There's no doubt about it: having a baby is expensive. After buying a stroller, crib, clothing, feeding supplies, diapers and other essentials, your wallet can quickly empty out. It's natural to begin looking for ways to save money on all the items you need for baby, and one way is by buying used items. While some used items are good news for your wallet and your new baby, there are some safety concerns to consider; this is especially true when it comes to used crib mattresses. When buying a used crib mattress, you cannot be 100 percent sure of the care or abuse it went through while being used previously. An infant can be particularly dirty due to diaper leaks or spilled milk; all of these things can collect on a crib mattress and lead to moisture and mold growth if not cleaned properly. In addition, if the crib mattress was not kept in a cool, dry place, moisture can seep into the mattress, harboring bacteria and fungi growth. If you have a crib mattress that was used for an older child in your home, and you know that it was well cared for and stored properly, it likely poses no risk to your baby.
While the standard crib mattress is at least 27 1/4 inches by 51 5/8 inches and no more than 6 inches in height, not all cribs are made to these exact specifications and an ill-fitting crib mattress can pose a significant health risk. , a proper-fitting crib mattress should not have enough space between the mattress and the sides of the crib to fit two fingers snugly. A crib mattress should be firm to properly support your baby and reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. A used crib mattress might lose some firmness and could develop dips and bulges due to improper use or storage. Additionally, the condition of the mattress is vital. Do not use a mattress with tears, exposed springs or filling, or one that smells of mildew or dampness. In the November 2002 “British Medical Journal,” a study was published by Scotland researchers that provided a possible link between the use of a pre-owned crib mattress and infant death from SIDS. The study found that an infant was up to three times more likely to die from SIDS when using a secondhand crib mattress.
While the study did not find a firm cause-and-effect relationship between the use of an old mattress and SIDS, it did find sufficient evidence to warrant concern when accepting a used mattress from someone else’s home. 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 Lose 1 pound per week Lose 1.5 pounds per week Lose 2 pounds per week Things You Should Buy New for a Second Baby How to Paint a Baby Crib How to Convert a Crib Into a Full Size Bed How to Clean a Crib Mattress What Is Better a Trifold or a Bifold Wallet? What Is Better, a Money Clip or a Wallet? How to Turn Crib Into Toddler Bed Is Flame-Resistant Clothing Safe for Children? Safety of Crib Netting Safety Issues in Children's Clothing How to Clean Used Newborn Baby Furniture How to Use Breast Pumps for a Second Child A Hospital Packing List for an Expecting Mom
Things to Pack for a Baby When Going Into Labor The Disadvantages of Mini Cribs How to Arrange a Master Bedroom to Include Crib & Baby Storage Should Baby Cribs Be Slightly Elevated on One Side?In fact, for most families with more than one child, they are a way of life. But even with the terrific cost savings and convenience of just passing things down from one pregnancy and newborn to the next, you’ll want to stock up on a few new items during your pregnancy to prepare for that second baby. – If you’ve kept your old bottles to wash, boil and prepare for this next baby, be aware that the nipples on the bottles have an expiration date. The nipples on a bottle should be replaced every few months, which means the nipples you used for your older child should have been replaced then and most certainly should be replaced now. Fortunately, baby bottle manufactures produce separate nipples that are far less expensive to buy than the full bottle set-up. – For the same reasons as above, any latex or silicone pacifiers used with your first baby should be throw out after just a few months.
If you still have some hanging around, throw them out and buy a pack or two of new pacifiers for your new little one. Don’t go overboard on replacing the pacifiers, however. If your first loved them, your second might decide to hate them. Have one handy and ready to go when you need it, but don’t be a bit surprised if the baby you’re cooking now is nothing like your first. - It is recommended that you replace your crib mattress for each baby. The crib itself is fine to use as many times as you like so long as it is in good repair, but the allergens and other material that seep into the mattress can be agitating to the newborn. If you’re not going to spring for a brand new mattress, a zip-on mattress cover that locks all the yucky inside a special material will make it almost as good as new. - If your car seat has ever been in any sort of accident, it should be replaced. If it’s broken or in poor repair it should be replaced as well. New advancements are always being made in carseat technology and it’s recommended that you get a new carseat with every baby to take advantage of the latest technology updates and to be sure your newborn is in the safest car environment possible.
– During your pregnancy, you’ll start to unpack the early baby items to prepare the nursery for the second round of infancy. When you do this, you can expect your first-born to reclaim any of her old lovies. Blankets, dolls, animals and the odd toy will suddenly be absolutely off-limits for the new baby and you should honor the wishes of your child, within reason. Buy new lovies that are fresh and ready for your next little one to chew and drool on. In fact, you can probably wait and receive some new dolls and blankets at a baby shower or as a gift. Don't forget to record the memories of your pregnancy using TotSites!.Use without explicit permission is prohibited.Babies who routinely sleep on an infant mattress previously used by another child may be at increased risk of cot death, according to a study published today.Researchers at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow believe that there may be a link between the bacteria in used mattresses and Of the 131 cases of cot deaths they looked at, around half of the babies died on used mattresses.
And two-thirds of the used mattresses came from another home.The four-year study published in this week's British Medical Journal found that routine use of an infant mattress previously used by another child was significantly associated with increased risk of sudden death syndrome, especially if the mattress was from another home.The findings back up an earlier survey carried out by researchers at the hospital in 1997.Dr David Tappin, consultant paediatrician at the Yorkhill NHS Trust, said: "What we would say to parents is that the most important steps to take to reduce cot death are to put babies on their back to sleep and to stop smoking during pregnancy and keep the baby smoke-free after the birth."Our research is not saying there is a definite risk from used mattresses but the way of avoiding a potential risk is to use new mattresses."His advice to parents was to use a waterproof mattress and ensure it was in good condition.In the UK, 500 babies die every year from sudden death syndrome.
Dr Tappin said he was surprised by the results of their previous survey but believed it was important to bring the findings out into the public domain to allow parents to make their own choices.Hazel Brooke, executive director of the Scottish Cot Death Trust, also said they did not want to alarm parents with the findings.She added: "I think that the interesting thing about the mattress data is that families are desperate to do anything they can to reduce the chances of cot deaths to their babies."And we are constantly getting phone calls from parents asking if there is anything more they can do."We feel that it would be unethical to sit on this research until five years down the line when someone else has enough data to publish."We feel we must say to parents at this stage that this is a potential risk."Researchers also looked at 278 healthy infants to make comparisons for the study.The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths advises that it does not matter what kind of cot mattress is used, or whether it is new, as long as it is clean, firm, does not sag and shows no signs of deterioration.