Crib Mattress

Baby on the way? Getting the nursery ready? So many things to buy. . . those little cuties require lots of equipment and love. Check that list and be sure that a good crib mattress is on there. Many people don't really know all that much about these mattresses. If you have assumed that the best mattress for your little one is a soft and cushiony one, you're not alone, but you'd be mistaken. Crib mattresses are often surprisingly thin and stiff. The mattress needs to support the baby, but also needs to help prevent newborns from suffocating. Cribs mattresses provide a little padding, but they also need to be very easy to clean and safe for infants' sleeping. Children may use their crib mattress on a cot or toddler bed into their toddler years, as well. Knowing that your little one will get at least a few years of use out of this mattress is one good reason to purchase a high quality, long lasting sleep surface. Of course, the most important reason is your baby's safety. Here's a look at the crib mattress and how to buy the right one.

Crib and toddler mattresses are less likely to be standardized than other kinds of mattress, but there are a few basic sizes they come in. In North America, this kind of mattress is odd-sized - usually twenty seven and a quarter by fifty-one and five eighths of an inch. If this sizing seems strange to you, you wouldn't be the only one. Crib mattress standardization happened relatively recently. UK crib mattress standards are a little more regular. The average cotbed is seventy centimeters wide and one hundred forty centimeters long, or twenty-seven and a half inches by fifty-five inches. Standardization is less common in other countries.

To find the ideal crib mattress for you, you'll need to measure the crib itself. It's important for the mattress to exactly fit the crib, with no space for the child to slip and fall between the edge of the mattress and the railing. Good crib mattresses will be made either from a dense foam - at least one and a half pounds per cubic inch - or a firm innerspring construction. If you're not sure the mattress is firm enough, test it with your finger. If you can easily poke your index finger into the middle of the mattress, it's too soft for an infant. Firmer mattresses will keep your baby safer. Pick a waterproof mattress cover to make cleaning easier.

Breathable mattresses with ventilation holes are considered less risky for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and all infant bedding should be fire retardant. Many parents are also choosing mattresses made from organic materials, due to concerns over the chemicals used in processing cotton and in producing foam. A wide range of wool, organic cotton, and other mattresses is available. Just remember to test every crib mattress for firmness and only use a mattress you are confident is safe. Fire retardants and breathability are still required for these healthier and more ecologically friendly products, which many parents may forget.

Your baby is precious and you will want to be sure that the mattress this little one is sleeping on is safe and secure.