How to select your Baby’s First Mattress
Did you know that your little bundle of joy will sleep up to 20 hours a DAY during their first few weeks of life? By two years of age, your toddler will still need an average of 12 hours of sleep per night plus a nap. Meaning the mattress you select for your baby is going to be put to good use for quite some time! We’ve got your complete guide to make sure you select the best mattress for your baby’s nursery.
Firmness
When you first start shopping for baby mattresses, you will notice they may be much more firm than a mattress you and I would prefer to sleep on. This is for a good reason: the American Association of Pediatrics recommends a firm mattress for baby in order to reduce the risk of SIDSÂ and to help develop proper head, back, and neck support for your baby.
Crib mattresses should be made of innerspring coils or firm foam to create a supportive foundation. If you choose a higher coil count crib mattress, such as 150 or 204 or more, the mattress will be firmer overall. Also, look for high density foams when choosing a foam mattress. You can also purchase crib mattresses that are dual-sided, with a firmer side for a baby and a softer side for a toddler, like the Stearns and Foster Baby Dynasty Sunrise 2-Stage Crib & Toddler Bed Mattress.
These are designed to grow with baby through the toddler years to provide a comfier side as your child grows.
The Stearns and Foster Baby Dynasty Sunrise 2-Stage Crib and Toddler Mattress has a firmer side for baby and a softer side for toddler. Photo courtesy of Kolcraft Enterprises.
Water Proof and Mold Resistant
I speak from experience when I say that your baby’s mattress will see a lot of liquids. From sippy cup spills to spit up and of course, urine, there will be a lot of moisture coming in contact with baby’s bed in those first few months and years. With mattresses, mold could begin to grow on the inside, where it is not easy visible. In order to avoid this you want to ensure the mattress your purchase is waterproof.
Photo Courtesy of Kolcraft Enterprises
Safety Standards
Considering how much time your baby will be spending on their mattress, you want to ensure that it is free from any harmful chemicals and meets the proper requirements in terms or safety standards. Luckily, there are a few certifications that you can look for that help you know that the mattress is made with these concerns in mind:
Children’s Safe Products Act- The CSPA was passed in Washington State in 2008. In order to meet the standards of the CSPA, manufacturers should test for 85 different Chemicals of High Concern to Children (CHCC) that could come in contact with a child. Look for crib mattresses that test for Chemicals of High Concern to Children, such as Sealy and Stearns & Foster, so you can feel confident harmful chemicals will not come in contact with your baby including high levels of formaldehyde, BPA or banned phthalates
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International-ASTM crib mattress standards are voluntary and only the more established brands test to these standards. One key component of this standard includes proper crib mattress dimensions. If the mattress is too small, it could cause unsafe gaps. Make sure you purchase U.S. standard-sized cribs and crib mattresses that have been tested to the ASTM standards
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)- The CPSIA test all baby products, mattresses included, to ensure they arepass strict standards for lead, heavy metals and banned phthalates. Definitely not things you want in your baby’s mattress! Look at baby mattress web sites for information about passing tests for harmful chemicals.
Better yet, look for GREENGUARD GOLD Certified crib mattresses. These test for harmful chemicals and indoor air quality in baby’s room. The GOLD Certification is a strict test for any products used with children.
It may take a little extra time to do your research on your mattress selection to ensure it has all of the highest safety standards, but it will be time well spent.
For all the details on Sealy Baby Mattress standards, check out their website (Note: they meet all the requirements listed above and MORE!)
Foam Vs. Innerspring
Just like with adult mattresses, there are some options when it comes to the type of mattress you select for your baby. Crib mattresses can be spring, foam, or a combination of both.
Innerspring Mattress
When it comes to innerspring baby matteressw, the higher the coil count, the more support baby will have (and the more comfort). The BabyPedic Posture Supreme by Sealy has 728 innerspring coils and it’s also a 2 stage mattress with a firmer side for infants and a softer side for toddlers. Plus- it’s also waterproof and hypoallergenic!
A look at the inside of the Sealy BabyPedic Posture Supreme. 728 coils give the mattress great support and the additional micropocketed coils give it the ability to contour to baby’s body making it extra cozy. Photo courtesy of Kolcraft Enterprises.Â
Foam Mattress
There are many perks to selecting a foam mattress. For starters, they are generally at a lower price point than spring. They can be more lightweight than a higher end innerspring crib mattress. If you’ve never attempted to lift a crib mattress out of a crib to change the sheets, let me tell you, lightweight makes the task SO much easier. All of Sealy’s crib mattresses weigh less than 20 pounds, with the foam versions weighing 13 pounds or less!
The Soybean Natural Dream is a great option for a foam mattress. Its foam is CertiPUR-USCertified, meaning it is made without phthalates, lead, mercury, formaldehyde, PBDES, TDCPP, or TCEP flame retardants (all of those acronyms and long words basically mean that they are not safe for your baby – especially when they’re sleeping). The foam is surrounded by a cotton wrap and the outermost cotton cover is both waterproof and stain resistant.
Our Mattress Suggestions
As you can see, it may take more research to select the best mattress for your baby than you may have initially thought. We’ve put together a few suggestions to make is easier for you!
Best Innerspring Crib Mattress: Sealy BabyPedic Posture Supreme 2 Stage Crib Mattress
Best Foam Crib Mattress: Sealy Soy Bean Natural Dream Crib Mattress (also has our vote for best natural materials mattress!)
Best Combo Spring/Foam Crib Mattress:Â Cozy Cool Hybrid 2-Stage Coil & Gel Crib Mattress
Best 2 Stage Crib Mattress:Â Stearns and Foster Dynasty 2-Stage Crib Mattress.
Also, as promised…a coupon code! If you use the code “SWADDLES15” at sealybaby.com you will receive 15% off of the mattresses listed above! This coupon code is only valid through August 30, 2019!
