Please visit our CribMattressReviews.com Crib Mattress Buying Guide page (link above) for a more detailed explanation of the different types of crib mattresses as well as their unique features and major differences.
Crib Mattress Basics
A Crib Mattress is one of the most important purchases you will make for your baby. Not only will your baby spend more than 50% of his time on this mattress, it will provide the support he needs for his growing body. A quality mattress is key, considering your baby will use it until he is about 3 years old. A crib mattress should be made of high quality materials, be very supportive and meet the needs of both you and your baby.
Types of Crib Mattresses:
Foam: One major advantage of a Foam Crib Mattress is that is weighs significantly less that an Innerspring/Coil Mattress- 6 lbs vs. 30 lbs. This makes it easier for a parent to lift the foam crib mattress to change sheets. A top quality crib foam mattress features high density foam. High density measures the total amount of weight of the crib mattress (the less air and more foam). The higher the density of a foam mattress,.. the better.
Features:
Cover: The crib mattress cover, also called "ticking", determines the life expectancy of your baby’s crib mattress. Crib mattresses covered with a single layer are less expensive than those with multiple layers. Keep in mind that vinyl tears more easily than nylon. A good quality mattress should have a cover comprised of two or more layers. One layer should be made of a heavy-gauge nylon and bonded to a waterproof material. Heavy-gauge binding stitches should secure the top and bottom cover panels to the side panels. Triple laminate covers are considered to be the best. They are comprised of two layers of vinyl with nylon in-between.
Accessories
Crib Bedding is available in many styles and collections to suit your individual needs and decor. A four-sided bumper should surround your crib to protect your infant from the crib rails.
Crib Sheets are available in a wide variety of colors and are even included in collection sets. Your crib sheet should be fitted and fit taut around your mattress.
Crib Wedges position your baby either on his side or back for support and help him breath easier while he sleeps.
Waterproof Mattress Pads, available either fitted or zippered, extend the life of your mattress and make it more comfortable for your baby to sleep.
Crib Mattress Safety Tips
• Do not place a comforter or pillow in a crib with your newborn. It poses a suffocation risk.
• Never use any kind of loose plastic to waterproof the crib mattress. It too poses a suffocation risk.
• There should be no more than two-fingers width between the edge of the crib mattress and the side of the crib. Your child could slip through, causing serious injury. Most top quality crib mattresses are cut larger and fit very snug in your baby’s crib.
• Every area of the mattress is a potential sleeping surface, so the mattress should be consistent in its firmness. Feel the mattress to see that there are no soft spots and that it is firm at the edges.
Crib Mattress Price Range
A high density Foam Crib Mattress ranges in price from $150-$200. A high quality Innerspring/Coil Mattress ranges in price from $150 and can go up as high as $300+. The quality and type of crib mattress you choose will determine the price.
Crib Mattress Buying Tips
• Look for a nylon-reinforced cover as it prolongs the life of the crib mattress.
• Measure the crib for mattress size before you buy your crib mattress. Although most standard cribs measure 51 5/8 inches by 27 1/4 inches, some older cribs may have different dimensions. A crib mattress should also not be more than six inches high. Do not ever use a crib manufactured before 1978.
• Check a used crib mattresses at edges and at center for any soft spots.
• Vent holes should be located on either side of the mattress to allow odors to escape, keeping your mattress fresh.
The two major styles of crib mattresses are foam and innerspring. Which is better? Today, the answer to this question is not a definitive one. Scientific advances in the making of foam have caused the quality of foam crib mattresses to improve dramatically. A better quality foam crib mattress today is about the same quality as a better quality innerspring crib mattress. The costs are also very comparable. One thing is definitive in the choice of a crib mattress: a better quality foam crib mattress is better than a poorer quality innerspring crib mattress, and a better quality innerspring crib mattress is better than a poorer quality foam crib mattress. On the top 5 list from a leading consumer magazine, the number one crib mattress was made from foam, and 2 through 5 were innerspring.
The most important things to look for in a crib mattress are found on the inside of the crib mattress where you can't see them. This is why it is important that you buy from a crib mattress manufacturer and a retailer with good reputations for quality. For example, most people are unaware of the fact that most crib mattresses with names identical to the names found on national adult mattresses are not made by those same companies that make the adult mattresses. They are usually just names licensed by, or shared with, a crib mattress manufacturer from the adult mattress company so they can take advantage of the nationally known name to increase their sales to the public. A second example is the crib mattress manufacturer that buys their foam on the close-out market. It feels heavy, it feels firm, but it doesn't hold up over time because it is a type of foam that is not designed for crib mattresses.
One of the biggest advantages to a foam crib mattress is that it weighs less than eight pounds, as compared to an innerspring crib mattress, for which better quality ones weigh 30 plus pounds because of the thicker gauge coils and extra padding.
There is a trend for crib mattress manufacturers to use laminated mattress covers that use something other than a nylon reinforcement. Nylon is the best and most expensive reinforcing material and adds to the overall quality of the crib mattress. Also, there is a trend today towards antibacterial vinyl. This vinyl slows the growth of bacteria but doesn't stop it. Antibacterial is fine, but you can get as good germ protection from a washable, waterproof mattress pad, and you have less chemicals near the skin of your baby.
The crib mattress is an important part of your child's first two years of growth and development. Spending the most amount of money doesn't necessarily mean you purchased the best crib mattress, but choosing one which is very supportive, high quality, and meets the needs of the parents and the child should be your goal. There is no substitute for quality.
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