Kids Mattress

[kj102016]

Hello,

I have been on this site for weeks getting information on a mattress for my 3 year old daughter for her first big girl bed. We want the mattress to have as much “natural” materials as possible since she is so young. A lot of posts have information on latex mattresses and we are wanting an innerspring mattress. Her bed will be a captains bed with a solid “bunky board” that the mattress will be on, so I thought innerspring would be better on that surface for breathability.

I was almost set on getting the pure echo for her but the dimensions of the mattress are a little smaller than her bed and I was concerned with that. Are there any other similar type mattress that are more natural with innerspring? Naturepedic was also an option but I was hoping for something more affordable. These are the only two that I can find with my research that are in this category.

I live in Columbus, OH and I was also wondering if someplace local offered more natural options.

Thanks!

[phoenix]

Hi kj102016:

Thank you for your post.

We want the mattress to have as much “natural” materials as possible since she is so young.

I know you said you’ve already decided upon some sort of a latex product, but just for others reading this topic, one of the most important issues for most parents is that their child’s mattress uses “safe” materials. There is also a lot more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” and that can help you decide on the type of materials and components you are most comfortable having in your child’s mattress and help you answer “how safe is safe enough for me”. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

Her bed will be a captains bed with a solid “bunky board” that the mattress will be on, so I thought innerspring would be better on that surface for breathability.

While overall there can be a bit more breathability within the core of the mattress when using an innerspring, you still may wish to consider something like a coir bed rug underneath any mattress for increased air circulation, as you are placing this mattress upon a solid surface.

I was almost set on getting the pure echo for her but the dimensions of the mattress are a little smaller than her bed and I was concerned with that

I’m assuming you’re using a twin sized mattress. The dimensions quoted for the Pure Echo of 38" x 74" are standard for a twin, and these dimension typically vary +/- 1". It is normal for platform beds to leave approximately 1" of a gap around the perimeter of a mattress to allow for the tucking in of sheets and a comforter. It’s not necessarily the same as crib mattresses, where the mattress fits very snugly to keep an infant from getting trapped between the side and the mattress.

I live in Columbus, OH and I was also wondering if someplace local offered more natural options.

While I try my best to keep up with current offerings, it’s unfortunately not possible for me to maintain a listing of the items that each retailer maintains in every area, as retailers are constantly changing their lineups. Sorry about that. Perhaps some more local members of this site may have some suggestions regarding your specific request of natural options.

However, subject to confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list you wish to deal with is completely transparent about the materials and components in their mattresses (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your criteria and the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Columbus, OH area are listed in post #2 here. Some of the other forum lists that are a little farther away include the Cincinnati, OH list here and the Dayton, OH list here.

If you can’t find anything closer to home and decide to expand your search online (you’ll find more options online for what you’re trying to find), here is a list of some of the better options of which I am currently aware for online choices.

I look forward to learning about what you decided to purchase.

Phoenix

[kj102016]

Thank you so much for the great information!

I feel better about the dimensions of the pure echo, I was not thinking about the mattress being an inch less than the bed being helpful in tucking in bedding.

I had looked into the bed rug but for some reason thought I would not need it for an innerspring, so thank you for the tip. Would a bed rug be enough to open my search to latex or would it still be best to stick to innerspring because of the solid surface?

I will have to go through your list of local places to see if they carry anything with the safer materials that I am looking for. I live close to the Original Mattress Factory but didn’t think to even try them because I assumed that any “chain” store would not carry any mattresses that had natural and safe materials. I feel like there is so much false advertising/sales in “natural” products and I don’t feel knowledgable enough on what to be asking or what to look for.

You have given me with a lot more great information that I will need to sort through to help in my search.

Thank you so much for your help!

[kj102016]

I am making an appointment with Design Sleep to look at their kids mattress. I was impressed with their website and they seem like a “safer” mattress. I think I have it narrowed down to them or the Pure Echo. Thank you so much for the list for Columbus area Mattress retailers. I would have never known about Design Sleep without you. Hopefully I’ll be able to make a decision soon.

[phoenix]

Hi kj102016.

I had looked into the bed rug but for some reason thought I would not need it for an innerspring, so thank you for the tip. Would a bed rug be enough to open my search to latex or would it still be best to stick to innerspring because of the solid surface?

Talalay latex is generally the most breathable of all foams. Dunlop latex is also open-cell in structure and quite breathable. While it is true that cfm numbers would probably be higher for most completed mattresses using innerspring units (especially side to side in the middle of the mattress) as compared to a solid latex mattress, both choices would be quite breathable, and a coir bed rug under an all-latex or innerspring product will certainly be assistive in helping to circulate air around the product. I personally wouldn’t have breathability issues high on my list of potential drawbacks for an all-latex product.

I will have to go through your list of local places to see if they carry anything with the safer materials that I am looking for. I live close to the Original Mattress Factory but didn’t think to even try them because I assumed that any “chain” store would not carry any mattresses that had natural and safe materials

I would be very cautious about store/brand shopping in general because you are buying a specific mattress not the brand and most manufacturers have access to the same or similar components and materials. Many manufacturers make a wide range of mattresses that can vary from lower quality and less durable materials to higher quality and more durable materials in a wide range of prices. The name of the manufacturer or store on the label or the price of the mattress won’t tell you anything about whether a specific mattress is suitable for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP or whether there are any lower quality materials or weak links in the design that would affect the durability and useful life of the mattress. There is more about the risks of brand shopping in post #5 here and post #12 here.

Having said that … Original Mattress Factory (OMF) in general sells some good quality/value mattresses relative to most of the mainstream industry so they can certainly be a good quality/value choice that would be well worth considering as a purchase as long as you confirm that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in any of their specific mattresses that you are considering.

I feel like there is so much false advertising/sales in “natural” products and I don’t feel knowledgable enough on what to be asking or what to look for.

I’ve copied below an excerpt from one of the links in my earlier reply to you about “safe” and “safe enough for me.”

There is no consensus on which mattress or material is “best” for children but one of the most important issues for most parents is that their child’s mattress uses “safe” materials. There is also a lot more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” and that can help you decide on the type of materials and components you are most comfortable having in your child’s mattress and help you answer “how safe is safe enough for me”. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices. Just because something is labelled as “natural” doesn’t mean that it is “safe,” and just because something lacks an organic certification doesn’t mean that it is “unsafe.”

The only reliable way to to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOCs so that you have some assurance than the VOCs are below the testing limits for the certification (see post #2 here for more information about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications). If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification, then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material or the name of the manufacturer on the label.

While this applies more to babies and younger infants that are not yet able to change position … with too much soft material in a mattress the risk of suffocation with stomach sleeping increases for infants. This is more of an issue with memory foam than other materials (this of course is in addition to any chemical or off-gassing issues from synthetic materials that young children may be more sensitive to than adults). I would avoid memory foam for younger children in particular (see post #2 here).

Once you have decided on the types of materials you are comfortable with then there are also some general firmness guidelines in post #2 here for choosing a mattress for a child in different age ranges that may also be helpful.

Thank you so much for your help!

You’re welcome.!

I am making an appointment with Design Sleep to look at their kids mattress. I was impressed with their website and they seem like a “safer” mattress. I think I have it narrowed down to them or the Pure Echo.

I look forward to what you find and what you decide to get.
Good luck!
Phoenix