System is the only infant sleep mattress designed to ensure consistent oxygen flow over and through the mattress. Research shows that a sleep environment rich in oxygen is critical for cognitive and physical development in infants. It also helps them sleep longer and deeper (and who doesn’t want that!). Nook’s mattress design helps ensure smarter temperature regulation, too, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of SIDS. The pebble design of the cover promotes air flow and is made of patented eucalyptus fiber technology that creates a wipe-able and microbe resistant surface so messes can be quickly wiped up for a safe, healthy, and clean sleep space. That’s right, you don’t even need a waterproof mattress pad because the fabric, itself, repels the moisture!
So, although it’s one of the pricier mattresses on the market, the completely organic materials and increased air circulation make it my first choice.
Next, I recommend the Naturpedic No-Compromise™ Organic Cotton Classic. At $259.00 this is a good option for more budget-conscious eco-minded families. It’s also a good option for parents worried about wool or latex allergies. This organic crib mattress is made from organic cotton fabric on the outside and is filled with organic cotton as well. This crib mattress features a plastic coating to make it waterproof that’s made from 100% polyethylene that meets food-grade standards. It’s not entirely eco-friendly and it does diminish the breathability of the mattress, but you do get the benefit of an easy to clean, waterproof surface.
So, yes, an organic mattress is definitely more expensive than a typical non-organic mattress. But, knowing that your child is spending their nap-time and bed-time in a toxin-free environment is worth every penny.
Now if they just came with a “Sleep Through the Night “ guarantee…