I know with my three little angels, I wanted to make sure I was able to get the right mattress for them, and for the environment. I wanted my babies to grow up far away from toxins and other dangerous chemicals.
Unlike shopping for little baby clothes, and picking the color for their new bedroom, buying a new baby mattress isn’t super exciting. There is a lot to consider, and the end result is just so plain!
That’s why I did the thinking for you. I’ve figured out the most important things to consider before buying a baby crib mattress and pulled together a list of my top 7 choices.
I really wish I could’ve found a guide like this before I bought my first baby crib mattress!
| Product | Our Rating | Weight-average | Product Dimensions | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dream On Me 3" Playard Mattress | 4.9/5 | 3.5 pounds | 38 x 26 x 3 inches | Check price | |
| Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib Mattress | 4.8/5 | 7.7 pounds (Shipping Weight) | 52.5 x 27.5 x 5.5 inches | Check price | |
| Colgate Eco Classica III Dual firmness Eco-Friendlier Crib mattress | 4.8/5 | 9.4 pounds | 51.7 x 27.5 x 6 inches | Check price | |
| Sealy Soybean Foam-Core Infant/Toddler Crib Mattress | 4.7/5 | 8.3 pounds | 51.6 x 27.2 x 5 inches | Check price | |
| Simmons Kids Beautyrest Beginnings Sleepy Whispers Ultra Deluxe 2 n 1 Crib and Toddler Mattress | 4.7/5 | 25.4 pounds | 27.5 x 6 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Firmness Crib Mattress (FFP) | 4.7/5 | 10.3 pounds | 27.5 x 5 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| My First Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress with Plush Removable Waterproof Cover | 4.5/5 | 11.9 pounds | 51.6 x 5 x 27.2 inches | Check price |
Contents
- 1 What to Consider When Buying Your First Crib Mattress
- 2 Other Things to Consider when Buying the Best Crib Mattress
- 3 Crib Mattress Safety Advice
- 4 The Different Types of Crib Mattresses
- 5 New or Used?
- 6 Top 7 Best Crib Mattresses Reviews
- 7 How to Care for Your Baby Crib Mattress
- 8 When to Replace Your Crib Mattress
- 9 The Takeaway: The Best Baby Crib Mattress for Your Baby
What to Consider When Buying Your First Crib Mattress
There are a lot of different factors to consider when you’re looking into buying your first mattress for your baby.
Since the decision is so important and impacts your baby’s health and safety for the first few years of their life, you want to make sure you do your research and understand what to look for in each mattress.
- MATTRESS AND CRIB SIZE
- FIRMNESS
- PRICE RANGE
After that, you’ll want to figure out what price range works for you and your family’s budget. Today, baby crib mattresses range from about $30 to $200. Realistically, you should expect to pay somewhere between $90 and $160 for a reliable and safe baby crib mattress.
Other Things to Consider when Buying the Best Crib Mattress
- Hypoallergenic Mattress
There are many other potential criteria to consider, depending on the needs of your unique baby. For example, do you want to buy a hypoallergenic mattress? You’ll need to closely check the manufacturer’s details to make sure the mattress that you buy holds up to your hypoallergenic standards.
- Ventilation Holes
Some parents want to have ventilation holes in their mattress. There is evidence to show that having air trapped in a mattress can lead to SIDS. This, in turn, has led some mattress companies to include ventilation in their construction.
However, there is no evidence that this helps reduce SIDS. Instead, make sure your baby is sleeping on her back! Not on her tummy.
- Mattress Cover
Next up, check out the mattress cover! You want to make sure that you either purchase a waterproof mattress or buy a waterproof cover that fits over the mattress. Babies have accidents! There is no avoiding this. Be prepared for accidents and buy a mattress that comes with an excellent baby proof cover.
- Heavy Mattress
For many parents, the weight of the mattress is important. You want to make sure your baby is sleeping on a heavy mattress. Basically, you want a heavy mattress for the same reason you want a firm mattress. The mattress should hold up against your baby’s weight so that it doesn’t conform to the shape of your baby.
This will help prevent your baby from suffocating and will encourage your baby to sleep on his or her back. Just make sure you can still easily lift the mattress, in case you need to change the sheets in the middle of the night!
Crib Mattress Safety Advice
If you want more crib mattress safety advice, look no further. A baby’s mattress needs to be flat and firm, as this will help prevent the baby from suffocating.
You also want to make sure the mattress fits snugly in the crib. If there are gaps, the baby could get caught and get hurt. And of course, stay away from toxic chemicals that can hurt your baby!
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure you buy a mattress that is flame retardant. Of course, certain things like fires are uncontrollable. But you can do everything in your power to keep your baby safe from harm. The best baby crib mattresses are non-flammable.
Most mattresses on the market today are flame retardant, but double check anyway before purchasing! Also, make sure that the mattress uses non-toxic compounds to create that non-flammable effect.
The Different Types of Crib Mattresses
There are several different types of crib mattresses available to new parents. These include foam, innerspring, organic, coil spring, and memory foam mattresses. Let’s quickly go over the good and bad side of each of these types of mattresses.
- The Scoop on Foam Mattresses
- Innerspring or Coil Mattresses
- Organic and Natural Mattresses
- Memory Foam Mattresses
Organic mattresses are made with all-natural, organic materials such as cotton, coconut fibers, wood, plant-based foams, or natural latex. This kind of mattress can be made of foam, innerspring, or another construction.
The advantage to organic mattresses is that they don’t have any toxic chemicals that could harm your baby. They also don’t include chemicals that we don’t fully understand yet. If it might be toxic for your baby, better to not have it near the mattress at all!
However, be aware that some babies may be allergic to some of the all-natural chemicals used in these mattresses, such as latex.
New or Used?
Having a newborn baby is expensive, and because of this, buying a used baby mattress may seem very tempting. However, there are certain things to consider before making this decision.
- The first is hygiene. You have no way of knowing what the baby mattress went through before it came to you. Mattresses can easily grow mold in hidden nooks and crannies, exposing your baby to toxins.
- Next, a used mattress may not fit into your crib, which, as we already covered, can be a safety hazard for your baby. Additionally, these mattresses may not have kept their firmness.
- Lastly, the “British Medical Journal” published a study in 2002 that drew a correlation between used mattresses and increased risk of SIDS. To keep your baby safe, it is better to see if a new mattress is within your budget.
If you must choose used, try to buy it from someone you trust, and check it thoroughly beforehand.
| Product | Our Rating | Weight-average | Product Dimensions | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dream On Me 3" Playard Mattress | 4.9/5 | 3.5 pounds | 38 x 26 x 3 inches | Check price | |
| Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib Mattress | 4.8/5 | 7.7 pounds (Shipping Weight) | 52.5 x 27.5 x 5.5 inches | Check price | |
| Colgate Eco Classica III Dual firmness Eco-Friendlier Crib mattress | 4.8/5 | 9.4 pounds | 51.7 x 27.5 x 6 inches | Check price | |
| Sealy Soybean Foam-Core Infant/Toddler Crib Mattress | 4.7/5 | 8.3 pounds | 51.6 x 27.2 x 5 inches | Check price | |
| Simmons Kids Beautyrest Beginnings Sleepy Whispers Ultra Deluxe 2 n 1 Crib and Toddler Mattress | 4.7/5 | 25.4 pounds | 27.5 x 6 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Firmness Crib Mattress (FFP) | 4.7/5 | 10.3 pounds | 27.5 x 5 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| My First Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress with Plush Removable Waterproof Cover | 4.5/5 | 11.9 pounds | 51.6 x 5 x 27.2 inches | Check price |
Top 7 Best Crib Mattresses Reviews
Okay, now that you understand what to consider, let’s get down to the fun part: the reviews! These are my top 10 best crib mattresses on the market today, and I hope you’ll find the reviews helpful and informative.
#1 - Dream On Me 3" Playard Mattress
The Dream On Me Playard Mattress is one of the most popular mattresses out there for babies right now, and I can totally understand why. This is a foam mattress, a very popular material these days.
This mattress is extremely firm, while also somehow managing to feel comfortable for your baby. Because it is a foam mattress, it has the right density without being extremely heavy. Because of that, it can even travel with you if you’re heading out on a trip.
This mattress fits inside the Graco Playard crib perfectly, and American Baby Co sheets also fit onto the mattress perfectly.
- Foam Mattress
- Firm
- Heavy but still easy to carry
- Fits into Graco Playard Cribs
- Graco Pack n Play sheets do not fit
All in all, this is a great choice for a baby mattress. The price isn’t too high, the quality is great, and it hits all the criteria on the head. Just make sure it fits snugly into your chosen crib, and you are good to go!
#2 - Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib Mattress
This isn’t my personal favorite crib on the market today, but it does still seem to be popular with many new moms. Although people have some complaints about the construction, overall it seems like a good choice for you and your baby.
This mattress is constructed of memory foam and is thick and firm. The memory foam doesn’t have a ton of give. It is really dense and high quality, so it is still safe for your baby to sleep on.
The mattress also comes with a removable waterproof cover, making this whole mattress incredibly easy to keep clean.
On the other hand, some people do complain that the seams around the edges rip over time. This is ugly, shows poor craftsmanship, and could create spaces where bacteria could live.
- Dense, high quality memory foam
- Removable waterproof cover makes cleaning simple
- Seams on the edges tear after some use
- Too short for some standard size cribs
At the end of the day, this mattress might be a good choice for moms on a budget. But be careful to check the seams regularly, because you don’t want your baby to chew or choke on exposed material.
#3 - Colgate Eco Classica III Dual firmness Eco-Friendlier Crib mattress
The Colgate Eco Classica is easily one of the most popular, all natural mattress options available today. Health conscious mom’s love this mattress and I do too.
This dual sided mattress has one side for your infant and another for a toddler. The infant side is very firm, perfect for a little baby. As your baby grows bigger, flip the mattress over to the softer side, and you’ve got a bed that will make your toddler happy.
The mattress itself is made of a great quality, plant-based memory foam, guaranteed to be a hit with environmentally conscious parents. It also comes with a 100% organic cotton cover. The cover is very easy to remove and clean after your baby has made a bit of a mess.
The mattress itself is about 10 pounds. It’s heavy enough to be safe for your baby but light enough so that you can easily change sheets in the middle of the night by yourself.
Unlike some other eco-friendly mattresses that I’ve seen, this one has no chemical smell. It might have a faint scent of plastic when you first unwrap it, but if you let it air out for a day, that smell will go away.
- Eco-Friendly Materials
- Memory Foam mattress
- 2 Sided so the mattress grows with your baby
- Heavy for baby safety, but light enough for mom to change the sheets with ease
- Faint smell of plastic when you first unwrap it
With no chemical smell, eco-friendly production, and quality memory foam construction, this is one of the best choices available today, in my opinion.
#4 - Sealy Soybean Foam-Core Infant/Toddler Crib Mattress
Another option for environmentally friendly mommies, the Sealy Soybean Foam-Core is earth-friendly and avoids those flame retardant chemicals that could create a toxic atmosphere for your baby.
Moms who love environmentally friendly mattresses have their reasons. Babies spend most of their time asleep. So, why would you want your baby to spend most of their time in a toxic environment? Choosing a natural mattress like this one helps keep your baby away from potentially toxic chemicals.
This memory foam mattress is firm but does have just the tiniest bit of give, which may seem to be a comfortable situation for your baby.
The lightweight build of the mattress might turn off some parents looking for heavier options, but it certainly makes changing sheets a breeze. Once you’ve had a few babies, you learn to appreciate anything that can make those midnight sessions just a little bit quicker and less painful.
The waterproof cover is exceptionally easy to wipe off and get clean, and it comes with a pad underneath for added protection. And in terms of mattress size, this mattress fits snugly into most standard size cribs.
As for the detractors, there are a few things that weigh in against this mattress. First of all, the memory foam is not 100% soybean based. In fact, it is 73% polyurethane, so that is a little misleading.Additionally, the mattress is a bit thinner than some others on the market, which can be a turnoff for choosy parents.
- Eco-Friendly Materials
- Memory Foam mattress
- Waterproof cover and pad are easy to remove and clean
- Lightweight build is great for easy sheet changes
- Construction isn’t 100% soybean based
- Mattress is somewhat thinner than other comparable options
Even with all the negatives entered into the equation, this is still a great option for your baby. People love it, it holds up well over time, and it is a safe and environmentally friendly option.
#5 - Simmons Kids Beautyrest Beginnings Sleepy Whispers Ultra Deluxe 2 n 1 Crib and Toddler Mattress
If you’re looking for a baby mattress and having one built of organic materials isn’t high on your criteria list, this is one of the best non-organic mattresses available today.
This mattress is double sided, which is great if you’re looking to save money in the long run as your little one grows older. The infant side is quite firm, while the toddler side is just that little bit softer, great for growing bodies.
Made from high-quality materials, this mattress feels well made, expensive, and very firm. In terms of aesthetics, it feels like a great option.
For parents who are looking for heavier options, this one definitely fits the bill. It’s quite a bit heavier than other mattresses I’ve looked at, which makes it seem to be a very safe option for your baby.
One last positive is the smell. Unlike some other non-organic mattresses, there is no chemical smell when you unwrap this mattress. Some other mattresses fill the room with a nasty chemical smell that feels toxic for your baby. With this Simmons, you get none of that.
However, this Simmons isn’t made of memory foam, which might not be so popular with some choosy parents. The edging also isn’t of the highest quality, and some parents complain that the mattress has been tearing.
- Very firm, heavy, and well constructed
- Doubled sided with infant and toddler sides
- Best non-organic option
- Not made of memory foam
- Edging isn’t great
- Mattress can tear
All in all, if you’re looking for an excellent non-organic option, this Simmons Beautyrest is one of the best on the market.
#6 - Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Firmness Crib Mattress (FFP)
The Moonlight mattress is a charming option, given that it comes from a company whose sole purpose is creating the perfect baby mattress. With that in mind, they really have created a masterpiece of a crib mattress.
This mattress is constructed of medical grade memory foam, made and designed right here in the USA. On top of that, the entire mattress is free of PVC, phthalates, vinyl, and polyethylene. It’s good for your baby, and good for the environment!
Like other foam mattresses, this one is built lightweight, making it super easy to change the sheets after your baby makes a mess in the middle of the night. The mattress is also dual sided, so when your newborn grows into a toddler, you can easily flip the mattress over to accommodate him.
Another really fun feature of this mattress is the stitching. While most mattresses have ridges all around the stitching that can catch liquids and create a space for bacteria to grow, the Moonlight doesn’t have that. Instead, they use a flat stitch around the sides, so there is nowhere for liquids and bacteria to get stuck. It’s a nice touch.
- Made in the USA from medical grade memory foam
- Dual Sided
- Chemical free
- Thoughtfully designed
- Not the most affordable
Perhaps the only negative I can think to say about this mattress is the price. All these great, thoughtful design elements don’t come cheap, and this mattress is not the most affordable.
If you have some extra room in your budget and you want a top of the line mattress that won’t expose your beautiful baby to any toxins, you should definitely consider this Moonlight mattress.
#7 - My First Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress with Plush Removable Waterproof Cover
This dual sided mattress is sold at an affordable price that will delight moms on a budget. It has some good design points and leaves other things to be desired.
The best thing about this mattress is that it is dual sided. The sides are also color coded, which I suppose could help to make sure your baby isn’t sleeping on the wrong side.
The infant side of the mattress is a bit more firm and is a white color. Flip the mattress over, and the toddler side is blue, and a bit softer. The toddler side is actually pretty soft and could keep your little one happy if they are a side sleeper.
The included removable cover works well, prevents stains, and is really easy to remove and to clean. Things like this help all of us new parents avoid headaches during those tiring first few months.
However, there are some downsides to this mattress. The biggest problem is the smell. A lot of moms are complaining of a strong chemical smell coming from this mattress. If you do buy it, make sure you leave it out for at least a week to air it out and get rid of any extra chemical smells.
Additionally, some moms have complained that the zippers and stitching on the cover and sides of the mattress are not of the highest quality.
- Dual Sided to grow from infant to toddler
- Toddler side is soft enough for side sleepers
- Removable cover works well and is easy to clean
- Strong chemical smell
- Zipppers and stitching aren’t the highest quality
Despite all the problems I’ve noted, I still think this mattress could be a good choice for new moms. Just make sure you leave enough time to air it out and remove that chemical smell.
How to Care for Your Baby Crib Mattress
General Crib Mattress Maintenance
How to Remove Urine from a Crib Mattress
How to clean baby poop from a crib mattress
How to Prevent Dust Mites from Living in Your Crib Mattress
| Product | Our Rating | Weight-average | Product Dimensions | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dream On Me 3" Playard Mattress | 4.9/5 | 3.5 pounds | 38 x 26 x 3 inches | Check price | |
| Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib Mattress | 4.8/5 | 7.7 pounds (Shipping Weight) | 52.5 x 27.5 x 5.5 inches | Check price | |
| Colgate Eco Classica III Dual firmness Eco-Friendlier Crib mattress | 4.8/5 | 9.4 pounds | 51.7 x 27.5 x 6 inches | Check price | |
| Sealy Soybean Foam-Core Infant/Toddler Crib Mattress | 4.7/5 | 8.3 pounds | 51.6 x 27.2 x 5 inches | Check price | |
| Simmons Kids Beautyrest Beginnings Sleepy Whispers Ultra Deluxe 2 n 1 Crib and Toddler Mattress | 4.7/5 | 25.4 pounds | 27.5 x 6 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Firmness Crib Mattress (FFP) | 4.7/5 | 10.3 pounds | 27.5 x 5 x 52 inches | Check price | |
| My First Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Baby Crib Mattress with Plush Removable Waterproof Cover | 4.5/5 | 11.9 pounds | 51.6 x 5 x 27.2 inches | Check price |
When to Replace Your Crib Mattress
Most baby crib mattresses today are dual purposes mattresses, meaning that one side is built for an infant, and the other side is meant for a toddler. The infant side will be much firmer, the toddler side is softer.
As a general rule, you can flip the mattress over to the toddler side once your baby is 12 months old. However, each baby is unique, so be sure to check with your baby’s pediatrician before you change the mattress.
There is a debate among new moms about whether or not mattresses expire. According to manufacturers, crib mattresses to not expire, but make sure the check the info from your manufacturer!
If you are nervous, it is better to buy a new mattress. If the mattress stops feeling firm, has an indent, or seems too soft, then it is time to replace the mattress.
The Takeaway: The Best Baby Crib Mattress for Your Baby
At the end of the day, the best crib mattress for your baby is the one that keeps her safe, healthy, and rested. For me, the best mattress it the Colgate Eco. It’s eco friendly, safe for your baby, and built to last. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll make the right choice!
