Future parents, taking care of the baby’s health in advance, even before he is born, are well aware of how important a calm and deep sleep is for a baby. After all, it is then that he will develop normally and feel good.
Which mattress is best for a newborn (which mattress to choose for newborns) - let's try to figure it out using the knowledge gained from reading this article.
Getting ready in advance and right
While waiting for the stork to arrive, future moms and dads should seriously approach the moment the crumbs appear: get everything you need, prepare a room, etc. A serious moment for moms and dads is the purchase of a mattress for a newborn.
The correctness of the choice will subsequently depend on how healthy and strong the baby will grow up, who in the first months after his birth is almost always in the crib.
Pediatricians believe that a newborn baby is obliged to sleep in a deep, sound sleep for about sixteen to eighteen hours a day. In addition, it is the first months of the baby's life that are so important for the proper formation of the spine.
The mattress should be not only comfortable, but also of a sufficiently high quality.
Which mattress is best for a newborn?
There are a lot of mattresses for newborns (which one to choose - in the end, it will be the parents who decide). Therefore, many mothers and fathers are confused: where to look?
This question torments almost all young parents. But it turns out that this is not so difficult.
Usually manufacturers of cots for babies immediately seek to choose the most optimal mattress for them.
A knowledgeable seller can provide invaluable assistance in choosing not only a comfortable and high-quality mattress, but also blankets, pillows, bedding and sides. If parents want to do everything themselves, if they don’t have a drop of trust in consultants, then they need to know a few simple rules.
Selection Criteria: Size and Stiffness
The size of the chosen mattress should first of all correspond to the size of the crib. If it is too large, then it will not be able to perform orthopedic functions. If it’s small, then he can move out with enviable constancy.
What mattress is best for a newborn (a mattress for newborns, which one gets out) to lay the bottom of the crib, you don’t have to think: it should be of the appropriate size. The kid should lie in comfort and coziness, and his movements should not be constrained.
It should be borne in mind that the mattress is approximately one or two centimeters, both in length and in width, should be less than a berth. So it is required so that it is ideally located in a crib, and the gap will not be visible. But if the mattress is the size of the crib, there will be some difficulties with its removal and return to the place.
Therefore, before starting the selection, it is necessary to “weed out” the proposed options precisely by size. The standard sizes of the base of the crib are of three types: 140x70 cm; 125x65 cm and 125x60 cm. And when each of the parameters of the base of the crib is known (especially if the bed was made to order), then the mattress will be matched exactly. By the way, its thickness should be taken into account - it should be in the range from 8 to 15 cm.
Since the spine has not yet fully formed in newborns and, unlike adults, it does not yet have an S-shaped bend (it is absolutely straight and this bend will appear only by two or three years), this is why a mattress with the necessary stiffness is so important for every baby.
Doctors categorically forbid babies to sleep on the soft for up to a year so that the spine does not bend. To start a baby's life, a hard or moderately hard mattress is suitable.
Selection Criteria: Filler and Material
After the parents figured out what the mattress should be in size, it's time to make a choice of its material and filler.
It is best if the material is natural, in any case, it should have the maximum amount of natural fibers. Young parents should know that it is very difficult to find a completely natural mattress, which is why you should look for something among the materials combined. It is very important that harmful substances are not present in the composition of the mattress for the baby and that there is no possibility of absorbing unpleasant odors.
Necessary for the baby and environmental friendliness of the mattress. Such solid materials include coconut, felt, seaweed, horsehair and the like. And all this is perfect for the manufacture of mattresses for children, because they are not pathogens of allergies and do not emit any harmful substances.
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that if the mattress is made of felt of wooden shavings or straw, it will cost a little, but this is an impractical option. Since there is a high probability of exposure to moisture (the baby can often spell), such a mattress will quickly fail. Horse hair can sometimes contribute to allergies. But if there is coconut flakes in the mattress, it will be the right choice, because such a mattress is hypoallergenic, has a bactericidal property and does not rot. Here are many parents who choose them.
If the toddler sleeps restlessly and is often capricious, it is better to put a mattress in his bed, inside which there is seaweed. Products of this kind can relieve stress and relieve insomnia, they can even calm a small child.
For the toddler, the orthopedic effect is completely unimportant, because the weight of the tiny crumbs is not very large and the mattress is not sagging. Therefore, a mattress of medium hardness without an orthopedic effect is quite suitable for the peanut.
To ventilate the mattress, it should be turned over four times a year. A waterproof mattress cover will come to the rescue to preserve it, which will first protect the bed from getting wet, and then it will be easy to remove and wash.
Mattress pad and padding
Now a few words about mattress covers. This is exactly what is recommended to be purchased at the same time as the mattress. The mattress cover will protect the mattress from dust and leaks.
Double-sided mattresses for the smallest will be quite comfortable. In such mattresses, on one side - the material is warm, and the second is a bit cooler, because it passes air perfectly.
For the party intended for the winter, as a rule, wool is used that has moisture-repellent properties and is a natural insulating material. Such a fabric perfectly retains heat, helping to make the baby's sleep healthy and calm in the cold season.
If we talk about the upholstery, then until the children reach the age of fifteen, it is more correct to choose only durable natural materials. Good quality upholstery is not only made from natural components, there are several additional layers in it. The best upholstery is quilted. It may contain such layers: woolen, cotton, sinteponovyh and other materials. It is more correct to choose such an upholstery that will be quite strong - for example, jacquard. Materials wear out very quickly. And jacquard has hypoallergenic properties and excellent throughput (it is ventilated). One must be very careful with special upholstery impregnations such as antidust and antimicrobial, because the baby can begin to be allergic to such substances from an early age. Therefore, it is better not to risk the health of the child.
Advice to parents: Upholstery should be with a zipper. So it will be easier to remove to wash.
What is better for the baby: a mattress with or without springs?
If you rely on the opinion of pediatricians, they do not recommend buying a mattress with springs for a newly born baby, because they will be useless for crumbs. The same applies to orthopedic models. Such mattresses are needed by children from the age of four. True, some babies like to jump on springs.
For kids, mattresses are made with dependent and independent springs. The difference is this: the independent ones “hide” in separate bags and do not react at all to the fact that the mattress point is adjacent to them. Advice by a pediatrician: choose exactly these mattresses for the smallest children.
If the springs are dependent, over time they will sag and turn into a hammock. And this will badly affect the formation of the posture of the baby.
Springless mattresses are good for both newborns and for babies three to four years of age. They are moderately rigid construction. This means that it is possible to use one side as a rigid frame (this is suitable for just born crumbs), and the second as a moderately medium (for babies from three years old).
