Safety Rules Remember that even if a mattress fits inside the crib you choose, you should not use it unless it is a specifically designed crib mattress. In the “Wild West” of unregulated children's sleep products, it's really hard to know what's safe, what's unsafe, and what's only marketed. Memory foam mattresses are not safe for babies. If more than two fingers can be inserted between the mattress and the sides or ends of the crib, the crib and mattress combination should not be used.
It should be and activists are pushing for legislation to change it. Place a 10 lb weight on the mattress and see the same as above. If the mattress sinks under the weight, it is not firm enough. If this sounds complicated, you can go with one of the 3 options below that I know are firm.
There are no standards of breathability and there is no evidence that “breathable” mattresses are safer than others. Many well-intentioned people are unfamiliar with the safety risks of popular baby products. Memory foam mattress covers are NOT safe for babies. Polyurethane foam mattresses are safe for babies; just make sure the product description only says “foam” and not “memory foam”.
As for safety, there is no difference, as long as the mattress is firm and fits in the crib without gaps. There is no proof that this is the case. In fact, this is incredibly unsafe. It's not safe for a year-old to sleep on a memory foam mattress.
The crib mattress should be firm enough to prevent the child's nose and mouth from being obstructed by a mattress that is too soft and pillow-like. Remember that the crib mattress should not leave marks under the baby's head. As we have already mentioned, there are currently no federal firmness standards, so memory foam mattresses for babies are still allowed to be sold. The content of this site is not intended to replace professional medical, health or safety advice.
The fifth crib mattress recall involved a dimensional problem, in which the crib mattress models did not fit well and presented a danger of entrapment. For example, the HALO DreamWeave breathable crib mattress and the BassinEst breathable mattress protector use a food-grade polymer for their breathable mattress core, meaning it's made of the same type of material used for things like yogurt containers. Many crib mattresses are GreenGuard certified, which is a UL sponsored standard aimed at reducing VOC emissions from products. Crib mattresses are sometimes also sold with waterproof covers and fitted sheets, designed specifically for use with the mattress.
While this option would eliminate the cost impacts of complying with the proposed rule, if a mandatory standard were not issued for crib mattresses, hazard patterns for crib mattresses would not be adequately addressed, especially for hazard patterns that are not adequately addressed in the standard. Section 7 of ASTM F2933-19 specifies requirements for marking and labeling mattresses for full-size cribs, mattresses for non-full-size cribs, and aftermarket mattresses for playgrounds and non-full-size cribs. Test the fit of the mattress by trying to stick your fingers between the mattress and the sides of the crib. In these reports, gaps between the crib mattress and crib rail or playground mesh, in one or more areas around the perimeter of a crib mattress, created a wedging or entrapment hazard.
In the following months, CPSC staff and other members of the Crib Mattress Cyclic Testing workgroup performed variations of the Mattress Support Vertical Impact Test to determine the test that would be most applicable to crib mattresses with coil springs. According to the same Healthy Stuff and The Ecology Center review, VINYL IS STILL FOUND ON A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CRIB MATTRESSES. Recently, special mattresses for cribs and sleeping surfaces have been introduced that claim to reduce the chance of breathing carbon dioxide again when the baby is in a prone position. To comply with the requirement that the Commission issue a NOR for the crib mattress standard, as part of this NPR, the Commission proposes to amend the existing standard that codifies the list of all NORs issued by the Commission to add crib mattresses to the list of child product safety standards for which CPSC has issued a NOR.
Reports indicate that babies were found wedged between the crib mattress and the playground mesh, because the crib mattress didn't fit perfectly on the playground. Staff intends to continue working with ASTM to address concerns related to exempting non-full-size, rectangular and aftermarket crib mattresses from performance requirements. The mattress will be tested in a 29 inch x 53 inch (737 mm by 1346 mm) closed frame in order to restrict movement of the mattress. Table 7 presents the types of crib mattresses covered by ASTM F2933 and the current dimensional requirements for each type of mattress.
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