A new mattress for every child?

[Boo44]

I know the recommendation is for a new one each child. For DS2 I bought a new cot mattress. Now DS3 is ready to go into his cot and really the mattress is as good as new. OH tells me if we wash the top bit it will be fine. I don't like going against guidelines but it is sooo expensive! Does anyone have any other knowledge on the subject?

 

[MindUtopia]

For me personally, it would depend on the condition of it. Our cot mattress has gotten loads of use and wear as we have also used it as a travel mattress, so we bring it with us camping, and it's been chucked on dusty floors in holiday cottages and grandparents' houses for 3 years now. Not to mention, it's faced some nappy leaks and vomiting bugs and even with a cover, wouldn't be something I'd be comfortable putting a new baby on. Same for our cot bed mattress which has seen now almost 3 years of use. I would feel more comfortable getting new ones. But if the condition is good, they haven't been stored anywhere damp or musty, and structurally they still offer lots of support, I'd be more comfortable reusing them, but I think it just really would depend on what shape they're in. I think the concern is usually do to sagging, if they sag in the middle and baby could get stuck in the dip, or respiratory irritants, like moulds, being harboured in the fibres.

 

[lau86]

We buy a new Moses basket mattress as I like a new one for a new born but in terms of cot bed, no. Ours have full plastic cover on so have never had wee or vomit on and in the grand scheme of things haven't been slept on that long before they've gone into a proper single. They look immaculate.

 

[Boo44]

Thank you both, yes I can see now that if a mattress sagged in the middle or was mouldy that would be an issue. DS2 has only just stopped sleeping on it at the age of 2, but he hasn't had any major bugs on it (touch wood!) and is still in nappies so no wee or explosions. Will have a good check of it before I decide xx

Lau yes we got new Moses basket mattresses for both too

 

[babyjan]

Omg I was wondering about this?

I bought a cotbed for my first when he was about 2 years. The mattress is in waterproof cover and looks fine. My second son is ready to go into a cot do I need a new mattress now? I'm thinking it'd be a waste of money to get rid of it?

 

[Penguin20]

If it in good condition then re use it

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

When DD2 goes into DD1s room she will not only be in the same cot bed but the mattress will also be the same. We paid so much money for that mattress and it comes with a removable cover so before she actually goes in the cotbed it'll get a soak in Zoflora, put on a hot wash and we'll be good to go.

 

[RaspberryK]

I got a new one for the crib for dd as a newborn but I reused the cot and cot bed ones as they were in great condition. X

 

[minties]

I understand the reasoning behind a new mattress for every baby you have, but would happily reuse a mattress if I was the original owner and it was in good condition.

Babies are expensive enough as it is!

My midwife says it's due to the sweat and dead skin cells from previous baby(s) getting into the mattress and creating an environment for 'bad stuff' to breed.

I hate the chemical smells of new mattresses and often wonder what on earth they have in them to start with.

I bedshare and don't buy a new mattress every time a baby arrives, but did get a new one just before Sophie was born as I wanted one for myself.

 

[noon_child]

The problem is with the recommendations to reduce SIDS that they are correlations but no-one is sure what the causal links are. So reused mattresses correlate with more SIDS deaths but we can only speculate as to why (allergens, sagging, bacteria etc.) but no-one knows - because no-one really knows what happens in SIDS deaths.

For me it would depend on the age of the child, the state of the mattress, whether you were using any movement monitor like Angel Care, and even how much a new mattress might cost, because if you literally can't afford a new one then there is no point worrying about it..

 

[smileyfaces]

I would reuse it.

 

[Fruitmash]

I read (ages ago so can't site the source) that the risk of SIDS when reusing a mattress it much lower if it's shared only by siblings so go for it! I would but ours got put in the shed (cannot fathom why DH did that) and it went mouldy. No chance!

 

[Zephram]

We didn't get a new cot mattress for DS2, we just reused the one we had for DS1. It was in great condition, basically like new, so we didn't see the point. I would reuse it as long as it isn't musty or saggy.

 

[jessmke]

Erm, I didn't know I was supposed to get a new mattress! Isla is using a second hand mattress we got with the crib from my OH's best friend. Their son mostly co-slept so the mattress is basically in brand new condition. If the mattress is still in good shape then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[PoppyPainting]

I think the sids risk is mostly mattresses that are used by babies that are under 1 when the mattress has come from a different family. I would not use a mattress from a friend for a newborn.