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Protecting Yourself From Mattress Off-gassing
Healthy Child
Friday, December 11, 2009
QUESTION:
I am expecting a new baby in 6 weeks and concerned about the baby nursing and sleeping on my mattress. From past experience, I anticipate that the baby will likely not sleep in his crib and will want to be with me. My current mattress is a king-sized mattress that I inherited from my mother. It is about 3 years old. I cannot afford to buy a new, king-size organic cotton/wool mattress. (My older son has a latex allergy, so NRL in a mattress is not an option.) What are my options?
1. "Wrap" my mattress? I have heard that mattress works to contain VOCs, and yet I've heard other opinions, as well. The wrap is made of polyethelene -- is that right? Is it safe?
2. Put an organic wool/cotton mattress cover on my bed to at least create a barrier (theoretically) between the mattress and the baby?
3. Do a combination of the above?
How long do mattresses outgas for? Do they outgas more or less as they get older?
ANSWER:
Mattresses outgas less over time.
A polyethylene wrap will help and off-gasses less than the mattress itself.
A cotton/wool mattress cover will not block off-gassing fumes.
Probably a combination of both would be your best bet. The polyethylene would block more emissions, and the mattress cover on top would give more comfort.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.
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Posted by Lsmith on 12/11/2009 at 01:00 PM
That’s a really great question and one I’ve also seen several times before. While it’s true that your new born may spend most her time in your arms, there will come a time when they need their own bed. Maybe at that time, an organic crib mattress would be a good purchase. I’ve heard only excellent things about Savvy Rest’s organic baby mattresses: http://www.savvyrest.com/products/crib-mattress
In the meantime, the polyethylene wrap sounds like a good idea, coupled with the mattress pad. Good luck with everything!