Baby crib mattress - the complete review
Contents
The best baby crib mattresses
Good sleep is essential for a baby’s health and development. A baby’s natural need for rest is so great, in fact, that sleeping occupies most of their time. This is why it’s paramount that you select the best mattress for your little one. With that said, the criteria for selecting the right bed for your infant or toddler can be somewhat counterintuitive. As adults, we generally select the most comfortable mattress for ourselves. This, however, shouldn’t be your primary concern when shopping for your baby. Safety is far more important when considering a baby crib mattress since bedding can potentially contribute to infant suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Also, unlike adults, comfort doesn’t seem to matter to babies. Whenever they are tired, they can seemingly sleep anytime, anywhere, and on any surface.
Graco Premium Foam Crib
5/5
- Overall best rated baby crib mattress
Colgate Eco Classica
5/5
- Best organic baby crib mattress
How to find the best baby mattress
The daunting process of finding the right mattress for your young child can be both perplexing and time-consuming. There is a myriad of options to choose from, although crib mattress size and thickness are regulated by the federal government. Realizing the difficulty posed by this selection process, we decided to research baby crib mattresses and review the ten highest-rated beds for you. In doing so, user reviews, mattress brands, and mattress component materials were considered. Continue reading to find out more about these products and to learn what to look for in a baby crib mattress.
Newton Baby’s Wovenaire Crib Mattress
Newton Baby’s Wovenaire Crib Mattress, designed for both infants and toddlers, receives high marks for its safety, comfortability, ease of maintenance, and aesthetics. Most importantly, this bed protects your sleeping child from suffocation and potential allergic reactions and does not release harmful chemicals into the air. Its 100% breathable “woven air” design includes a core, that’s 10% food-grade polymer and 90% free air, 330 times more porous than other beds. This core is also covered in a breathable fabric. All of this allows your child to easily breathe right through the mattress, which is important because many young children prefer lying on their stomachs. Just as important, this mattress doesn’t contain hazardous substances like glue, latex or foam that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. It is hypoallergenic, GREENGUARD GOLD certified and was found to have the lowest levels of VOCs.
The Wovenaire Crib Mattress ensures your baby or toddler’s comfort with its aerated design, which prevents overheating by allowing heat to dissipate. It is easy to clean and maintain. This mattress has an unzippable cover that makes it fast and simple to wash at home. It also is recyclable and has a convenient and stylish design. With dimensions of 52” X 28” X 5.5”, it is compatible with all standard cribs. You can also order this bed in four pleasing colors, including sky blue, moonlight grey, sunrise pink, and white.
- Breathable
- Lightweight
- GREENGUARD GOLD certified
- Easy to clean
Nook Sleep Pebble Air Ultra Lite Crib Mattress
The two-sided Pebble Air Ultra Lite Crib Mattress by Nook Sleep is expertly designed to keep your child cool and comfortable, resist liquids and stains, and repel mites, mold, and fungus. It's two-sided/two-stage design and sturdy construction make it a bed engineered to serve your child from infancy through his/her toddler years. This seven-pound featherweight bed, one of the lightest on the market, weighs about as much as your baby. In this exceedingly light package, designers have placed a four-inch CertiPUR-US foam core with airflow-maximizing channels down the middle to dissipate heat and keep your child comfortable. The cooling effect of this mattress is further enhanced by its raised pebble surface that allows air to flow under sleepers.
This Nook Sleep bed’s technologically advanced coverings and coatings give it special properties. Rather than being sprayed with dangerous fire-retarding chemicals, it is wrapped in a hypoallergenic, fire-slowing cover. This wrap has been bathed in a patented NanoSphere bath that makes it resistant to stains and liquids. As a result, it’s not necessary to use troublesome and sometimes expensive mattress pads on this bed. Additionally, bed mites, mold, and fungus are repelled by the zinc guards of the cover.
Nook Sleep’s Pebble Air Ultra Lite Crib Mattress is made in the U.S.A. Its dimensions are a convenient 28” X 53” X 4”. You can order it in one of two beautiful colors: “blush”; or “cloud.”
- No mattress pad required
- Non-toxic and breathable
- Anti-mite, anti-mold, anti-fungal
- Extremely lightweight
Sealy Premier Posture Dual Stage Crib Mattress
Sealy, one of the most recognizable and respected mattress brands, has produced this well-designed dual-stage cribbed. Cost-effective and practical, this mattress will adapt to your growing child’s ever-changing needs. The firmer side better suits infants, while the other, softer side, is better for toddlers. Infants benefit from the greater support on their side provided by 204 steel coils, border/edge wires, six EverEdge strength pillars and an “anti-slouch” system that evenly distributes their weight across the bed. The bed’s other side features an added layer of extra soft cotton for your toddler’s comfort.
Sealy’s Premier Posture Dual Stage Crib Mattress is one of the safest baby beds on the market. After exceeding expectations on over a hundred tests related to general safety, chemical toxicity, and durability, it has been found to meet or exceed even the strictest U.S. standards (like those of ASTIM International and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)). Of course, Sealy’s mattress is also GREENGUARD Gold certified.
This bed is extremely hygienic and easy to clean. Its waterproof and stain-resistant cover repels allergens and liquids. The cover’s lock-stitched binding prevents water from entering the mattress and causing mildew and mold. When accidents inevitably do occur, they can be cleaned up easily with a wet washcloth.
As one of the world’s most trusted mattress producers, Sealy offers a reliable product that meets or exceeds most specifications. It is made in the U.S.A. and conveniently designed to fit standard cribs. More importantly, Sealy offers a lifetime warranty on their bed’s materials and workmanship.
- Double-sided, dual staged
- Waterproof cover
- Easy to clean
- No chemicals
Dream on Me Three-Inch Mini/Portable Crib Mattress
Dream on Me’s Three-Inch Mini/Portable Crib Mattress offers what most other crib mattresses provide but in a more portable form. It meets 16-CFR 1633 safety standards and has been proven to be free of allergens, phthalate, lead and other toxins. This crib mattress’ waterproof cover prevents mildew, mold, bacterial growth and associated odors. Messes can easily be handled with soap and a wet washcloth.
This quality bed is made in the U.S.A., weighs 1.9 pounds, and can be used in a 24” X 28” crib. Dream on Me covers their bed with a 30-day warranty but does not recommend using it with a playard.
- Portable
- No phthalate or lead
- Antibacterial and allergen-free
- Easy-to-clean, waterproof cover
Milliard Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress
Milliard’s Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress, while good for both infants and toddlers, provides your infant with the firmness and support necessary to reduce the risk of smothering and SIDS. It does this with a combination of special foams, edge support, and a stiff polyester cover. All this prevents the bed from deforming and keeps your baby from sinking into the mattress.
Like other baby crib mattresses on this list, Milliard’s is hypoallergenic and is CertiPUR-US certified toxin-free. However, unlike other crib beds, this bed’s cover is only waterproof on the top and sides to prevent damage from accidents. The bottom of the bed is open, allowing air circulation.
Milliard’s baby crib mattress is durable and will maintain its form for many years. Its foam is dense, making this bed’s weight of 11.7 pounds more than others on this list. The dimensions of Milliard’s bed are 52” X 27.5 X 4.75.”
- Dense foam – help prevent SIDS
- CertiPUR-US certified
- Hypoallergenic
- Waterproof
Babyletto Pure Core Non-Toxic Crib Mattress
Babyletto is dedicated to providing you with a safe, toxin-free product made of high-quality natural materials. Their Pure Core Non-Toxic Crib Mattress is made with hypoallergenic materials and doesn’t contain dyes, PVC, vinyl, phthalates, or chemical fire retardants. Like other crib mattresses, Babyletto has a waterproof cover that makes cleanups quick and easy by preventing liquid from getting into the bed. Your child will also benefit from this bed’s two-sided, dual-stage construction. Like babies, they will be protected by their firm side. Then, as they grow into toddlers, they will appreciate the softness of its other side.
Babyletto Pure Core Non-Toxic Crib Mattress has dimensions of 52 X 27.5 X 5.125”. Babyletto uses only the best materials, from the most natural sources, to manufacture its products. The company also stands by its beds with a limited 10-year warranty.
- Non-Toxic
- Hypoallergenic
- Two-sided, dual staged
- Convenient to clean
Emily Crib Mattress by My Green Mattress
My Green Mattress’ Emily Crib Mattress delivers both firmness and comfort in an all-natural, safe product. The Emily Crib bed’s organic materials include Oeko-Tex certified eco-wool from California and Oregon that meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), GOTS certified cotton, latex meeting the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and organic coconut coir. No fire-slowing chemicals are used on this bed since its quilted eco-wool cover is a natural flame retardant. Also, instead of its inner support being derived from toxic vapor-emitting polyurethane foam, it uses organic cotton batting and a supportive 13.5 gauge, 150-coil innerspring. Additionally, this mattress has an organic coconut coir and latex pad.
The Emily Crib Mattress, made in the U.S.A, is well-designed and has met or exceeded several safety standards. It weighs a little more than 15.375 pounds and measures 27.25” X 52” X 6”. The bed is conveniently two-sided, with each identical side having the same firmness so that it can be flipped in case of an accident. It has passed both the 16 CFR 1632 and 1633 flammability tests and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has declared it lead-free. The mattress has also been GREENGUARD GOLD certified, meaning that it has the lowest VOC emissions. My Green Mattress covers this bed against any manufacturer’s defects with a 10-year warranty.
- Organic and non-toxic
- GREENGUARD GOLD certified
- Two sides of equal firmness and quality
- 10-year warranty
Heavenly Dreams Crib & Toddler Bed Mattress by Safety 1st
This affordable, high-quality crib mattress gives buyers the biggest bang for their buck. Produced by Safety 1st, the most recommended crib mattress brand in America, the Heavenly Dreams Crib & Toddler Bed Mattress fits standard cribs and toddler beds and offers the most features for the lowest price. Its firm, the thermo-bonded core provides a safe resting place for both infants and toddlers. Encasing this is an easy-to-clean, waterproof vinyl outer cover that prevents stains, mildew and odors. Weighing just under seven pounds, the 5” Heavenly Dreams bed is also easy to position and flip.
Not only is the Heavenly Dreams mattress affordable and loaded with features, but it is also toxin-free. The bed is phthalate and lead-free and GREENGUARD GOLD certified for low VOC emissions. It also comes with a limited 5-year manufacturer’s warranty. *Note: this mattress has a fifty-pound weight limit.
- Competitively priced
- GREENGUARD GOLD certified
- Easy-to-clean, waterproof cover
- Lightweight
Little Dreamer Crib Mattress by Moonlight Slumber
Liquid, stain, odor, and mite-resistant, the Little Dreamer Crib Mattress by Moonlight Slumber is hypoallergenic and easily cleaned with a moist washcloth. The mattress is strong and long-lasting, with side-stitched seams and a resilient nylon cover. It has been thoroughly tested, GREENGUARD GOLD certified and contains no polyurethane, phthalates, lead, antimony, vinyl, PVC or trisphosphate.
The Little Dreamer Crib Mattress, produced in the U.S., has a practical design and dimensions of 52” X 27.5” X 5”. It is made to adapt to your child’s changing needs. One side is firmer and specially crafted for infants, while the other is plusher for the comfort of toddlers. All things considered, this is a long-lasting bed that will serve your child for many years.
- Waterproof
- Easy-to-clean
- Hypoallergenic
- Lightweight
Naturepedic Organic Waterproof Baby Crib Protector Pad
Although not a mattress, this pad is one of the best crib mattress protectors currently on the market. The pad features GOTS-certified materials and DrySleep technology that makes it comfortable and waterproof, yet breathable. Its ultra-thin waterproof layer is placed between two layers of cotton, which allows for evaporation while preventing interior liquid penetration. The 50” X 76” Naturepedic Crib Protector Pad isn’t treated with any toxic, flame-retarding chemicals and has elastic corner straps for easy attachment.
- GOTS-certified materials
- Organic, non-toxic
- Waterproof, but breathable
- Easy attachment with elastic corner straps
A natural baby crib mattress gives a better start
Starting off the healthiest life for a new baby takes a lot of work, determination, and research. It's essential to have a crib, car seat, and even stroller that meet the industry's safety standards. But a healthy start goes beyond the nuts and bolts of the necessities. Investing in a natural crib mattress could be some of the best money spent on the new life you are now responsible for guiding.
A natural crib mattress is free of all traces of the toxic chemicals used for pest control and fertilizer when the fibers are growing. It is free of all the harmful dies and solutions that are often added during the manufacturing process. Choosing a natural crib mattress ensures your baby the toxin-free sleep that you desire for him. And since babies spend a large amount of their day sleeping, it will give them the best start to a bright future.
The move towards organic things has been on the rise over the last few years. Part of the movement is out of concern for the environment and what the chemicals are doing to the planet. Most of the action is from people who want a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families.
Even with the rise in popularity of organic products, linens and clothing are only beginning to make their mark. Finding a natural crib mattress may not be as easy as just going to the local retail store. Fortunately, a determined parent can find a natural crib mattress at numerous sites online. It may take a little time to find, and it may cost a bit more than the synthetic products available at the MegaStore, but the investments you make today will offer your new baby a great beginning. A natural crib mattress will bring comfort to you both, so take some time to look into one today.
How to Care for Your New Baby Crib Mattress
When caring for your baby’s mattress, maintaining its level of safety for your child is of utmost importance. Therefore, your greatest concerns are: minimizing toxic fume release; preventing bacteria, mildew and mold growth; and maintaining the mattress’ firmness. In the following paragraphs are some tips for effectively handling these issues.
It’s important to prepare your baby crib mattress prior to using it properly. First, you should unbox the bed and allow it to air out for some hours. This will help both dissipate the “new mattress smell” and any accumulated VOCs that may have escaped from it. You might also want to give your mattress an initial wipe down with a damp washcloth to clear away any foreign materials. After it has dried out, protect your new bed with a mattress pad or cover that will minimize the effects of future accidents.
Once in use, it’s critical to routinely clean and disinfects your baby mattress. Vacuum away any debris or dust and wipe away any stains or spills. Following your bed’s specific instructions, immediately clean up any accidents to prevent bacteria, mold and/or mildew growth. Doing this will minimize the harmful organic particles your child breathes in.
In order to maintain the uniform firmness of your mattress, it’s crucial to rotate it periodically. This will prevent it from developing uneven firmness and wear. Moreover, this measure will safeguard your baby from potentially sinking into the mattress. Of course, periodic rotation of the bed will also enhance and maintain its level of comfort. This will become more important for your child as he/she ages.
A customer's advice
A perfect mattress is a must for a good quality crib. While I got pregnant the second time, I just purchased a quality mattress for the old crib. It helped me save money in buying a crib and invested the money in decorating the nursery. I researched and visited a couple of super malls in my locality and prepared a checklist to choose the right kind of mattress for the crib.
Here is the guideline for you
The dimensions of the mattress should be checked against those of your crib. Choosing the right sized mattress shouldt be a serious problem, considering that most of the cribs and crib mattresses are made to set dimensions nowadays. However, standards might not be followed by certain doubtful brands. Generally, you should make sure that the mattress fits snugly in the crib frame, such that not more than one finger fits between both around the crib.
Buy a firm mattress! If the babies turn over at night, it's hard for them to lift their heads out of a soft mattress. To verify firmness- hold the mattress by placing your hands in the center on both sides and compress. The more challenging it is to press the mattress, the more firm it is.
Dont worry about the choice between a foam or coil mattress. In reality, it doesn't matter. Foam crib mattresses are not only lighter and more comfortable to move around but also less costly as compared to the others. Also, given they are not too soft, they are equally safe. In the case of coil mattresses, more coils- though not always indicative of quality- make the mattress more firm.
Best crib mattress for your money
For durability, always check the cover. Multi-layer covers, such as a triple layer of vinyl or water-resistant material, would be a good pick. These days, crib mattresses also come with a topmost layer that is anti-microbial in its properties. This cover is a great way to decrease germs' adverse effects resulting from burping, spit ups, and mishaps with diapers.
Lastly, consider the cost. Spending $75 to $100 on a crib mattress would be a reasonable expense, as you are sure to find a good quality, practical and hard-wearing mattress for that price. So if you are on a budget, there's no need to agonize over the fact that you cannot afford the best for your bundle of joy. As it is, spending more on mattresses will hardly fetch you more extraordinary features or better quality.
My recommendation for a new mother:
Almost any well-known mattress company knows how hard it can be for a first-time parent to make the right choices. So, by providing the best quality and use standardized features, they will ensure that selecting the mattress you make will effectively be the best one.
Final words
The aforementioned list of reviewed safe, high-quality crib mattresses should provide you with a good starting point for your crib mattress shopping. Our listed reviews cover a wide array of mattress options and give you a good idea of what is currently available. When searching for the best mattress for your child, remember that safety is your greatest concern. Ideally, you want a firm, non-toxic mattress with low VOC emissions that is easy to position and clean. Depending on your particular needs, you can find a mattress that meets your other varied requirements. If you need further assistance, you can always consult other Amazon reviews and manufacturer websites.