Choosing The Correct Baby Mattress
From birth until your baby reaches a year old he will spend 70% of his time sleeping in his crib. After the first year until about the age of four he will spend 50% of his time sleeping. With your child spending so much time laying on the crib mattress you want to make sure that your child is as safe and comfortable as possible sleeping. This could be more difficult than you think. Many baby mattresses contain toxic substances that your baby inhale while sleeping. The combination of the heat from your child’s body and those leaky toxins have been known to asphyxiate some children. So choosing the right mattress for your child is far more important than you may have guessed.
When choosing a baby mattress try and look for mattresses that are made from organic not synthetic materials as this will decrease the amount of chemicals in the mattress material and be far safer for your baby than those highly toxic synthetic materials. You will have to pay a bit more for these types of mattresses, but most parents feel their child’s health and possibly their life is well worth those extra dollars.
Along with eliminating as many toxins from your babies mattress as possible you are also going to want to make sure that the mattress you choose fits the crib perfectly. Ill fitting mattresses can lead to broken infant limbs, suffocation and a number of other safety problems. Since baby mattresses are usually made in only two sizes it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one that fits your babies crib like it should.
You also want to check on the firmness of that baby mattress. While you want your child to be comfortable a firm mattress is better than a soft one as a baby who manages to turn on their stomach during sleep can easily suffocate if their little face gets buried into a soft latex mattress pad. You really don’t want a mattress that can mold around any part of your baby as you want them to breathe comfortably at all times.
Once you get that baby mattress home make sure that you clean it frequently to keep it fresh and sweet smelling for your baby. Also, make sure that you clean up any milk and water spills almost immediately as a damp baby mattress can start to mildew and cause all kinds of health problems from allergies to lung difficulties. By taking the time to shop smart for that baby mattress you can provide your baby both with comfort and safety.