Your baby will be asleep for up to 12 hours a day, so making sure that you have a secure and safe place for him to rest is essential. Dirty and used mattresses have been linked in the past to a rise in the risk of cot death or SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), so follow our seven golden baby mattress rules for a peaceful (and safe) night's sleep.1. Buy the right size If it’s the wrong size, your baby could become trapped in the gap between the mattress and the cot.As a rule, this gap should be no more than 4cm (1.5 in). If your cot, crib or Moses basket is an unusual size, and you are struggling to find a suitable mattress, there are companies that can make them specially to order so you’ll be guaranteed a safe fit.The mattress must be at least 10cm thick, as anything thinner won't give the support your baby needs. Thin foam in particular can lose its shape and dent easily. A travel cot mattress should be at least 10cm thick, and one for a crib or Moses basket should be no thinner than 5cm.2.
Make sure it’s firm enough Even though it might not seem as comfortable, you need to choose a firm mattress for your newborn. If the surface is too soft, it can sag or mould to a baby's shape and create a suffocation or SIDS hazard.3. Check that it’s safe All mattresses should conform to the British Safety Standards and be clearly marked somewhere with this number – BS 1877-10:1997. If you can’t find this number, you can’t be sure of the mattress’s safety, so it’s best to avoid buying it.4. Your baby’s mattress needs to be kept as clean as possible to avoid the build-up of bacteria. You can either buy one with a wipe-clean covering or a removable top panel that you can wash at high temperatures. Alternatively, you could use a mattress protector, which covers the mattress to stop it getting wet if the baby dribbles or their nappy leaks. 5. It must be well ventilated Foam mattresses in particular should be made with ventilation holes to keep the air flowing and help odours to disperse.
This will help your baby to keep cool and dry, too. Having ventilation holes also makes it easier for any fluid to drain away if your baby is sick, or if they dribble frequently during the night.6. It’s best to buy new Buying a new mattress is the best option, even if the cot you’re using is second hand, but if you’re confident about where it came from, and that it’s been stored correctly (so it’s not damp) and you’ve carefully checked that it's clean, dry and free from cracks or tears, you can still use it. Check that it has a removable, washable cover too.7. Buy the most expensive mattress you can afford There are three types of mattresses that you can buy for babies’ beds – foam, sprung (similar to an adult mattress) or those made with natural fibres like coconut coir. Foam mattresses are the cheapest, with the natural ones being the priciest, but as they are made from more solid components, they tend to be more long lasting and durable. Save while you shop
Sign up to Netmums Rewards, powered by Kidstart, to start saving for your child’s future while you shopStart saving nowMoses baskets, made from woven material, have great visual appeal. Named for the type of basket Moses' mother might have put him in to float down the river, these baskets are similar to a bassinet but often feature a handle for carrying. You can safely put your baby into a Moses basket only if you take certain precautions while using it and only if you're watching your baby at all times. strongly recommends against using them at all. All infants should sleep only on their backs on a firm surface; the American Academy of Pediatrics states that this position reduces the risk of crib death by more than 50 percent. Soft bedding poses a serious suffocation risk for young babies. If you use a Moses basket, place a firm mattress, not soft blankets, on the bottom to support your baby. The mattress must fit tightly to the sides. Because they're made from woven material, the sides of Moses baskets have more "give" than harder material.
If you can fit two fingers between the mattress and the side of the basket, it's too loose and poses a suffocation threat, according to the National Safety Council. Infants don't need and shouldn't use pillows; a warm sleeper is safer than blankets in the basket. The material used to make Moses baskets won't hold up to the weight of an older infant. Your basket's manufacturer should state a specific weight limit, which might be as low as 15 pounds. Putting a heavier baby in the basket could weaken the material, breaking it. If you're carrying your baby in the basket, he could fall through to the floor. Stop using the basket when your baby reaches the weight limit, rolls over or turns 4 months old. It's tempting to put the Moses basket on a table or countertop so you can keep your baby away from pets or other children. But this is an unsafe practice. If your baby moves, he could roll the basket off the surface and onto the floor or roll out of the basket, so it's best to keep the basket on the floor.
Moses baskets don't come with seat belts, so carrying your baby in one increases the risk of falls. A 2001 BBC News article noted that the basket handles were often too short, making it difficult for a parent to carry without dropping it. A weakened handle could also break, causing the basket to fall to the floor. Never carry the baby in the basket; if you move from room to room, carry the basket and baby separately. Don't use a Moses basket as a nighttime sleep environment for your baby, since you won't be able to keep an eye on him at all times. Never put a Moses basket inside the crib for nighttime sleeping; your baby could roll out of the basket and suffocate in bedding in the crib. Loose bedding and suffocation causes two-thirds of crib deaths in bassinets each year, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Gain 2 pounds per week Gain 1.5 pounds per week Gain 1 pound per week Gain 0.5 pound per week Maintain my current weight Lose 0.5 pound per week