Hi all
I am looking for a mattress for my very eczema prone 2yo son. As you mentioned in post on your site, when I ask sales people questions about the layers of each mattress I’m not getting very helpful replies.
At the moment I am looking at a mattress made by a small local manufacturer with:
•Natural bamboo stretch knit ticking (they have offered to make it with cotton instead);
•A “cashmere wool” layer;
•15 mm natural latex layer (when I asked they did say it was made with a blend of natural and synthetic latex);
•30 mm “firm” density foam (Dunlop foam called ‘neoprene’ which they have stated is “inert”)
•5 zone pocket springs (I’m not sure if a toddler who moves around in bed will receive the correct support for his spine from zoned springs??); and
•Foam box construction.
I’m not sure what else I should be asking and whether I should keep looking for a better option. Any additional pointers would be appreciated.
Many thanks for all your time and help. The website is a fantastic resource.
Post #2 here includes links to the better forum posts and topics about mattresses and children that should be helpful and also includes links to many good options and sources for children’s mattresses. It would be the first place I would start.
Neoprene is a form of synthetic rubber that is unusual to find in a mattress (I’ve never seen it used before) and it has a more closed cell structure and is less breathable than the more typical Dunlop or Talalay latex foam. I would find out if this is what they are using for sure since it seems “odd” to me. You can see here that the “typical” use of Neoprene doesn’t include mattresses.
When you are dealing with a child’s mattress then a firmer sleeping surface than would usually be comfortable for an adult with a more developed and “curvy” body would usually be the most suitable choice to help support their less developed body and keep them in good alignment. When they get older and need some additional softness on top of their mattress you can add a topper if the mattress you choose uses good quality and durable materials and is still in good condition. I agree with you that the benefits of zoning would be questionable for a child since it’s unlikely they would “fit” the zones.
Any good quality support system can work well for a children’s mattress (innersprings, latex, polyfoam) depending on your budget and the “feel” that you prefer (or think they would). Innersprings are of course more “bouncy” or “springy” followed by latex followed by polyfoam. If you spend time on their mattress with them “snuggling” or reading then how it feels for you may also be a worthwhile consideration. Many parents also feel better about innersprings or latex because they are a little more “natural” materials that have less likelihood of VOC’s but whatever materials you decide on I would make sure that it was “safe” and has been tested and certified for harmful substances and VOC’s.
I have checked the foam with the manufacturer directly and they stated that it is a Dunlop product called urethane.
Thank you for the links and additional info - very helpful.
That makes much more sense since Dunlop Foams doesn’t make Neoprene but they do make a wide range of polyurethane foams.
Assuming that you are in Australia … post #2 here also has links to most of the Australian forum posts and topics and a link to a list of some of the Australian manufacturers with some comments as well (although I’m not that familiar with the Australian market).
Phoenix that is very informative. Based on what I have read in the posts you linked above and the additional info you have provided, I have decided to change my criteria and up my budget. I am now thinking that an organic cotton innerspring mattress is the best option for my little guy.
I decided to go with an inner spring mattress simply because I keep reading that latex can cause allergies. In addition, it’s reported that latex may permanently contour to a body shape over time. Apparently this isn’t optimal for a young child’s spine which is rapidly developing and will “outgrow” the contour in the latex. Not sure how accurate this all is but it seems to make sense.
So far, I can only find one manufacturer of organic innerspring mattresses in Australia (mentioned in the post you suggested). Most other organic mattress manufacturers produce latex or stuffed (wool, cotton etc) mattresses. If I find any others, I will post an update.
I think you may be getting some misinformation here.
You can read more about latex allergies in post #2 here but almost all latex allergies are contact allergies and are connected to dipped latex (such as gloves, condoms, balloons etc) not to the foamed latex that is used in mattresses.
I’m not sure where this information is coming from but it’s certainly not correct and latex is among the most durable of all mattress materials. If anything it’s renowned for its ability to resist impressions and softening. You can see an example here of a latex mattress that was used for almost 50 years.