What is the Best Organic Crib Mattress?
A mattress is one of the most significant items you can purchase when you’re expecting a new baby. Why? First, your new baby will undoubtedly spend over 70% of their time sleeping in their crib. All new parents want the best for their babies, and a comfortable and safe mattress is no exception.
Many people are becoming aware of the importance of choosing products that are created without the use of harmful toxins and other materials which are harmful to us and the environment, and since we spend so much of our time in bed, this has special importance to our babies.
Non-organic crib mattresses are very dangerous. The chemicals that are used in these traditional mattresses are potentially very unhealthy for our babies. Chemicals that are used in these typical mattresses off-gas and the babies breathe these gases while they’re sleeping. Phosphorus, antimony, and arsenic are some of the chemicals that are used in the manufacture of the typical crib mattress and they are used in flame retardant chemicals.
While there isn’t actual proof that the use of these chemicals is related to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), what is known is that after chemicals were initially added to crib mattresses, the incidents of SIDS rose dramatically.
While the chemicals used for the filling are bad enough, the moisture-proof vinyl covering has various potential health hazards as well. According to the FDA, the vinyl that has been used in the moisture-proof outer layer has been known to cause allergic reactions in many humans. Another issue with the moisture-proof vinyl outer layer is that this material doesn’t breathe and restricts airflow.
When you consider that in conjunction with the chemicals used inside the traditional crib mattress it gets pretty scary. Even though the vinyl outer layer is moisture-proof, these chemicals can still leach through it and your baby can breathe the gasses while inside the crib. The good news is that an organic crib mattress offers a safe and healthy option.
What are the Best Organic Crib Mattresses?
Emily Organic Cotton and Natural Wool Crib Mattress
Emily Natural Crib Mattress is Greenguard GOLD certified and GOTS certified, which means it means very strict standards regarding the manufacture process and materials. This natural mattress allows your baby to sleep as close to nature as possible at an affordable price. It’s handcrafted with the highest quality materials including organic cotton and Oeko-Tex certified American Eco-wool natural wool quilted cover, organic cotton batting and heavy-duty 150-coil innerspring with a supportive edge.
The wool acts as a natural flame retardant meaning your baby won’t be exposed to any dangerous flame retardant chemicals. It’s also naturally antimicrobial and resistant to dust mites and bedbugs. These crib mattresses are free from polyurethane foams found in conventional mattresses that can off-gas and cause health issues for your little one. You can be sure that this crib mattress is made from 100% natural materials. You are always looking for the best for your baby, and you just found it.
Wildfern 2-Stage Natural Crib Mattress
Wildfern 2-Stage Crib Mattress is made with a firm organic coconut-husk layer for babies. Once your child is bigger, you can flip the mattress to the other side with a plush organic latex layer. This natural latex helps control body temperature, protecting your child from overheating. You don’t have to get a mattress protector because the waterproof cover is easy to clean.
This organic crib mattress was made without chemical fire retardants, which is certified by GREENGUARD Gold, the most stringent, third-party emissions standard for toxin exposure and pollutants.
Lullaby Earth Healthy Support Crib Mattress 2 Stage
This Lullaby Earths Mattress has a 2 stage design which helps provide just the right firmness level for your growing baby. This organic crib mattress with Greenguard certification has a firm and durable design and it features a waterproof cover which is easy to clean, and with 6.5 pounds of weight, it’s a lightweight option that will make sheet changing easier.
This Lullaby Earth’s mattress contains no potential allergens or harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), or pesticides. It’s free from glues/adhesives, GMOs, flame retardant chemicals, polyurethane foam, or vinyl/PVC. This baby crib mattress is GreenGuard certified, it’s got seamless edges, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Classic Crib Mattress
Naturepedic crib mattress combines natural, non-toxic and healthy materials. It’s GOTS certified and Greenguard GOLD certified. This Naturepedic crib mattress features the U.S. grown organic cotton filling (no polyurethane foam). The easy to clean 100% polyethylene waterproof surface is so pure that it meets food contact standards (No Vinyl, PVC, phthalates, lead or biocides).
The waterproof surface also provides an impenetrable barrier to dust mites. Exclusive non-toxic fire protection is naturally derived and meets and exceeds all federal and state flammability standards. There’s also no latex, coir, wool or other potential allergy-triggering materials. Naturepedic mattresses ensure firm support for your baby.
Colgate EcoSpring Ultra II
This organic cotton innerspring crib mattress with waterproof cover is an eco-friendly mattress made of natural, sustainable component materials. Colgate EcoSpringUltra II mattress includes renewable coir fiber from coconut shell husks, the highest quality material available for child/adult mattress pads and insulators, eco-friendly foam cushioning layers that are CertiPUR-US certified for high-quality, and an extra soft, waterproof rayon cloth cover made with natural bamboo fibers.
The mattress spring unit is exceptionally high quality with 150 coils of extra-thick 13.5-gauge tempered steel and 9.0-gauge border rods for extra edge support, which ensures extra firmness and durability. This eco-friendly mattress fits all standard size American cribs and toddler beds and passes all federal and state requirements for flammability and chemical composition and has been Greenguard Gold certified to have no harmful air emissions.
How to Choose a Good Crib Mattress?
A nice looking baby crib but without the best, certified organic crib mattress to complete it will still not serve its function fully. This is the reason why one has to choose the mattress carefully. You must also bear in mind that babies are delicate and where they sleep as well as the position in which they sleep can have a big impact on their health. Safety of the baby is another major issue that one has to consider when buying baby mattresses, bedding, and cribs.
- Quality – Just because you’re familiar with the brand for adult mattresses doesn’t mean that it’s of high quality for your baby. Check out the following to ensure that the crib mattress you’re looking at is of the highest standards. Is the manufacturer a member of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA)? Is it fire retardant? While most new models today are, older mattresses may not be. Were there any recalls on this model? Receiving answers to the above will provide you a great start to understanding the quality of the mattress that you’ll be considering.
- Firmness – You want to choose a mattress that is firm. Not only will your baby sleep more soundly on a firm mattress (although possibly counter-intuitive), but your baby will also be safer. A softer mattress can be the cause of suffocation and can certainly be a safety hazard. If it’s too soft, the baby’s mouth and nose could become engulfed in the fabric.
- Covers – Consider also the cover of your crib mattress. They come in different covers; some have multi-layer while others have a single layer. Some have an antimicrobial layer which helps reduce the amount of germs that might accumulate on the mattress due to things like spittle and urine from the baby. Crib mattress reviews have it that those with a multi-layer cover tend to last longer than those that have a single layer. Check to ensure that the mattress cover is well sealed. Choose one where the cover edges are not sharp so that you don’t expose the baby to any injury risks.
- Water Proof – You might want to consider choosing a mattress that has water-proof features. If urine leaks from your baby’s diaper, the mattress won’t absorb it. It makes clean-up easier for you and it prolongs the life of the mattress.
- Size and Type – Hopefully it goes without saying that you need the size of the mattress to fit the crib. Preferably, the tighter it fits inside the crib the better. Luckily, the manufacturer has made this simple and there’re only a few standard sizes to choose from.
Why is an Organic Crib Mattress the Best Choice?
Considering that every mother would like the best for her newborn, it’s only natural for them to purchase a nontoxic crib and an organic crib mattress to ensure that heir baby sleeps well at night. In recent times far more parents have switched to natural solutions to give their newborns the very best start in life, so there is absolutely no exception to this rule when deciding what their baby would sleep on.
The main reason why natural mattresses make so much sense is that they are not releasing harmful chemicals. Research has shown that babies could develop SIDS because they are breathing in the chemicals from their non-organic mattress. Some 2,500 cases of SIDS were reported because of certain mattresses. It’s believed that the foam core, chemicals and vinyl covering combined are the main sources of SIDS.
These chemicals go through the vinyl cover and can be absorbed into your baby’s body and breathed into their respiratory system. The organic mattress covering is so important because it’s a natural flame retardant and stands up to all the regulations of the Consumer Product Safety Commission without the use of any chemicals.
Buying organic baby mattresses and other organic baby products is a great step towards ensuring the health of our children – not only because it’s better for them right now, but because organically grown material is better for the environment as a whole. This is the same environment we will pass along to our children and their children in years to come. Organic crib mattresses are produced without any of the harmful chemicals traditional non-portable and portable crib mattresses contain.
Organic baby crib mattresses are made of 100% organic material, most of which is organic cotton. Organically grown cotton is great for the environment and absolutely the healthiest choice you can make for you and your family. Because organic crib mattresses don’t contain any of the harmful chemicals that could potentially be the cause of SIDS, you can put your baby to sleep knowing you’re doing your absolute best for him or her.
How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Baby’s Room?
The good news is that there’re home improvement options that can help you make the air cleaner for your children. You see, kids are a lot more susceptible to the toxins that are in the air we breathe today.
They have skin that is more permeable, they take in more air than we do and even get more food and water per pound of their weight than adults do. If you’re planning a nursery for a new baby or just want to improve the room of your children, here are a few ideas to help you improve the air quality in the bedroom:
- If you’re going to put in new flooring, wallpaper or you plan on painting the walls, there are a few things to consider. You need to think about volatile organic compounds, which are often known as VOCs. This is what you smell when you first paint a room. These VOCs are chemicals that are toxic and things such as adhesives, varnishes, paints, and pesticides emit them. These VOCs can be dangerous and they are linked to certain health problems, including irritation to the throat, eyes, and nose, nausea, damage to the kidneys, headaches, cancers, and damage to the central nervous system.
- Furniture can also release VOCs into the air. In order to reduce your baby’s exposure to those toxic compounds consider buying a non-toxic crib and other nursery furniture that’s Greenguard Gold certified.
- To avoid these dangers in your child’s room, you should go with paint and wallpaper options that are no-VOC or low-VOC. This way these nasty chemicals aren’t released into the air in your child’s room, causing dangerous health issues. If you’re putting up vinyl wallpaper, you need to realize that some gas can be given off from this wallpaper for a while after you apply it, so you should put up any wallpaper in advance or at least make sure there’s plenty of ventilation in the area. An even better idea is to go with wallpapers that are made out of materials that are all-natural.
- As you look for materials to decorate or re-decorate your child’s room, try looking for organic and natural materials such as an organic mattress, candle, and furniture. Look for dyes that are vegetable-based as well. Make sure that there’s plenty of ventilation so that fresh air is going through the room to eliminate any gasses or toxins in the air.
- It’s also advisable you use organic products in cleaning your baby’s room. This way you can rest comfortably knowing that the air in your child’s room is as clean as possible.
- Air purifiers convert dirty air into fresh, clean air and also free the air from pollutants and contaminants. They’re very beneficial for people suffering from allergies and can help alleviate your baby from asthma attacks.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a plethora of crib mattresses on the market that contain materials or additives that can be toxic. Make sure to do your homework when researching the mattress, as well as other baby products, to purchase for your little one. Sticking to organic baby mattresses or one made from all-natural materials ensures that your child won’t spend over 50% of their time lying on a mattress that may be unsafe.
If you’re looking for natural nursery products, make sure you check our organic baby crib review!
Next year, don’t forget to check our article about non toxic beds for toddlers!
Have you already chosen a crib mattress for your little one? Please share your experiences and questions in the comment section below.
