7 Tips to consider before purchasing a mattress for your baby.

Sleep is probably the one thing everybody craves the most (especially parents)! Sleep is not only essential for new mums and dads but just as crucial for newborns and babies too. Many new parents just want their new baby to sleep safely and healthy throughout the night. There are many factors to consider when purchasing new mattresses for your newborn, baby, or child.

When searching for furniture like cots most of the time the mattresses that come with the cots or bassinets are not the best quality around.

Here are 7 tips to look out for when purchasing a mattress for your baby:

1.       Australian Made- ask whether the mattress is made in Australia as the quality of the mattress is met to Australian Standards and usually made for the Australian Climate.

2.       Natural Fibres- Stay away from manmade and synthetic fibres such as polyurethane foam and memory foam. There are many articles that have shown to a link with off-gassing and health issues. Natural Fibres to be considered are latex, wool, cotton, alpaca, silk and coconut fibre.  

3.       Support Core- SIDS indicates mattresses for babies need to be firm. Touch the mattress so can get an indication of the firmness level. If you can feel the spring through the covers this will be extremely uncomfortable for baby.  Look for mattresses that use a firm pocket spring, this will support baby as they grow, and all coils are wrapped individually to minimise the chance of wire poking out of the mattress.

4.       Ventilation- The feature of ventilation in a mattress for babies is an essential requirement. Babies cannot adjust to temperature changes as well as adults, therefore when sleeping on a mattress that has foam inside this means there is no ventilation, and the baby tends to overheat. When babies overheat, and they wake up several times agitated and frustrated.

5.       Speak to Mattress Specialists- you do not have to accept the mattress the furniture companies are selling with the cot. Talk to cot mattress manufacturers like Rockdale Mattress Factory, they can make mattresses to your exact size of bassinet or cot. Whether the cot is brand new, an antique or family heirloom. Ask for advice and to be shown the fibres used inside the mattress as well as how well the mattress is ventilated.

6.       Double Sided Models- Flipping and rotating the helps the longevity of the mattress. Therefore, more value for money.

7.       Sleep and Growth- Sleep is essential for growth and choosing the right mattress will set baby up with a good start to each day.

When buying a cot mattress or bassinet spend the same time and effort as if you are buying the cot itself, or pram or a car seat. Your newborn baby will be lying in the mattress from anywhere between 14-17 hours a day. Therefore, investing in a mattress that will be beneficial for supporting growth and the health of your most precious little human is of the upmost importance.