One of the first purchases you’ll make for your infant is that of a mattress. Though you may choose to co-sleep (we did), eventually you’ll make the switch to a toddler bed.

Let’s break it down (Why You Need to Do Your Mattress Research)

1. The traditional mattress is covered with chemical flame retardants. Flame retardants are made from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are linked to respiratory issues, headaches, allergies and cancer. There is concern that these chemicals are also linked to SIDS. These VOCs have been found in both cord blood and in human blood.In fact, in 2014, the University of Texas did the first ever study of its kind and found that infants are exposed to high levels of chemical emissions from crib mattresses while they sleep. The ideal mattress is one made from truly organic and natural materials – one made from organic cotton, latex derived from the rubber tree (completely different than synthetic latex) and wool. Wool is a natural flame retardant, no chemicals needed!
2. Many mattresses contain glues and man-made fills that are toxic. This is especially the case for any type of foam – even soy foam! Mattresses made from soy or bamboo are heavily processed.
3. Your infant/toddler will spend 10 to 12 hours sleeping on it cheek to mattress. That’s 50% of their little lives. Making sure it’s one not covered in chemicals or made from materials that aren’t natural is important so that they are breathing in only what you want them to – air!
4. While some companies claim that their mattresses are natural or organic, they aren’t telling you the whole truth. Many of these companies are only referring to the outside most layer of the mattress. You must read the fine print. If there is no explanation of the materials used, you can always call the company to ask exactly what the composition of the mattress is. Ideally, you want your organic mattress to have a certified third-party certification.

Some Examples of What Lies Beneath

Two of many examples of companies that lead people to think that their mattresses are all organic or all natural are Pottery Barn with their Kids Lullaby Organic Crib Mattress and Naturepedic with their No Compromise Crib Mattress.

Pottery Barn calls their mattress organic, but not all layers are. In fact, they use a non-organic, GMO soy foam. In reality, soybean foam is primarily made from petrochemicals, not soybeans. So you are getting a nice combination of, well, crud. 

The Sleep Sherpa, a top reviewer of mattresses, took a look at one of Naturepedic’s No Compromise Crib Mattress. Along with testing for comfort, he opens them up to take a look at what’s on the inside. His thoughts: “Overall I think this is a fine crib mattress. However, I worry that consumers will confuse this with an organic mattress which it is not. The only thing organic about this mattress is the inch or so of cotton batting. However, since it is sealed in plastic, I’m not sure what the benefit of that is except that it is better for the environment. It really does nothing to improve the sleep environment of the baby. I like that Naturepedic is focusing on breathability and quality material but I have seen many other bloggers get their facts confused.”

A Quality Crib Mattress: The Emily Natural Crib Mattress

Tim, the owner of My Green Mattress, named this after his daughter, for whom he made his very first organic mattress for. Shortly after Emily was born, it was apparent that she suffered from eczema and allergies. Tim and his wife took Emily to see the best pediatric dermatologists, but also did their own research and found that all-natural products could help alleviate Emily’s symptoms. Tim realized it was time to offer all-natural mattresses to his customers, putting the first one in his daughter’s crib.  ***Please note that since he started making them some years ago, his mattresses are now officially GreenGuard GOLD certified AND both the cotton and wool are processed using GOTS certified materials and techniques. In addition, neither the wool or the cotton are blended.

The Emily Natural Crib Mattress is My Green Mattress’s very own infant/toddler mattress. Here’s what it’s made out of:

• GOTS certified organic cotton and natural wool quilted cover. ***Important info: My Green Mattress does NOT combine their wool or cotton with any other fibers and unlike other companies, their wool is cleaned in an alcohol-based solution that is GOTS compliant.
• Heavyweight organic cotton batting
• Heavy duty 150 coil innerspring with supportive edge
• All-natural needle punched cotton insulator pads
• **The wool in the quilted cover acts as a natural flame barrier, therefore the mattress passes flame testing required by law without the use of dangerous flame retardant chemicals. In addition, wool is naturally resistant to mold, mildew, and dust mites.

Here’s What Customers are Saying About the Emily Natural Crib Mattress:

 Use code NATKIDS to save $30 off the Emily Crib mattress or $150 off any twin size or larger from My Green Mattress

*Please note, after finding My Green Mattress on my own accord when looking for safe mattresses for my family, I purchased two and loved them. After owning them for some time, the company reached out to see if I would like to become an affiliate. I do not partner with many companies, but I said yes right away to them as I was sharing about the mattresses anyway. The small percentage I make helps me to continue the work I do with the blog. Thank you for supporting this blog.