How to Choose the Best Mattress for Your Baby’s CribWhat’s The Key To A Healthy Vegetarian Diet? Hidden Ingredients In Candy… And What They Really Are Choosing Safer Face Paints For the Kids Easily Remove Mineral Deposits From Coffee Makers, Faucets and More Why Is Local Food Healthier? What’s In That Lipstick? Sanitize Your Home Naturally Without Harmful Fumes How To Choose Healthier Toys For Your Children Sage Advice For The New VegetarianTry A Healthier Shampoo. Swap Until You Drop! Revitalize Your Closet Without Opening Your Wallet. Why We Shouldn’t Pay More For Organic… How To Make Your Battery Charge Last Longer Why Second-Hand Fashion Is First Class Shopping How to choose the best air purifier for winter Quick tips for clean, healthy air in your home Joining A Car Share Program – When Does It Make Sense? How To Recognize Natural vs. Synthetics Ingredients In Body Care Products Are Food Allergies Caused By Genetically Modified Foods?
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Is Organic Really Better? How To Safeguard A New or Used Crib Mattress Choosing an Organic Crib Mattress – Know What to Look For Choosing The Safest Crib Mattress For Your Baby Biodegradable Diapers – How Can You Get Them To Actually Biodegrade Things You Flush All The Time That You’re Not Supposed To Save Your Baby’s Sensitive Butt From Diaper Rash Limit Exposure To Mercury From Flu Shots & Childhood Vaccines We’re Exposed to Mercury More Than You’d Think Ever Considered Replacing Your Silver Dental Fillings? Breaking A Fluorescent Bulb Can Be Dangerous. Here’s How To Clean It Up Safely. Every parent wants to protect their new baby from harm. But sometimes the safest solutions are not the most feasible. For example, you’d think all crib mattresses are safe, affordable and readily available in stores. But somehow that is not the case. Finding a safest crib mattress is more difficult than you’d think, because most crib mattresses are made with harmful materials such as PVC and chemical flame-retardants.
And the healthier options made from all-natural materials are rarely sold in the most popular baby stores. These safer mattresses are easier to find online, but they are often expensive. Many parents take over a friend’s crib mattress or buy second-hand in order to get high quality at an affordable price. But while second-hand baby clothes are perfectly safe, a used baby crib mattress may not be. Studies have linked used crib mattresses to an increased likelihood of SIDS. The prevailing theory is that the second baby is exposed to the bacteria from the first baby’s sweat, saliva and diaper leakage. A second issue is that used mattresses are often stored improperly and can expose the baby to mildew and fungus. Safeguard Any Crib Mattress For many new parents, a second-hand crib mattress or one made from synthetic materials is your only option. There are a few simple and affordable things you can do to safeguard any crib mattress. Safeguard a synthetic crib mattress
Remove the crib mattress from its plastic wrapping to release trapped chemicals. Let it air out for a few days, preferably outdoors. If outdoors isn’t an option, put the crib mattress in a well-ventilated room that you don’t need to visit for a while. Close the door and cover any vents to avoid spreading chemicals throughout the house. Turn on a fan and face it toward the window to force the air outside. Once the “new mattress smell” is gone, wrap it with a cover made from food-grade polyethylene plastic or tightly woven wool. This will keep any harmful chemicals from touching your baby directly and will help to keep the mattress dry. Plastic is not breathable, so place a cotton pad over the polyethylene cover to let air flow more easily between the baby and the mattress. Safeguard a used crib mattress Inspect the crib mattress thoroughly to ensure it does not have mold or mildew stains before accepting it. Pour distilled white vinegar (readily available at the supermarket) into a spray bottle.
Spray down the mattress with the vinegar to safely disinfect it and leave it to air dry in a clean room for a few days. Wrap the crib mattress with a food-grade polyethylene plastic or a tightly woven wool mattress cover. Top it with a cotton mattress pad. You might also like: Choosing the Safest Crib Mattress for Your Baby.Top 5 Compared: The Best Crib Mattresses For Your Baby Out and about with your baby Babies grow very quickly. All you need for the first few weeks are enough clothes to make sure your baby will be warm and clean. There's no evidence that using washing powders with enzymes (bio powders) or fabric conditioners will irritate your baby's skin. For the first few months, you'll need a crib, carrycot or Moses basket (a light, portable bassinet). Your baby needs to sleep somewhere that's safe, warm and not too far from you. Baby nests are not suitable for your baby to sleep in when you're not there because of the danger of suffocation.
If you are borrowing a crib or a cot, or using one that has been used by another of your children, you should ideally buy a new mattress. If you can't do this, use the cot mattress you have, as long as it's firm (not soft), flat, fits the cot with no gaps, is clean, and waterproof. Don't use pillows and duvets – they are not safe for babies who are less than a year old because of the risk of suffocation. Duvets can also make your baby too hot. Sheets and layers of blankets tucked in firmly below your baby's shoulder level or a baby sleeping bag are safe for your baby to sleep in. Your baby will spend many hours in a cot, so make sure it's safe. If you're buying a new cot, look for the British Standard mark BS EN 716-1. For more information on safe sleeping, see Reducing the risk of SIDS. You can also visit the Lullaby Trust website, which has lots of information on safe sleeping. Spend some time looking at what's available for getting around with your baby.
Think about what will suit you best before you make a choice, and ask other mums what they've found useful. Before buying a pushchair or a pram, check that: Baby carriers – also called slings – are attached with straps and your baby is carried in front of you. Most babies like being carried like this because they're close to you and warm. The back part of the carrier must be high enough to support your baby's head. Check that buckles and straps are secure. Older babies who can hold up their heads and whose backs are stronger – at about four months – can be carried in carriers that go on your back. See the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website for more advice on using baby carriers and slings safely. Pushchairs, also known as strollers and buggies, are only suitable for young babies if they have fully reclining seats, so your baby can lie flat. Wait until your baby can sit by themselves before using another type of pushchair.
Choose a light pushchair if you will be lifting it on to trains or buses. Prams give your baby a lot of space to sit and lie comfortably, but they take up a lot of space and are hard to use on public transport. If you have a car, look for a pram that can be dismantled easily. Consider buying a pram harness at the same time, as you may need it to strap your baby securely into the pram. A carrycot is a light, portable cot with handles, similar to but smaller than the body of a pram, and often attachable to a wheeled frame. Your baby can sleep in the carrycot for the first few months, and the cot can be attached to the frame to go out. This is a carrycot and transporter (a set of wheels) that can be converted into a pushchair when your baby outgrows the carrycot. Shopping trays that fit under the pushchair or pram can also be very useful when you're out. If you've got a car, you must have a baby car seat. Your baby must always go in their seat, including when you bring them home from the hospital.