Baby mattresses.

[karter]

Hello. On another thread peope were saying that it's ok use a second hand mattress but i was reading somewhere that cot death could be linked to bacteria in a used mattress. Just asking for further clarification on this and everyone on that thread is far more qualified than me on this subject but that thread is on a different subject as the moderator stated. So do i buy new one or receive a used one that are on offer to us? for a new born coming soon. Where do you buy a new one locally if this would be the case? Or just go to John Lewis as lots of folk seem to? Many thanks.

[The Nappy Lady]

Hi karter

You can order on line from Mothercare & have delivered. I got the one with the zip off washable cover - about ?80 6 years ago.

Do you know the current owner of the one you have been offered? The bacteria in the matress is most likely to be present in a matress that's been used by a child that tended to bring up milk a lot, or very leaky nappies!

If clean, stored well wrapped & in a dust free place second hand is less of a worry but I think only you can make a final decision on this.

[Pickle]

Personally I would always buy new. We have mattresses from Mamas and Papas for both of our children, they have zip off covers and have been excellent (son's one is 4 years old now and still looks good as new).

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I spent ?225 on a mattress from Mama's and Papa's that my son never slept on ( he sleeps with me) I feel robbed! I bought it after recommendations on here and thought that it would fool him into thinking it was just like Mummy bed but it never worked. Never again! I think second hand is only acceptable if it has not been used for a long time, has been stored correctly, and not been used with a rather sickly baby and has covers that can be removed/cleaned.

[littleEDfamily]

This place has a massive range and can do any size.

This is an option if you would rather organic: http://www.naturalmat.co.uk/

Maybe save money by buying a second hand cot and splurge on mattress?

[sillywoman]

I'm of Pickle's school of thought. For me it was a risk too far, so all mine had new mattresses for the moses basket & then the cotbed when they transferred into it. My understanding was that a mattress that has been used at all increases the risk of SIDS - the increase is exponential according to storage & previous use as Molly & Heidi say, but mattresses aren't too hard to come by, so it just seemed daft (to me) to take the chance. As Molly says - the choice is (like almost everything to do with raising babies) a personal one.

[candj]

Just to echo everyone's sentiment, I too would always buy a new mattress. You will get plenty of use out of one you buy for a cotbed as it will see your child through for at least5/6 years depending on the size of your toddler. I'd buy one with a zip off cover and also use a mattress protector. Same for a bassinet - new mattress, very inexpensive and peace of mind.

Good luck Karter! Shall we now start a thread about buggies/prams for you? ;-)

[Belle]

Moses basket mattresses are about ?10. Can't remember how much our cot mattress was, but it was quite an inexpensive one from John Lewis - doesn't have zip off cover but I seperately bought a good mattress protector that is easy to wash. JL deliver, they're v good - we did one massive order shortly before the baby was born I think. When we had problems with the cot about a year and a half in, they replaced it no questions asked.

[Polly D]

My advice would be: don't scrimp on the mattress. There are many advantages to having second-hand stuff for your little one but personally speaking the mattress is something to get just right. The day we moved our son from his moses basket - which to all intents and purposes was a floppy piece of foam - and into his cotbed with a mattress from m&p, he slept through.

However, like everything, and as others have said: it's a personal choice and also very much down to trial and error, which can get expensive.

[karter]

Thanks candj and everyone, the natural coconut one looks good and ?75 from that website posted doesn't seem bad, my instinct tells me to buy a new one. Especially if it helps baby sleep :-S . So one for moses basket/crib and also cot will discuss with missus. Yes buggies, moos and some friends recommends xlr as it suits newborns aswell but we are being offered a bugaboo for starting off with too.2 buggies in one house?

[Pickle]

Two buggies is the norm Karter! For our first we had a Bugaboo (loved it) and a MacLaren which lived in the boot of the car. Bugaboo was great for out and about round ED, loved being able to make him all snuggly in the bassinette part of it, MacLaren great for travelling (plane, bus, tube). We sold the Bugaboo when #2 came along, but our MacLaren is still going strong.

[ladywotlunches]

I'm putting my head above the parapet here to say that I have reused our mattresses for no 2. I actually did a straw poll of mummy friends and of 10, only 1 had changed the mattress for number 2!

I did some research and FSID do say that if the mattress is waterproof (which my crib and pram ones were) it is suitable to reuse, just clean it with anti bacterial spray and wash the cover. For our cot mattress, no.1 was never very sicky, it had a washable cover and again I sprayed with antibac. My reasoning for the cot mattress was that by the time she was ready for that, she would be that bit older and stronger.

And on the sleeping through note - one friend told me that she had a second hand mattress for number 1, who slept like a dream, and bought a new one for number two, who was a nightmare. So, as ever, you never can tell...

Can I please ask no-one to discuss my decision further on here? Its a decision I came to after research and don't feel I need any retrospective advice. Sorry to sound a bit snotty but I've seen others decisions criticised before on the forum and I don't think its fair on the mum. I've only posted my experience as it differs from that already posted and I felt Karter might like to hear another view before making her own choice.

[wonderwoman]

I definitely recommend mattressonline website, we ordered a mattress for baby no.3 and she slept so well on it from the 1st night onwards, spring mattress with microclimate cover which is washable and free removable/adjustable mattress protector cover (wish my bed was as nice!). Much better than foam mattress I got from Mothercare for DS1, which turned out to be quite noisy (from shifting around on the waterproof cover when sleeping)and uncomfortable after a year of sleeping on it. Also echo what others say about paying for a decent quality mattress

[Peppa]

I have also reused our mattress for baby no 2. I don't think I would have used a second hand mattress from someone else though. I knew our mattress was never badly soiled and always had a protector on it so I felt comfortable with my decision.

[karter]

Thanks ladywotlunches for being straightforward, maybe we will keep the mattresses if we will be blessed, for the next kid.(tu)

[ladywotlunches]

No worries - glad you found the comment helpful. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy and enjoy baby when s/he comes along!

[Pickle]

Just wanted to add that I probably would reuse a mattress within our own family - only reason I didn't is that #1 was still sleeping on his when #2 came along. When it's from your own household you know exactly where you stand in terms of it having been sicked on etc.

[karter]

Thanks pickle, had anybody used Peppermint on Northcote rd to buy a buggie? What about a mattress for the buggie is it the same or just buy a sheepskin? thank you.

[candj]

Oh I miss understood as I thought it was a second hand mattress from someone else (ie, you don't know them from Adam!). I too have used the same mattress for my two girls but then it had a zip off protector and waterproof sheet. It was absolutely and still is spotless and will be used for my son now and i have no qualms about. The mattress was used for about 2 1/2 years each as both girls moved into single beds. I did change the bassinet mattress for all three children though. Sorry, hope that helps.

[Ladymuck]

Crikey karter, unless I knew precisely the source of the mattress, I wouldn't buy a 2nd hand one (for an adult - never mind a new born). A friend of mine bought one and ended up having to throw away her bed frame and sofas because of bed bugs which apparently came from the mattress. Ewwwwwwww...I thought bed bugs were fictional until then.

If you can't afford a new one (I'll chip in as my prezzie to you and H).

xx

[karter]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Crikey karter, unless I knew precisely the source

> of the mattress, I wouldn't buy a 2nd hand one

> (for an adult - never mind a new born). A friend

> of mine bought one and ended up having to throw

> away her bed frame and sofas because of bed bugs

> which apparently came from the mattress.

> Ewwwwwwww...I thought bed bugs were fictional

> until then.

>

> If you can't afford a new one (I'll chip in as my

> prezzie to you and H).

>

> xx

Thank you sis will let you know. Friends/family just being over generous with stuff which is great.Hope you are not too jet lagged from your flight from NZ. A month goes quick.

Candj yes friends also offering their mattresses.

[Ladymuck]

Jet lag getting better thanks.

Have you seen this website...mattresses for as little as ?24.99...new...

[alieh]

littleEDfamily, thanks for the tip re: the made to measure mattresses. I need a new one for our Amby hammock (weird size) and just ordered from there. Good price too!

[karter]

Thanks for the other website tip, we may be going for a foam one now:-S. They just need airing for a while right? Chemical fumes? They look comfy thOugh.

[Ladymuck]

Chemical fumes? Are you serious? Surely they would be devoid of fumes by the time they are placed on the market - no?