Your Mattress Questions Answered
Do I have to worry about Antimony, phosphorous, and other chemicals in my mattresses.
Many years ago there was a scare that chemicals used in the production of foam mattresses and fire retardency, were a cause of cot deaths. The whole cot mattress industry was thrown into utter chaos. The TV and press media fueled these fears with some outrageous and irressponsible headlines. The Cook report encouraged all mums to wrap their mattresses in black PVC dustbin bags!! As you can imagine there were thousands and thousands of extremely worried and confused parents in the UK. The UK government had no choice but to set up its team of emminent and highly qualified scientists to completely discredit this poison gas theory and restore some calm.
However as a precaution all the so called chemical "nasties"were then removed from cot mattress production so as to ensure piece of mind.
Futhermore parents were told to ensure :-
1) Sleep babies on their backs
2) Have well ventilated rooms with air movement
3) Ban smoking in the house where there were new babies
4) Ensure Your baby cannot overheat - most quilts and duvets have been reduced in tog rating.
Since most parents have been doing these most important safety routines cot deaths had been reduced significantly.
There are still some scientists that still believe in the toxic gas theory even though they now admit the risk is clearly reduced by the removal of chemical nasties in mattress production and by following the guidlines above......................... However (right or wrong) the debate continues.
All parties (including SIDS) agree that it is absolutely vital that the 4 points above are rigorously carried out.
We would say if you want to be exta safe (and avoid any harmful bacteria growth and dust mites) then in addition to the key points above you can do the following.
a)Buy a mattress with a PU waterproof slider ( NOT PVC) this will stop urine entering the mattress core- ensure the slider is washable at 60°c or more
b) Ensure that the cover on the mattress is removeable and washable at 60°c and wash regulary or after urine or vomit spillage
I want to avoid the risk of harmful bacteria build up on my cot mattress.
this question is answered in the item abopve.
Do
I need to buy an expensive mattress?
Like most things price has a bearing on
durability,comfort etc. In general 3" (7cm) thick mattresses
are best suited to occasional use or short term duration. for long
periods of use you need 10 cm and best durability look for CMHR35 foam or sprung
mattresses.
Does
a mattress have to exactly fit my cot
it is vital that you choose the right size mattress,if you need to measure your cot for a mattress. see our pages on how to do this.
Can I have any mattress in a crib or pram?
Tiny babies are not heavy, and they are not in a crib or pram for
very long, therefore most crib and pram mattresses are made of basic
foam with some have PVC coverings ( we banned PVC from our products). If you wish to have a more substantial
and comfortable mattress that is also anti-allergenic then chose
a surestart crib mattress. very important for a crib or pram mattress that it has some ventilation, and the cover can be removed and washed at 60°c
Is
a Coir Fibre Mattress good for my child?
When Coir Fibre is new there is a good feel to it, however it is
not as durable as a very good quality foam. The so-called natural
effect with the coco fibre that it is made from should not be confused
with the rubberized hair mattresses, these have not been in production
for over ten years.
I
need a mattress only for occasional use.
If
you need a cot mattress for just occasional use, perhaps for when
the family visit then you could get away with just a 7cm (3")
thick one, Sometimes when you purchase a cot and
get a free mattress the mattress supplied with your cot is generally 7cm
thick mattress!- this try and buy one with a removeable cover that you can wash at 60°c
I
need a cot mattress for a Cot bed
If you are going to use a cot mattress for more than 2 years it
is wise to get a more substantial mattress one that is sprung or
with a better quality foam such as CMHR35. As your child gets heavier
and more active the cot-bed mattress need to be able to cope with
the extra weight and stress. There are now pocket asprung mattresses available
I
want a cot-mattress that is anti-allergenic
An anti allergenic cover like safetex will offer maximum protection
against dust mites.
Should
I buy a second-hand mattress or use my mattress for my second or
third child.
If you know the history of the mattress and you are sure that it
has been kept clean, stored well wrapped in dry conditions, with
no possibility of mould or bacteria growth on the inside of the mattress ( either from urine on foam or poor storage conditions). It has not sunk due
to usage and you are able to wash the cover at 60°c.
If you can wash the Cover at 60° then you wont be passing the bacteria of one child on to the other, then there is no problem in using a mattress for a second
child.
However if you have purchased a second hand cot or you are
in any doubt about the history of the mattress then play safe buy
new.
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