How to buy the right mattress for your baby

Mattresses are something parents always want to get right: read our handy guide to choosing the right one for your child

Words Absolutely Mama

Buying Guide to Baby Mattresses and Bedding

It’s a significantly exciting period when you’re expecting your first child, but knowing how to choose the right mattresses and bedding can sometimes seem a little overwhelming.

Baby Beds

Before choosing your mattress and bedding, you’ll need to know which baby bed you will use. The safest place for your baby to sleep is on their own sleep surface, in the same room as you, for at least the first six months. Many parents use a smaller crib or moses basket for the first 4-6 months then move the baby into a cot or cot bed. Co-sleeping cots and bedside cribs are also becoming increasingly popular as they attach to the side of the parent’s bed, keeping the baby close but in their own crib.

Mattress

Whichever baby bed you choose, a firm and flat mattress is recommended for safer sleep. It is advised to use a new mattress for your baby, which should be in good condition and fit the Moses basket or cot properly. Many baby beds come with a foam mattress included, but lots of parents choose to research and buy a better quality mattress for their baby to sleep on.

Natural fibre or organic mattresses can provide superior breathability to foam mattresses, helping the baby regulate their body temperature throughout the night. Natural fibre mattresses tend to be chemical free and don’t contain synthetic foams so they are thought to be the healthier option and better suited for babies with allergies or asthma.

Mattress Protector

A waterproof cover, or in other words a mattress protector, is recommended to keep your baby’s mattress clean and dry as this can be removed and washed. An organic waterproof mattress protector would be best, as they are soft, breathable and a practical choice for your baby.

Bedding

A fitted sheet will provide an additional protective overlay to your child’s mattress and protector and will hold in place if your baby wriggles around in the night. If you have an oval shaped crib or moses basket, a fitted sheet may not be available so a flat sheet firmly folded under the mattress is an alternative option.

Quilts, Duvets and Pillows

Quilts, duvets and pillows should not be used for babies under one year old. After this, it’s fine to replace baby blankets and top sheets with a cot duvet if you wish. Try an organic lambswool cot bed pillow and a cot bed duvet in summer or Spring/Autumn weight.

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