Which Organic Crib Mattress Should I Choose? by:Laura Taff
As a retailer of organic crib mattresses, I am often asked
, "Which crib mattress is right for my child?" This is understandable. After making the decision to invest a little more money into an organic crib mattress, you don't want to pick the wrong one. Its really more simple than you may think. The first thing you have to make sure of is that the mattress you choose is truly organic.
The "Organic" Label
Do some research and make sure that the description and info says 100 organic if it has metal in it? Well, obviously there is no such thing as organic metal. What you want to look for in the innerspring mattresses is the oils they use for the metal. Look in the description for non toxic oils like tung oil and beeswax, or some other type of non toxic oil being used on the springs. When an innerspring has 100 organic, plus any oils used on the springs is non-toxic.
You want to be careful about the word "natural" as well. Many people think the words natural and organic coincide with one another. In some cases this can be true, in others, it is yet another word play to make you think you are getting a better quality mattress than you are actually getting. Read descriptions, read labels, and ask questions.
Types Of Organic Crib Mattresses
The next thing on the list to choosing the right organic crib mattress for your baby is to examine all the styles of crib mattresses available. You're going to find a variety of innerspring and natural rubber (also called latex) mattresses. An innerspring mattress is usually more affordable and consists of metal springs, along with cotton and wool batting, filling, and topping. In the innersprings you will find varieties of less padding, more padding, innersprings with edge supports, and a variety of coil counts. You want to look closely at the coil count on these. A typical innerspring crib mattress has around 180 coils. The higher the coil count, the more quality and longer lasting your mattress is going to be. A 210 coil count will be better than a 180, but not as good as a 260 coil count.
When you find an innerspring with edge supports, don't be confused. Many parents think the supports are on the outside of the mattress. Actually they are clips that are built into the inside of the mattress that keep the sides from caving in. This is particularly helpful when used in a toddler bed.
Natural rubber consists of rubber collected from a rubber tree plant that is whipped with heat to form a foam rubber. It is then wrapped with cotton and wool batting, filling, and topping. It is more cushiony than innerspring (though still firm enough to be safe for baby) and conforms to the body better. This is an area you where you want to be really careful with labels as discussed above. In the natural rubber, you will find varying degrees of thickness from 3" to 6".
Which One Do I Choose?
The first thing in choosing the right organic crib mattress for your baby is determining how long your baby will use the mattress. If you're pretty sure that your child will use the mattress only for the time he or she uses the crib, the choice is the easiest of all. Children up to the age of two need a firm mattress that does not sink in more than inch when laid on it. Other than that, it doesn't really matter what they lay on to sleep. Therefore, you may as well get the basic innerspring mattress. Watch for warranty information on these as some of the "budget" innersprings with less padding and fewer coils don't offer a warranty and may not be as durable as those with more padding and more coils. Choose the best regular organic innerspring your family can afford and it should do it's job just fine.
If you are going to transfer your mattress to a toddler bed, there are many other factors you want to take under consideration. Children from the ages of 2 to 6 years need more bone structure support. In this case, the natural rubber is the best way to go as it conforms to your child's body as he or she sleeps and offers the best support. I personally would not recommend a natural rubber mattress less than 4.5" inches thick, but a parent does not necessarily have to use a 6" thick. This is really up to the parent, as any thickness from 4.5" to 6" will do the same job. Some parents feel more comfortable with the 6" thick mattress only because that is the normal thickness of a standard crib mattress. When using 100 organic crib mattress.
About the author
Laura is a stay at home mom and the owner of
http://www.absolutelyrganicbaby.com
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