Posted by Kelly Kuch on Tue, May 18, 2010 @ 12:22 PM
Mattresses are too personal a purchase and far too important for baby to just throw any mattress in a crib. The crib mattress is one of the most important purchases a parent will make for their baby. Think about it. Baby will have just come out of a watery hammock. Baby's bones will be softer and growing faster than at any other time of their life and they will be spending about 70% of their time on that mattress. Even as a toddler, baby will spend about 50% of their time on the mattress parents select. Babies need more back and body support than us adults. Experts say firmer is better and, since babies will sleep anywhere, you don't have to worry about the mattress being too firm.
There are three major mattress categories: innerspring, foam, and "green" or ecologically friendlier mattresses. "Green" mattresses may be innerspring, foam, natural or organic.
Which is best for baby? All three styles of crib mattress are fine for baby. All mattresses sold in the U.S. must pass the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that regulates the chemicals in the mattress and, the mattresses must be tested by a third party independent testing lab to ensure that they pass. Crib mattresses must also pass two different Federal flammability standards.
Innerspring Mattresses
95% of us adults sleep on an innerspring mattress. Many parents are most comfortable with this type mattress for their baby.
The best innerspring mattresses have both more layers and better quality layers.
The heart of the innerspring mattress is the spring. The best spring is the one with the most steel and not necessarily the one with the most coils- thicker steel coils in combination with quantity of coils is what counts. Springs with border rods have more steel and provide greater firmness, durability, and edge support which is important for toddlers when they walk around the mattress holding on to the crib rails.
On top of the spring is the insulator pad that prevents the softer cushioning layers from sinking into the coils. It prevents that coil ‘feel'. A high quality insulator is mandatory to a higher quality innerspring mattress. The very best mattresses have two insulators that may include a permalator wire insulator in addition to a high quality insulator pad.
Next come the cushioning layers that add comfort but, shouldn't diminish desired firmness. Better mattresses often have two cushioning layers. Non-allergenic foam and cotton are common cushioning layers. Polyester is also used as a cushioning layer.
Foam Mattresses
Foam mattresses are lighter weight and make for slightly easier sheet changes.
Better quality foam mattresses have firmer foam, heavier weight foam, and they return to their original flat shape faster when the weight is removed from the mattress.
"Green" or Ecologically Friendlier Mattresses
"Green" or ecologically friendlier mattresses may be better for the environment but, are not necessarily better for baby than other styles of mattresses. The "green" components in a mattress are usually more costly than their counterparts in other styles of mattresses.
"Green" mattresses use more ecologically friendlier components than the average mattress. They may be foam mattresses made with plant oils or, innerspring mattresses with layers made with natural materials. There are no industry standards for calling a mattress natural or organic so you and your customers have to decide for yourselves what percent of a mattress's components must be natural or organic for you to consider it a natural or organic mattress. Read labels and literature very closely to determine actual mattress components and separate claims from fact.
The best quality "green" innerspring mattresses, just like regular innerspring mattresses, have more layers and better quality layers. The layers just happen to be more natural or organic. The best quality "green" foam mattresses are firmer, heavier weight, and more resilient - the same as regular foam mattresses. The best quality natural or organic mattresses have the highest percent of natural or organic components with 100% being optimum. There is no such thing as natural or organic steel or plastic, and just because a mattress calls itself natural or organic doesn't mean that it is 100% natural or organic.
All mattresses have covers. Vinyl is the most common, easiest to clean, and most cost-efficient cover material. The strongest vinyl covers have the most reinforced layers - five, three, or two. Some "green" mattresses come with covers of bamboo yarn or organic cotton and they may or may not be waterproof. Waterproofing on a cloth covered mattress may be a plastic on the top surface or polyurethane on the back surface of the mattress cover leaving a more natural material closest to baby. Any material used to make a mattress cover waterproof is not natural or organic.
Lastly, mattresses often have vents and binding. Cloth binding generally offers stronger seams than vinyl binding and, vents allow the mattress to breathe and refresh itself.
A popular mattress feature today is the dual firmness mattress where one side is firmer for the infant and the other side is firm but, a little more comfortable for a toddler? This feature is especially popular with parents buying convertible cribs. Memory foam on the less firm side of a dual firmness mattress is also popular.
In summary, the crib mattress is so important for baby that a parent will do baby a favor by saving money on other items and buying the best mattress they can afford.
The best innerspring crib mattress has a spring unit with thicker coils, border rods, and overall more steel than other innerspring mattresses. It has two insulators- a permalator and a high quality insulator pad. It has at least two cushioning layers on each side. The cover has multiple reinforced layers. The mattress will also usually have cloth binding and vents.
The best foam mattress has foam that is firmer, heavier weight, and more resilient than lower cost foam mattresses. The cover has multiple reinforced layers. Cloth binding and eyelet vents ensure strong seams and mattress freshness.
The best "green" mattress has 100% all natural or 100% all organic components - no steel, no plastic, no polyester, no waterproofing.
>article provided courtesy of Colgate Mattress
Posted by Michelle Kersey on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 @ 10:55 PM
It's Saturday afternoon. You are pregnant with your first child and you arrive at a baby store to create a gift registry. You feel empowered as you're handed a really fun scanner gun and then it hits you... you have no idea what to ask for. That is a common scene for most new parents, and I'll admit, I had that moment as well. It was two years ago when my husband and I looked at each other and had no clue what we were doing. Sure, they gave us a list of "necessities", and I scanned everything imaginable, but many things were just worthless. Being a mom for over two years, while not long in the grand scheme of things, allows me to remember what was wonderful and what wasn't.
Let me start with the baby room essentials:
- Crib with properly fitting mattress
- Dresser/changing station
- Waterproof mattress cover
- Sleep sack (replaces the comforter you won't use due to fear of SIDS)
- 3 Fitted sheets
- Bed skirt
- Bumper
- Video Monitor
- Stuffed animal net (trust me, you will receive tons of these plush space invaders)
There is no need to buy a bassinet if your Pack 'N Play fits in your room and has a bassinet attachment. Once your baby is sleeping in the crib, a video monitor is wonderful. When my son was an infant, it kept me from going into his room every two seconds to check on him. Silence is scary as a new parent, so being able to actually SEE that your baby is okay is incredible. Plus, it's always fun to just stare at the monitor and watch him sleep... I'm even peeking at him napping right now.
You will also need to think about baby/toddler proofing your living areas. Register for:
- Outlet Covers and cabinet locks (the magnetic kind works great, but are a tad expensive)
- Bumpers for table corners
- Bumpers for the fireplace hearth if you have one
- Toy box (see pictures below)
When my son was learning to walk, he fell head first into the fireplace hearth bumpers, got up and kept going. I was amazed each time that happened. While you're in your living room, take a look at your coffee table. First, your baby will want to take everything off of it; second, it will probably hurt him/her to fall into it. A great solution is to get a toy box that is covered in fabric or leather and has a lid that is reversible (see images above). One side is soft; the other is a table top. This way, when you have company over, you can hide all the toys inside and then use it to set drinks and knick knacks on. Most home goods stores will have one to match your decor.
My last suggestions are for things to keep your child entertained so you can take a shower, do the dishes, cook food, you know, normal stuff that can't happen with a baby in your arms. A bouncy seat is a great entertainer for infants. I remember bouncing my son with my foot while eating dinner, it was a life saver. A baby swing is also essential. However, for the first month my son only cried in his swing. When he finally caught on, he loved it until he was too big for it! Try to find one that is A/C powered and battery powered, or you'll waste a lot of money on batteries like we did.
There are no words to describe how much fun my son had playing in his exercauser while I accomplished many chores. However, my personal favorite entertainer is a Baby Einstein DVD. From 3 months to 2 years, your child will be glued to the TV when watching these movies. They make DVDs for different developmental stages; my son has even learned sign language, shapes and animals from them. These are also a great teaching tool to watch together and talk about the animals, shapes, etc. Caution: your husband will be glued as well.
In the end, the list can go on and on... as do the shelves at the baby store. Keep in mind, not everything that worked for my son will work for yours, but at least it's an educated start. Good luck and try to picture how you will actually use something before going scanner happy at the store. When in doubt, register for every small pack of size 1 diapers available, so you can find out which one works best for your baby before buying in bulk.
Print off this Shopping Checklist I created before you go register.