We all want the very best for our little ones and sleep is an important developmental tool in a baby's life. We should want to take the time to choose a crib mattress that is comfortable, odorless, and safe because our children will spend much of their early lives in the crib. Which mattress is the best above all others? The sheer amount of products out there can overwhelm. How do we know that we are truly getting the best of the best?

When we think of how long we take to find a mattress we are happy with; the choices become even more overwhelming. Since our little ones can't speak up and tell us what would make them the most comfortable, we turn to the science of safety and manufacturing.

Mattresses for cribs are specially designed to fit in the crib of your infant or toddler. There are many types and manufacturers, but the main goal is safety for your children. We're always making discoveries that improve the safety and value of household products, and the science behind mattresses is no exception. We recently discovered that excessive emissions of volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) are harmful and disease-causing.

In decades past, it was not uncommon for mattresses to contain formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, acetone, and many other toxic flame retardants. Recently, mattresses contain phenol, neodecanoic acid, and linalool VOCs that are much less harmful.

Since babies are far more sensitive, crib mattress manufacturers have the difficult task of only using natural and organic materials to reduce the risk of illness. As this article will show, they have done a spectacular job of providing reliable varieties that offer a vast amount of choices for even the pickiest of infants.

Product Specs

The biggest risk on our minds when looking to purchase a mattress is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (or SIDS) that is caused by suffocation, getting stuck face-down, and overheating while sleeping. We need a mattress that offers substantial support and firmness while still being breathable. Immobile infants especially enjoy the firmness of a mattress. A popular choice for crib mattresses is called "dual firmness" that has a firm side for infants ages 9-12 months, and a softer toddler side for the next few years.

When choosing a mattress for your infant, memory foam that leaves a print after pushing your hand into it is often a bad choice. Since infants will be in the crib for important developmental stages of life such as rolling over, kneeling, and moving around, a mattress that is too soft will hinder this growth.

A good mattress should also be made with breathable material as a baby under a blanket in a hot room can also lead to SIDS. Mattresses made from cloth rather than vinyl typically keep more heat than a memory foam mattress. Plastic or metal slits in the sides of the mattress can also help with breathability and will help keep smells out of the mattress.

Ease of cleaning is another desired aspect of a good mattress: having no removable cover is obviously the hardest to clean while vinyl proves to be the easiest to clean.

As far as the size of the mattress goes, the standard for cribs should be 27.5 inches wide, 52 inches long, and 5 or 6 inches thick. The law requires 27.25 x 51.625 x a maximum of 6. Mattresses can't be thicker than six inches inside cribs because the baby would be at risk of climbing out and falling. A good mattress will have square corners rather than rounded ones to reduce gaps in between the crib and the mattress where toys and pacifiers could fall.

What Type Of Mattress Should I Buy?

The two main affordable options for mattress materials are foam and innerspring. Manufacturers usually make foam mattresses out of polyurethane, and they aren't as firm as their innerspring counterparts. Foam mattresses are by far the most popular type but be warned, consider the softness of these when purchasing them for an infant at risk of SIDS.

Foam mattresses also considerably lack in the edge support department, and this can be dangerous for infants. A mattress that is too small with poor edge support could fold if the baby rolls onto it and cause them to get trapped between the mattress and the crib. Overall support and durability are also subpar as being too soft can disrupt developmental milestones in a baby's life, and foam is not built to last. If you are looking for a foam mattress for your little one, be sure to look into the high-density ones.

Innerspring mattresses are heavier because of the coil springs within. Border wires keep edges from falling apart, and they offer better support than foam edges. Overall firmness of the mattress will depend on how many coils are inside it; a mattress with 150 coils will have less firmness than one with 250. The edges are wrapped in coils, and the overall support is impressive. These mattresses are also more durable and long-lasting because of the inner springs, and they prove to bounce less and leave less of an indent. Cleaning these mattresses is more difficult than their foam counterparts.

Pricing

Since there are so many kinds out there with different attributes and specs, prices vary. Foam mattresses are typically cheaper than innerspring mattresses which are cheaper than organic mattresses. "You get what you pay for" has never rung truer with any other product. Foam mattresses typically go for around $40-60, innerspring around $100-200, and organic can be anywhere from $150-300. Keep an open mind and be willing to pay more for longer durability that can last through multiple children and offer support that will hold up.

How They Compare

We picked four popular, trusted mattress brands available on the market to see how they compare.

This mattress can be purchased on Amazon for $300 and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

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Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams

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Safety First is a leading manufacturer of baby-safe products. They make many products to keep babies safe such as locks, gates, and car seats, making them a top trusted choice. The Heavenly Dreams crib mattress has a Greenguard Gold certification for good indoor air quality and low chemical emissions. It has a vinyl water-resistant cover and meets federal anti-inflammatory standards without using harmful chemicals. It has a hypoallergenic cover and is easy to clean, lightweight, and can withstand an impressive amount of wear and tear.

The core of the mattress is built with high-density thermo-bonded materials and has firm support with minimal bouncing or sinking. This mattress is the perfect size and fit to eliminate gaps and has excellent edge support with square corners. The surface of the mattress has tight seams that prove unlikely for a baby to pull them apart. Although it has no temperature regulation features or heat retention features, this mattress naturally retains heat longer than most. This mattress can be bought on Amazon for around $75 and comes with a two-year warranty.

Naturepedic No-Compromises

This organic mattress comes from the Naturepedic company that promises non-toxic design, natural and organic materials only, fire safety, and overall health and safety with all of their products. Extensive manufacturing research allows them to provide lasting quality through Mother Nature's materials for a healthier and more comfortable sleep. Their products are designed with the help of engineers, chemists, and pediatricians for a well-rounded safety.

The insides of the No-Compromises contain the purest form of cotton grown right in the US and is certified organic. Naturepedic goes the extra mile by only purchasing USDA certified sources for their products. This incredible crib mattress is designed to be allergy-friendly with a bug barrier and two-stage dual firmness.

This mattress also contains 150 inner springs with 13 gauge coils and 9 gauge border wire for extra durability, and the surface is made with food-grade polyethylene for a non-toxic and easily cleanable material that is also stain-resistant. The inner fibers are made with non-GMO potato-starch PLA batting made entirely from plants.

It should be noted that there is no additional fire protection because the pure form of cotton that is used is far safer and naturally fire-retardant. This mattress demonstrates a perfect fit inside your little one's crib with squared corners and no gaps. The surface of the mattress is seamless for added durability and has little bounce on the infant side. The toddler side has slightly more bounce. This mattress also has a higher heat retention than usual.

Moonlight Slumber

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This eco-friendly mattress is hypoallergenic, safe, and affordable. The company promises indoor air quality and material contents free of chemicals and tested in two independent lab testing facilities using the most advanced Chemical Analysis Instruments. They also promise product performance and durability, and in-house assurance.

This dual crib mattress is made from plant-based foam on the infant side and plush surface on the toddler side. The core is wrapped in a woven fire barrier made from minerals and covered in medical grade water stain and odor resistant fabric. The mattress is free of any vinyl, polyethylene, PVC, phthalates, and lead.

The simple design makes it more affordable, but on the inside, the mattress has four layers each serving a different purpose. The first layer is a non-toxic medical grade Nylon fabric cover, the second is a natural internal fire barrier, the third is an extra firm high-density foam on the infant side, and the fourth is a softer firm high-density foam on the toddler side.

This mattress boasts a perfect fit with no gaps and soft but squared corners. Its water resistance is impressive, and it has tight seams that bunch at the top and bottom of the mattress. Both sides hold little bounce though there is slightly more on the toddler side. There are no heat regulation or heat retention features, and the retention of this mattress is average. This mattress can be bought on Amazon for around $200 and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Newton Wovenaire

This revolutionary crib mattress has a significantly lower suffocation and SIDS risk than other "breathable" and organic mattresses and is free of biocides and other toxic fire retardants. This hypoallergenic Greenguard Gold-certified mattress is washable from top to bottom, from inside to outside!

This mattress is 90% air inside because of the breathable Wovenaire material, and the other 10% comprises of food-grade polymer. This mattress isn't waterproof, but the cover can be taken off, and the porous insides can be easily cleaned by running water over the surface. This mattress has two simple layers: the first is the 3D space cover that is quilted together with breathable holes and the second is the Wovenaire made from woven safe plastic polymer. It is designed to match the recommended firmness, and it offers great support.

Although it is slightly more bouncy than other competitors and the edge support is okay the slightly rounded corners, tight seams, and immense breathability make up for it. This is the only mattress on this list that has heat regulation features, and they exist in the ingenious breathable plastic polymer material. This mattress also has a lower heat retention than most and will do an excellent job of keeping your baby cool on hot nights.

Which is the Best Crib Mattress - The Conclusion

There is an overwhelming amount of choices for crib mattresses out there, but manufacturers are working hard to develop mattresses that are breathable, odorless, firm, comfortable, and can put you at ease while your baby gets a good quality sleep! We hope this list has given you some insight on what you may want in a mattress and maybe it's even helped the decision not seem so overwhelming. We believe if you go with any of these choices, you'll be choosing correctly and your little one will thank you for it!