Preparing for baby is quite a task, and doubly-so when you’re having twins. I just worked with a mom whose twins are due this fall. She’s educated and concerned about avoiding toxins in the nursery, but she’s looking for places to save too. Who can blame her! Her shopping list includes bassinets, crib mattresses, cloth diapers, diapering accessories, natural skin care, BPA-free bottles and more.
One of her priciest items is this lovely Pottery Barn bassinet she’s chosen for the twins. She admitted that it’s more than she wants to spend ($299), but she can’t find many other options that are well-made. I agree that plastic bassinets are not the stablest creatures, but I suspect she’s also fallen in love with Pottery Barn’s gorgeous design! It is a beauty! Here’s the thing, her bank account really started reeling when she realized that the bassinet is going to require a custom organic mattress due to its unusual dimensions. That’s when she and her husband started wondering if they could just use the mattress that comes with the bassinet.
Happy to help, I followed her over to the item description at Pottery Barn Kids. It revealed that the mattress is a “PVC plastic shell sealed around a 100% polyurethane foam core.” No way. Double no way! PVC (vinyl) and polyurethane foam are extremely toxic. They should not be in any nursery. That’s why I listed the conventional baby mattress as #1 offender on my list of Top 10 Toxic Baby Products. Unfortunately, virtually all baby mattresses that come with bassinets, co-sleepers, and cradles are made with vinyl and polyurethane foam. Even the popular Stokke crib sleep system comes with a junky, toxic mattress made of these cheap and dangerous ingredients. Read all about the gory details at What’s Wrong with a Conventional Mattress.
My advice to this mom-to-be is to invest in organic baby mattresses as a #1 priority. It’s better to sacrifice organic cloth diapers for conventional cloth diapers or Pottery Barn’s gorgeous bassinet for a simpler option, putting that money into a mattress. The moses basket and rocker set we offer comes with an organic wool mattress and is more versatile than your typical bassinet. And, ultimately, if you can’t afford an organic mattress, I think it’s better to use a firm cotton quilt! Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping, inhaling air just inches away from that mattress. Make it a good one.
P.S. Don’t buy just any mattress labeled “organic”. Unlike with foods, the word “organic” is not regulated at all in children’s bedding. Do Your Homework Before Buying an Organic Mattress! In our opinion, EcoBaby’s mattresses (which are available in many sizes and can also be custom-ordered) are the simplest, healthiest choice for baby. And that’s why we offer them in our store!
Related posts:
- Is Naturepedic’s “FlameBreaker” Fire Retardant Safe?
- Once Upon a Mattress
- Top 10 Toxic Baby Products
- Do your Homework Before Buying an Organic Mattress!
- All about Fire-Retardants
Tags: mattress, non-toxic, preparing for baby
Rachel,
Just want to second your comment that the “organic” label on mattresses cannot be trusted. They have an “organic” sealy mattress at my local target for 109.99. It’s just a standard plastic mattress with an organic cotton cover– not much of an improvement, in my opinion!
This is a great posting.
Quite interesting… Have you created anything about the memory foam or latex products to date?