Question from Susan Quigley
Hi Debra,
What do you think about these “breathable” crib mattresses?
Is this something I really need to be concerned about?
Debra’s Answer
The thinking behind “breathable” mattresses is concern about risk of suffocation when the baby is lying face down. Years ago there were baby mattresses constructed in ways that were so flimsy that perhaps a baby could sink into the mattress face down and potentially suffocate. But today that’s not an issue, and certainly not with the better mattresses. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that all baby mattresses be firm and flat. When a mattress is firm and flat, it’s impossible for a baby to go head down into the mattress.
But there is certainly nothing wrong with providing extra air surrounding a baby, provided it’s done in a safe and responsible manner.
The problem I have with “breathable” mattresses is they allow the baby to breathe through the mattress cover and into the interior of the mattress, forcing the baby to breathe stale air that has been sitting inside the mattress. If baby has had an accident or milk has been spilled, and, for example, urine vapor has entered the interior of the mattress, then bacteria and mold would be inside the mattress, and the baby would breathe it.
One breathable mattress is constructed so you can wash it. However, this takes up to 6 hours to properly wash and dry the mattress completely, and meanwhile baby is without a mattress. Yes, it’s washable, but if I were a busy mom, I’m not sure I would want to be repeatedly taking the mattress apart and washing it and reassembling it. I’m just not willing to do that kind of maintenance.
And if any toxic chemicals were used in the construction of the mattress, baby would be breathing these as well.
Lullaby Earth (and Naturepedic) have a different solution. They offer a separate “air flow” pad that can be placed on top of a mattress, just like you would use a typical mattress pad. This pad provides fresh air from the room for baby to breathe. The baby doesn’t have to breathe into the inside of the mattress. The parents don’t have to disassemble the mattress and wash it by hand. Instead, the airflow layer can be removed at any time to be washed and dried in a washing machine, while baby still has his mattress available. This pad can be added to any crib mattress for an extra layer of breatheability. You can order the air-flow cover separately or on their lightweight crib mattress in white and four different colors at Lullaby Earth Breeze Crib Mattress.
