crib mattresses

[Anonymous]

OK, i just can't decide. for those of you that have bought mattresses, either for this one or for an older child, what did you buy, did you like it, and why did you go with that one? did anyone get one that you'd never buy again? i'm just totally overwhelmed with foam vs. coil, coil counts, firmness, etc...

i'm also trying to go as organic as possible for this baby but the costs of the organic mattresses are really blowing my mind. if anyone has anything to share on that topic too, feel free.

thanks DCUMs!!

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I took the recommendation from the "Baby Bargains" book and bought a foam mattress. I'm 34 weeks pregnant, and haven't used it yet, so I'm not much help there. We try to use/buy organic products, but just could not justify the prices of the organic mattresses. I decided on the foam because (1) it's supposed to be lighter and easier to maneuver than a coil mattress (handy for the inevitable sheet changes) and (2) there didn't appear to be any difference in comfort/durability from a coil mattress. It IS totally overwhelming! For mattresses and lots of other stuff, I did like the "Baby Bargains" book because it helped us sort out some quality vs. price issues. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I also got the matteress recommended in Baby Bargains, except I think I got a newer version. The one we bought is super firm on one side for infants, and slightly softer on the other side for toddlers. I'm 24 weeks pregnant so like the PP, I have not used mine yet either.

[Anonymous]

My daughter was originally in a bassinet so did not go to a crib until she was about 2 mos old. I also followed the Baby Bargains book and bought a Colgate foam mattress. I kept the cover on and laid a sheet/pad over it to try it out. I found the mattress overly hard and looked like my daughter was not comfortable. I exchanged it for a Colgate coil mattress (both foam and coil were from BBB) which was firm but had just a little more give than the foam one. My daughter is now 2 and we have had no problems with the coil mattress. It's all about preference so each person may have a different experience.

[Anonymous]

I would also suggest X-posting this on the General Parenting thread to get actual parent's advice.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the great advice, and PP i will do that. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We have the Naturepedic Organic mattress (the standard one), and couldn't be happier. It's nice and firm, so less risk of SIDS. Since the baby will be sleeping so much and spend so much time in the crib, we decided to go the organic chemical-free route. Yes, it's expensive, but will be used for a long time. They also have nice waterproof organic mattess pads and sheets. I figure, as adults we spend $$$$$ on a good mattress, so why skimp on our little one!

[Anonymous]

Has anyone actually used a coil mattress (or the Naturepedic) and found it a problem to lift it up to change sheets?

I looked at the Naturepedic Organic mattress, and love it (despite the price), but it is SOOO heavy - like 30 lbs! The guy at Great Beginnings actually recommended against it because he said it would be difficult to manuever and change sheets if the crib is against the wall. I guess weight is a problem with coil generally, and so he recommended foam. Any other good/bad experiences lifting up coil mattresses?

Also, for those interested in organic mattresses, Colgate is coming out with a foam version next month, so that might be a solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone actually used a coil mattress (or the Naturepedic) and found it a problem to lift it up to change sheets?

We have the Naturepedic standard organic coil mattress and are pleased with it. The weight doesn't bother me. But...I have purchased several easy-to-change fitted "safety" crib sheets from babycenter.com that don't require taking off the entire fitted sheet. Basically you put on an entire fitted safety sheet around the mattress once, but then can replace the top part whenever it gets soiled with these alternating top sheets that zip on and off for easy/quick replacement. We also use the ultimate crib sheet and sheet savers to avoid having to change the entire crib sheet in the middle of the night of after a blowout. So much easier to just peel/zip the dirty one off and replace it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this info - very helpful. One follow-up question for the PP: is there a difference between the "safety" crib sheets you've described and the Ultimate Crib Sheet? I've heard of that one, but am trying to figure out if I should have both (as you seem to) or if they have the same function.

[Anonymous]

I too bought the Colgate foam mattress recommended by Baby Bargains. Yes, it's harder then my mattress, but it's supposed to be. You want a firm mattress for babies. My 5 month old DD seems to like it fine-- but I guess she doesn't have anything to compare it to! ; )

[Anonymous]

We also have the Naturepedic and have been very happy with it!

I love that it didn't have that new mattress smell.

My daughter is 11 months and I don't think it's that hard to change the sheets.

Also, the price differential didn't seem to be so much as to make it cost prohibitive ($260) . You can easily save money in other areas to make up the difference. For me, it was worth the peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

Sorry if my post was a little confusing. The mattress costs $260, so it's probably about $150 more than other mattresses. And, it's definitely something they will spend a lot of time using--probably more than any other baby item!

[Anonymous]

I got the Sealy Baby Posturepedic Crib Mattress (coil) from Amazon.com, based on the good reviews. It was $70, arrived promtly and the quality is great. DS isn't due until January, so we haven't used it, but it is thick, firm and not too heavy. Sheets are easy to change by lifting up the mattress and propping it on one end. I bought an organic sheet, since that will be the thing touching baby's skin.