New Cot Mattress?

[sallymuffin]

I've discussed it with OH at length after posting this thread and he completely agrees that for the sake of a few pounds why would you risk your babies life. I know that it's all down to personal opinion but I'd rather spend extra money than be kicking myself for the rest of my life questioning whether I did the right this if god forbid anything bad happened.

 

[Sarahkka]

I think the issue with mattresses is that they're impossible to clean completely. Even from one baby to the next, it's a good idea to get a new one. The way I figure it, if your first baby was sick (and I'm not talking spit-up, but fevers, flus, etc), those germs could still be lurking in the mattress. Why expose the new baby to all that right from day 1? Plus all the dander from dust mites that could potentially be lurking in the mattress (even the plastic coated mattresses can develop little holes, and plastic breaks down over time). Plus, every time a mattress is used, it's getting less and less firm.

This is interesting:
"The study compared 131 babies who died of SIDS in Scotland between 1996 and 2000, and 278 healthy infants. It was based on a questionnaire that controlled for the effects of socioeconomic status and other factors that could affect the risk of sudden infant death.

Overall, there was a threefold increase in SIDS deaths associated with a used infant mattress. A more detailed analysis of the questionnaires found that the risk was greatest if the mattress came from another home, the study says.

This is the second study to show an association between a used mattress and SIDS, Tappin says. He was involved in the previous study, which was published in 1997."
https://preventdisease.com/news/articles/used_mattress_cause_sids.shtml

I get that babies are expensive and money can get tight, but I don't know. You can buy a new mattress for like, $100. There are so many other ways to save money, why nitpick over something that may increase the risk of SIDS?

I would like to point out that the article you posted had the above quoted Dr. Tappin's results viewed "with skepticism" by other researchers and the results regarded rather dubiously by the spokesperson for the American Association of Pediatrics, so I think there should be a little more emphasis placed on the word "may" when we are talking about the possibility of increased risks.
This is one subject that I find gets pretty paranoid.
I find the idea of SIDS as terrifying as the next parent, but I think it's important to read such studies and findings as critically as possible.
And yes, parents should choose what gives them the greatest peace of mind, but I think we all (not aiming this at the poster I just quoted) have to be careful about choosing our own acceptable level of risk and suggesting that someone else's interpretation of that risk makes them a less careful parent. Particularly on this topic, in which there really is so little good scientific study to give us any credible data.

 

[mummymarsh]

new car seats for new bbabies?? what??? they only reccommend buying new carseats if you dont know the history of it..... like with anything you buy for a baby i guess.. there is no reccomendations to buy a new carseat for every new baby....

 

[Treelo]

new car seats for new bbabies?? what??? they only reccommend buying new carseats if you dont know the history of it..... like with anything you buy for a baby i guess.. there is no reccomendations to buy a new carseat for every new baby....

Its law in Canada and the US to replace all carseats after 5 years because of brittle plastic problems. Manufacturers recommend between 5 and 10 years use from the car seats dependant on type and storage methods.
Some seats have an expiry date on them.

 

[mummymarsh]

different in the uk....

for our daughter we used my BIL carseat from when he was a baby and that was almost 10 years old at the time.... personally i wanted brand new but husband wouldnt let me

xxx

 

[Treelo]

different in the uk....

for our daughter we used my BIL carseat from when he was a baby and that was almost 10 years old at the time.... personally i wanted brand new but husband wouldnt let me

xxx

I know its not the law in Uk or Ireland but even over here seats should be replaced every 5/6yrs i think there is some that are ok for 8/10yrs you would ahve to cehck with manufactor. As the plastic breaks down due to heat in the car and due to weather going from cold to hot, Although in Ireland we dont get a summer so dont really have to worry about the heat thing lol!! I would still replace the seat after 6yrs and wouldnt use one over 6yrs old even if i had bought it new for older child.

 

[Thistledown]

I bought a used Arm's Reach Mini today, that came with a mattress. I'm hunting for somewhere online where I can buy a new one now (can't sell Arm's Reach retail in Canada anymore, so they're a little scarce!), but OH was skeptical about why we need a new one, this one being all covered in plastic.

I was looking for the study online, and I found this: https://sids-network.org/experts/scottishma.htm

"MATTRESSES

An unexpected result from the Scottish study was the finding of an increased risk of SIDS for infants sleeping on mattresses previously used by other children or adults. This risk was associated with cloth-covered mattresses and mattresses topped with ventilated foam covered by netting. There was, however, no detectable risk with old mattresses covered by polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This may be explained by the fact that urine, sweat, and household fungi are not absorbed by the vinyl covering, which can be kept clean regardless of age. "

So, now I don't know what to think!

 

[Sarahkka]

That was a pretty old study - done in 1997?
I don't know. I'm still really skeptical of how much of an increase in risk we are actually talking here.
And the PVC off-gassing is now considered to be dangerous for adults, so how could it not be dangerous for infants?

At the end of day, you can control some of the big established things like not smoking, but you have to weigh the risks/benefits from some of these recommendations. Co-sleeping is perfectly safe if it's done correctly. In fact, there are studies which have suggested that the nearness of the parents and the sound of their breathing helps regulate the infant's neurological and respiratory system. So, I guess my only advice is to try not to drive yourself too crazy with the what-ifs? If wrapping that secondhand mattress is going to give you peace of mind, then go for it. I understand the anxiety - cot death really is the boogeyman, isn't it? Every parent's worst nightmare and so little really known about it.

 

[babyhopes2010]

get new matress x

 

[allaboard]

I must be a total nutter then - i bought my son's cot and mattress from an auction for £20 and used them until he was 2. Brilliant condition, but no idea of the history at all.

I've got a secondhand pram for this one AND a secondhand car seat with it, AND 2 secondhand car seat bases. No idea of the history.

Am i freaking out? NO! No one knows the reasons for SIDS, but i'm sure companies are making a lot of money out of that fact.

 

[Thistledown]

I found the actual text of the more recent study by Dr. Tappin, and it doesn't' say anywhere in his study that they determined what material the mattresses were made of. A refuting article states "Several studies and two multidisciplinary expert groups have not found any evidence to support the hypothesis that toxic gases were produced by fungal activity on the polyvinyl chloride coverings of mattresses—the use of mattresses with integral polyvinyl chloride coverings was shown to be associated with a lower risk of sudden infant death." and references those studies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1124537/

Sorting through the various studies and articles about SIDS and mattresses is mind boggling - no 2 scientists seem to be able to agree on anything!

Anyway, it turns out this mattress is nylon coated rather than PVC, so I definitely want a new one. Just have to find somewhere where the cost of the mattress plus the shipping isn't more than the whole bassinet costs new!

 

[Sarahkka]

Thistledown - a retail store in Calgary called BoBeBe was selling those. Maybe they have some of the mattresses left in stock?
Or try the Canada Post Comparison Shopper site for online sites that might carry it.

 

[Thistledown]

I e-mailed BoBeBe last week (when I still thought they might be available in Canada) asking about Arm's Reach products, and they never got back to me

No luck with the comparison shopper, either, but thanks anyway! So far the cheapest I've found is $50 inc shipping from somewhere stateside, so not too bad... as long as customs doesn't ding me for too much!