I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think this question was so big when I was preparing to bring my first baby home. Granted, it was 6 years ago. Truly, I don’t even recall which crib mattress we bought in the end. And, I’m fairly positive that it wasn’t organic. I do remember researching, though. Pretty exhaustively. It’s just who I am, and lucky for you, it makes me a great mom blogger. (You’re welcome and thanks for reading!)
I’m sure there were organic options out there at the time. Equally, I’m sure that many people, even 6 years ago, were already fully on board with this movement. But the truth is, I’m just diving into the details. Maybe you are too. If so, this article will be a helpful introduction to organic baby products, starting with organic crib mattresses.
What I can say for sure, is that organic definitely seems more prevalent now. Then, I was researching decisions about my own kids. Now, I research everything baby and parenting to share with our readers at Think Differently About Kids. Fortunately, there are lots of good resources out there to help you learn about organic. Read up, check it out. This way, you can make your own informed decision about whether organic crib mattresses and other baby products are the right choice for you. So, let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?
What Is an Organic Crib Mattress
Many parents are beginning to look at safety for our babies and our environment as a requisite rather than an option. In my opinion, it’s a great direction to be heading. Taking care of our little ones and our planet ensures the best possible future for humanity as a whole. It’s a win, win situation, as they say.
The difficult thing is that it can be tough to determine what organic means in baby products. Organic standards for food are fairly well regulated now. That makes it much easier to understand what you’re getting when you choose organic over regular produce, for example. What about something like a crib mattress, though? What’s the difference?
Here’s a rundown of what Naturepedic has to say about it:
- A certified organic mattress will either have innersprings, or be made from an approved lightweight material such as food-grade polyethylene.
- Organic cotton and wool are fibers you can choose as a safer alternative to materials treated with unsafe chemicals
- There’s actually no such thing as organic waterproofing but there are hygienic benefits to a waterproof sleep surface for baby. Look for products using GOTS approved materials like organic cotton and non-GMO, plant-based, renewable resources.
The question around organic crib mattresses is about the materials used. We want to know how they’re sourced, and how and whether or not they’re treated with chemicals. Now, lets go find out who’s regulating and certifying all that.
How Do I Choose an Organic Crib Mattress?
To answer this question we need to know about who is certifying organic products?Based on what factors? What is the scope and stringency of their organic requirements? This research goes a long way toward understanding if an organic crib mattress is right for you. The folks over at the Getting Ready for Baby campaign suggest that you can look for products certified by MadeSafe.
They also recommend checking for what they call “Hidden Hazards” and being aware of claims about natural products that can be misleading. Basically, they encourage consciousness and good research, and we all know I’m on board with that. Here’s an important consideration about where you should check for chemical treatments on your baby crib mattress.
“Many people seek waterproof mattresses and as a result, coverings can be made of polyvinyl chloride (with softeners including some phthalates) or can be coated with per- or polyfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS). Mattress surfaces may also be treated with antimicrobial chemicals. Inside, mattresses may be made with a variety of padding, some of which may include other chemicals of concern including solvents.”
Getting Ready for Baby Campaign
Is Organic Overrated or an Obvious Choice?
As I’m sure you’ve noted by now, I’m a firm believer that parents have to decide on their own. Although I am all for parents supporting parents in sorting through the mountains of information about the best way to raise a kiddo. We’re in this together as parents and we’re all doing it differently. And differently doesn’t mean better or worse. No need to shame other parents for any decision ever, because we are all just doing the best we can. All that to say, I can’t decide on the answer to this question for you. This is from an article about organic as a food label but we can consider it as it applies here as well,
“From a nutrition standpoint, there isn’t enough research to show that organic foods are more nutritious than regular foods. The levels of pesticides currently used haven’t been found to be harmful”
Ashley Mullins, R.D., L.D., CNSC in Science Daily
In other words, even in the case of organic food, the research still has a hard time showing a significant difference. If that’s true for food, we have to allow that it could be true for materials, too.
What Organic Crib Mattresses Are Recommended?
If you’ve read all this and you’re feeling like organic is for you, here’s a list of campaign recommended brands of organic crib mattresses.
Closing Comments
Only you know what decisions you feel comfortable making when it comes to your baby. Be smart, be curious, be secure in your decisions. You’re here reading about whether or not you need an organic baby crib mattress. It’s a valid question and one that you should congratulate yourself for checking into. It means you’re considering the information that’s out there and drawing your own conclusions. Doing that means being a good mom. Whether you’re pregnant for the first time or a seasoned mom of a tribe, you’re showing up for your kiddos and that’s what counts. Good job, mama.
