Foam Mattresses
If you are considering a foam mattress for your baby’s crib, there are three things you need to look for to ensure you are buying a good quality foam mattress: weight, firmness, and resiliency.
You will often hear reference to high density foam or low density foam. Density refers to the weight of the foam mattress. You will want a high density, or heavy, foam mattress, about 1.5 pounds per cubic foot. The higher density of a foam mattress the better! A high density foam mattress will wear better over time. You also have a lesser chance of your mattress deteriorating into a flattened foam pancake.
You also want to make sure the foam is firm. You can squeeze the edges and center of a mattress to test its firmness. You don’t want to squeeze the edge of a mattress and feel your fingers on the other side. You want the mattress to have very little give under the weight of your fingers.
The easiest way to test for firmness is to place the palm of one hand flat, centered, on one side of the mattress. Then place the palm of the other hand flat on the other side of the mattress directly opposite your first hand and press. The greater amount of pressure needed to squeeze the mattress, the greater the firmness. This ensures your mattress will support your baby’s weight. You don’t want your mattress to sag and soften causing your baby to roll around easily. This could increase breathing or overheating problems.
Lastly, you want a foam mattress to be resilient. Resiliency refers to the mattress’s ability to quickly bounce back to its original shape when weight is removed from the mattress. The faster the foam bounces back to its original the shape, the better its resiliency.
