Crib Mattress Size - Advice on Cot Mattresses

A mattress for your baby's cot is perhaps one of the most essential purchases that you will have to make for your newborn. When you consider that they will be spending most of their time in their bed, especially during the first few months of life, you can understand why it is such an important investment.

There are many things that you need to take into account when buying an infant cot mattress, and these will not only help to make the shopping process easier, but will also help to ensure that your newborn is safe and comfortable.

When you are planning to buy a mattress for your little one to sleep on, there are certain things that you need to consider.

Firstly, you need to check the dimensions of the mattress that you are interested in against the measurement of the crib that you already have. This should not cause any problems as the majority of cots and crib mattresses are normally made to a standard size. Consequently, you should be able to do a mix and match when buying without fear that the mattress may not fit. As with most things though, it pays to be safe, so there is no harm in airing on the side of caution and taking measurements anyway.

Make certain that the mattress fits snugly inside the crib frame. A good test to ensure that this is the case is that you should not be able to get more than one of your fingers in between the actual frame and the mattress. This applies to all sides of the cot and ensures that your baby cannot get an arm or leg trapped between the two.

Another important consideration is the firmness of the mattress, as all babies need a more solid surface to sleep on. Again, you can test if it is firm enough by picking it up, placing your hands in the middle on opposite sides, and squeezing. The harder it is to squeeze, the firmer and safer it will be for your little one.

Finally yet importantly is the structure of the mattress, which can be either innerspring or foam. Coil springs provide a good firm mattress, which is also long lasting. However, they are a lot heavier which can make handling more difficult. Foam on the other hand is a lighter material and can be lifted with ease when changing sheets.

One thing to be aware of is that the cheap low-density foam used inside some mattresses will eventually go brittle and start to break up thus reducing the firmness and support. High-density foam holds up a lot better under weight and tends to bounce back to its original shape once the weight is removed.