As an expected parent or a parent to a newborn child, you must be worried about his safety, at every step. A child spends most of his infancy period sleeping in his crib as an optimal sleep is vital for his growth. So the best crib mattress is the core facility that you need to provide your child with.
You must be choosy at this and can’t rely on any product out there. Once he grows a little up, he starts performing some manoeuvres so the bedding should be soft on the delicate body of the child but firm enough to support the same.
Let me hold your hand for choosing a perfect mattress that fits well in the crib and suits to your little baby.
The Importance of a Crib Mattress
A crib is the first bed to your child and if it’s comfortable it develops good sleeping habits in the baby. A child is just passing through a growing stage and is more delicate than we think.
At the same time, the market is full of crappy products that are not up to the standard in terms of safety. Don’t get trapped with them and only choose a mattress that fulfills the essential criteria.
To ease your job, I jotted down the essential characteristics of the best crib mattress with reviews. Just cross check your mattress with these guidelines before making a purchase.
Qualities That a Crib Mattress Should Possess
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- Firmness: Child’s safety is the foremost priority while buying a crib bed mattress and the firmness of the product directly relates to it. The mattress should not lose its shape once the child turns over in the bed.
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- Reason Being? If he/she rolls upside down and the mattress bends in, the babies’ nose is dumped into the bent area and can’t breathe. It might lead the child to suffocation.
So to check the firmness, press the mattress, especially the sides and corners, with your hands, release the pressure and see if the mattress regains its original shape. If yes, then it’s an ideal choice otherwise just discard the idea of buying it.
- Size: Choosing a mattress of a right size is a must as it should fit properly inside the crib that you own for your child. The space between the edges of the mattress and wall of the crib shouldn’t be more or less than two fingers.
As a general gauge, the ideal measurements should be of 27 ¼ inches in length and 51 3/8 inches in width and the thickness should not be more than 6 inches or less than 3 inches.
- Chemical Check: A mattress goes through many chemical treatments during the manufacturing process. But before it is out in the market, it should be a cleansed product that is free of any harmful chemical substances. The material used should be non-toxic.
- Cover of The Mattress: The cover must be hypo-allergenic. As the cover will be in constant touch with the baby, you should be extra careful choosing one. It should have 233+ thread count and make of cotton fabric.The cotton cover is washable and easy to clean. If the desired cover is not available with the product itself, make sure it is available as a separate option.
- Warranty: Although not a mandatory requirement in terms of child’s safety and comfort but it shows the authenticity of the brand. If the manufacturer is confident enough for following the manufacturing standards, he won’t hesitate to offer a warranty period. I suggest products with a warranty/guarantee period of a minimum of 6 months.
Types of Mattresses
Two types of mattresses are broadly ruling the market. The Foam Mattress and The Innerspring Mattress. Basically, these are the construction types of the fillings inside the product that is directly related to comfort, durability, lifetime and a baby’s health. Let’s explore them further:
1.Foam Mattress
This is an economic and cheaper option and lighter in weight as well. As the name suggests, “Foam” is used as the filling material that is obtained by adding chemicals to the polyurethane which increases its viscosity level and density.
The best feature of the foam is that it gets soft once it is exposed to some sort of heat and gets its shape back once it cools down. So once your baby sleeps on it, it absorbs the body heat and conforms itself according to the body contour that provides comfort and optimal support to the child.
Sometimes the density is not mentioned by the manufacturer. In such situation, the weight could be the saviour. A heavier mattress of the same size is denser than the one with lesser weight. No matter which product you choose the density should not be less than 1.5 pounds per cubic foot.
2. Innerspring Mattress
The innerspring mattress doesn’t mean a special kind of filling material. The filling can be anything such as coir, buckwheat, latex etc. Plus, a steel skeleton, in the form of coils or springs, is inserted to add extra support, firmness, and flexibility.
The springs squeeze and stretch with your baby’s movements providing support at every move.
To govern the firmness of an innerspring mattress number of turns or coils is considered as the main factor. The higher the number of turns the better it is. As a rule of thumb, a good standard size innerspring mattress should possess 200+ coils.
What Should You Do Now?
The answer is obvious. So far, you know the nitty-gritty that makes a safest crib mattress. Before choosing one for your tiny angle must cross-check the specifications with the recommendations in this article.
If your current mattress is not made up to the standard, it is wise replacing it immediately.
The best crib mattress
As an alternative, I have made the process fairly automatic for you. I have handpicked some of the top rated mattress available in the market that is made up to the quality standards. Below is the list before you, just pick any of them and your gift to your baby.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ padding_mobile=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider color=”#e03128″ show_divider=”on” height=”10″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”off” saved_tabs=”all” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”1. Simmons BeautyRest Mattress 2in1″ background_layout=”light” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ border_color_all=”#ffffff”]1. Simmons BeautyRest Mattress 2in1
The best crib mattress of 2018 and top in our list. It serves two purposes.
One side is the coiled side that provides optimal comfort to your newborn. Once the baby is grown up and turned into a toddler, the flipped sides suit his movements as it is made of foam.
So you won’t have to buy a new mattress throughout the crib tenure of your child. The 231 coils and waterproof cover increases its value. It passes all the manufacturing standards set by the government
Pros: Cons:
Bottom Line:
- You should not think twice before buying this.
2. Sealy Soybean Foam Core
Sealy has been a synonym to comfort and pampered. Their crib mattress product is affordable yet doesn’t mean they are of cheap quality.
It passes all the standard quality tests that are backed up by positive consumer reports.
It is based on a soy foam core which provides additional durability. Waterproof covering, square corners provides a better fit and breathable side slats ensure enough ventilation.
Pros: Cons:
Bottom Line:
- Possesses all the good qualities of being a top rated crib mattress.
3. Sealy Baby Firm Rest Crib Mattress Cons: An extra-firm coiled crib mattress with hospital-grade protection that suits to both the infants and toddlers. The mattress passes all the quality tests which makes it highest rated crib mattress. The edges of the mattress are protected with border wires. It consists an air pocket that ensures optimum air circulation. The filling is treated with hypo-allergenic treatments that go easy on the baby’s health. Pros:
Bottom Line:
- A quality crib mattress at an affordable price.
4. Mattress Premium Memory Foam Crib Mattress by My First Mattress
The mattress comes with high-density polyurethane foam providing comfortable sleep to the infant.
The mattress is CertiPUR-US certified and meets all the safety standards. It’s a snug fit mattress that is extra supportive and durable.
The material used as filling and cover is 100 percent hypo-allergenic and mite-proof.
The mattress comes in cream, pink and soft blue colour. Its plush velour cover is easy to remove for cleaning and is washable.
Pros: Cons:
Bottom Line:
- It impressed me with its quality. I can’t advise against it. Just grab it.
5. Dream On Me 3″ Spring Coil Portable Crib Mattress
If you are looking for an extra soft mattress, then this is the product for you.
The inside of the mattress are interwoven steel coils, wrapped in hypo-allergenic and polyurethane foam to prevent any bacteria and odor.
The cover is removable and designed with Lock-stitch venting. It has successfully passed all Federal standard quality and flammability tests and is certified.
Pros: Cons:
Bottom Line:
- A value for money product.
Used or New Mattress: Which One You Should Buy
Never Ever Think About Used Mattresses
Sorry for being a little harsh but it is a common scenario that the parents use the same mattress for their new-born that they used for the elder sibling. Over the time, it has lost its firmness and become lump that might affect the body structure of the infant.
Now think about it. I am deterring you from using the mattress that has been used by the elder sibling then how can you think of buying a mattress used by an unknown baby. Just discard the idea and choose a brand new product.
Crib mattress FAQ
Additionally, for the sake of a child’s welfare, I want to aware you of some basic terms regarding best crib mattress for newborn. Such as:
Q: Are all baby crib mattresses the same size?
Ans: No, there comes a wide variety of sizes depending on the size of the crib. There are two types of crib sizes available in the market- A Standard Size and A Mini Size. So you have to choose a mattress according to the crib size as different options are available for both of them.
Q: What is the actual size of a crib mattress?
Ans: A standard crib mattress is 27 1/4 inches long and 51 5/8 inches in width. The mini crib mattress is of 24 inches long and 38 inches wide. Although these are the standard dimensions yet there is a slight tolerance exemption to the manufacturers. But none of them could be more than 6” in depth.
Q: How big an actual crib mattress is?
Ans: All sizes of standard crib mattresses are governed by a federal government that sets the limit. The minimum size for a standard mattress can’t be lesser than 27 ¼’’ in length and 51 5/8’’ in width and not more than 6 inches in thickness. This is the actual mattress that you will need.
Q: do I need an organic crib mattress?
Ans: Organic crib mattresses are a new boom in the bedding market. No doubt, an organic mattress is free of harmful chemicals yet it doesn’t mean the other options are hazardous. As long as a mattress passes the safety standard set by Federal Government of USA, it is safe and you can consider as best baby crib mattress without hesitation.
Final Advice Before You Buy
No doubt, it’s all about your baby’s health and growth so the mattress should be best of the sort. Although it should fulfill all the criteria of being the best crib mattress yet you must inquire about the brand as well.
It should be reputed and should provide great after sales service like warranty claims. If you are good financially and money or price is not a bar for you I highly recommend Simmons BeautyRest Mattress 2in1.
The said product is made with utmost quality standards and over-delivers it promises. If you want one option that you can go with, choose it and you won’t regret.
Additionally, no matter which product you choose, I must suggest you put some extra care to it the usage. Do wash the cover and dry the mattress and cover up, at least, once in a week. Mind if there happens to be any wear and tear.
The open holes expose the inner filling to the hazardous bacteria and dust mites. You should also flip the mattress every week. It increases the life and durability of the product. Just follow these easy practices and your baby will love his bedding. Hope that helped.
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One thing I’ve found is that the majority of Americans totally underestimate just how vital sleep actually is. Our bodies need uninterrupted sleep in order to repair damaged tissue, rejuvenate our cells, and grow muscle – along with a number of other processes. Plus, any reader that has at any point suffered through a night of low-quality sleep knows precisely how challenging it can be to wake up bright and early, get a move on with your day, and be able to concentrate on the daily tasks you need to focus on. During the process of conducting research for a recent article, I found that the CDC has presented data proving that thirty-three percent of adults do not sleep anywhere near as well as they ought to. It’s completely unacceptable how we’re affecting our bodies when we do not get enough high-quality sleep.