As a mom, I know how important a good night’s sleep is for my children. It affects mood, learning abilities, the immune system and so much more. Don’t forget that it is important for moms should have a good mattress too! Through trial and error, I discovered that the perfect routine helps a great deal in preparing my little ones for bedtime. But another thing, which is essential, is the right mattress.
Children spend a lot of their time in bed. As toddlers, it can amount to about twelve hours a night. As they grow, this number drops a little each year and ultimately reaches adult levels after puberty.
Let’s focus on the ideal mattress after the switch from the crib to the regular bed! In most cases, this is the first significant bed switch in a person’s life. The second shift takes place when our little ones are no longer that, but children changing into men and women. This next bed stays with them until they move out.
What must we look out for before we buy a mattress?
There are many things to take into consideration when choosing your cherished toddler’s mattress. Stuff like bed-wetting and allergies come to mind first. Others include finding the best support for your child’s little frame. As a child’s body and brain are continually growing and developing, the perfect sleeping surface is as important as nutrition.
For an item as important as a mattress, information makes all of the difference. Make sure you conduct some thorough due diligence before making a purchase. Scout the web for the right information and the best mattress guide. As far as making an investment, you can always learn how to convert twin mattresses to king later down the line when your child outgrows their bed.
What types of mattresses can we find out there?
There are all sorts of materials and designs, but always consider these essential details:
- Children are way more vulnerable than adults to the chemicals which can be found in most mattresses.
- They spend much time in bed, at ages when their fragile systems are under continuous development.
- Their bedtime should be a period of regeneration and growth, not of worrying about exposure to hazardous substances.
- The regular mattresses for kids contain toxic foam and various fire retardant chemicals or barriers.
I would strongly suggest you choose one of the plenty modern alternatives to toxic mattresses. Go for organic, natural materials, which observe all flammability regulations while offering the safety of a healthy choice. Here are a few options:
- Cotton: the perfect, firm and breathable filling for a child’s mattress, mainly if it’s 100% certified organic. It can also serve as an excellent covering, especially when quilted.
- Natural latex: the material comes from the rubber tree plant. Make sure it’s all natural and not a chemical and latex blend. If you find products made from GOLS certified organic latex, that’s the purest one available on the market.
- Wool: used mainly in organic mattresses, this is a safe, non-toxic material which has been around for centuries.
- Natural fiber protection: PLA fiber (which is made from plant starch) is a safe, non-toxic flame resistant alternative. It is also hypoallergenic and easily washable.
Remember that waterproofing and dust mite proofing are essential aspects if you want your child’s mattress to have a long life. Manufacturers usually provide nylon, damask or polyurethane coverings, but those contain various controversial synthetic chemicals. If you’d like to purchase a waterproof pad, go for the certified ones, such as Naturpedic organic cotton products.
To make sure that the mattress (or the pad) you want to buy is indeed organic, ask about the GOTS certification (Global Organic Textile Standard). That way, you will also sleep well knowing that your children are safe in their natural beds.
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