https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:24:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151763 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:35:17 +0000 Cara M. 17 1151763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: I personally was worried about flame retardants that are often sprayed on mattresses (BFR's - tons of articles but here is one <a href="http://www.nachi.org/brominated-fire-retardant-dangers.htm)" rel="nofollow">http://www.nachi.org/brominated-fire-retardant-dangers.htm)</a> and also PVC (<a href="http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/" rel="nofollow">http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/</a>). </p> <p>I found that the organic bedding was literally not a dollar more expensive than non organic brands we would have purchased. Same with the mattress. The only more expensive item was the changing pad and to be honest it is super sturdy and I am hoping will last through two kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151743 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:22:02 +0000 shinymama 1151743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I was aware of that, but I also understood that you could/should air the mattress out and be OK. That being said, I did buy organic, but price point wise, it was middle of the road. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151741 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:21:04 +0000 wonderstruck 1151741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: Hahaha thank you for that! Yes, if we worried about everything every study out there said moms should worry about...well, let's just say that I worry enough without doing that!</p> <p>This was really never even on my radar, but I just now googled it and read through some articles - honestly, it all looks pretty suspicious to me. It looks like pretty much one group in NY released a study about how seventy-something percent of crib mattresses have 'toxic chemicals.' I was curious as to what exactly they mean by toxic chemicals, and apparently any crib mattress that contained allergens or 'chemicals of concern.' Okay, what is a chemical of concern and why are we assuming it is toxic. I then discovered that according to this group, vinyl is toxic and can cause cancer and development issues. And some kinds of foam have VOCs that can cause cancer, so apparantely mattresses with foam are typically toxic. And any that use latex are bad too, because some latex might have an allergen that might cause anaphylaptic shock in some people. That's a whole lot of 'might/may cause' and 'some people' to decide that they are all bad and toxic.</p> <p>Oh, and also, a ton of the mattress companies didn't respond to their request to give information on their mattress materials, so they just assumed that those companies use toxic chemicals and included them in the seventy-something percent.</p> <p>I'm trying to be nice here because I understand we all want to be safe...but honestly I think this is pretty suspect. I hate it when people are just giving parents another reason to be paranoid and fear-mongering about cancer in children to get parents to spend more $$$ on products that MIGHT be better, despite a whole lot of assumptions and lack of clear knowledge (they even admit that they don't know what most of these chemicals do...they just might be harmful) going on here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151726 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:11:12 +0000 Cara M. 17 1151726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: I am the pregnant lady that worries about this too. We bought the Lullaby Earth crib mattress, which is made by Naturepedic. We also bought organic crib bedding, mattress cover, bassinet pad cover, bassinet sheets, and the Naturepedic changing pad. </p> <p>Other than the things Baby M will be laying directly on and the products we put on her skin (wash, lotion, diaper ointment, etc. ) I am not too worried.</p> <p>ETA we also bought green guard certified furniture and used zero voc paint in the nursery. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151709 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:57:07 +0000 immabeetoo 1151709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: ditto</p> <p>I got the naturpedic off amazon; it makes sense to me that the fewer chemicals the better. I also avoid particleboard furniture and VOC paint, etc but still have some nylon rugs and conventional sofas. Win some lose some. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151699 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:52:19 +0000 78h2o 1151699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had heard about it and we did splurge on a proportedly less toxic mattress (Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer) since my MIL was helping us pay, it was on sale, and I felt like LO spends a lot of time in bed. However, if I'd already bought another mattress, I probably wouldn't switch. I also wouldn't have bought one of the all organic $300+ mattresses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151623 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:06:24 +0000 lemondrop 1151623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I've heard about it. No, it wasn't a priority to spend that much extra money on an organic mattress- we got a good deal on a regular mattress when we bought the crib. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151566 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:08:08 +0000 mrskc 1151566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would try not to worry about it. If you let it air out, it's probably fine.</p> <p>But I will say I was the crazy pregnant lady worried about all this. I made sure his crib didn't have particleboard. We bought an organic mattress and we bought the expensive naturpedic changing pad. I was worried with how much time he spent on those surfaces, I didn't want him breathing chemicals. My DH thought I was crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151557 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:02:43 +0000 daniellemybelle 1151557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone. It seems like it would have been better if we had aired it out outside, rather than in her room... oh well, I guess! </p> <p>In other news, her changing table/dresser has a chemically smell to it, and I'm getting so paranoid! I wiped it down, left the window open &amp; fan going for a couple days, and now there is baking soda in the drawers... but I still feel like it is going to leach onto her things. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151547 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:58:09 +0000 mrsmate 1151547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't worry about it, esp since you've aired out your mattress. We have an organic mattress, but only bc we try to buy everything organic when possible and we found one at a good price. If it was out of our budget we would have bought the next best one and not given it another thought. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151545 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:54:52 +0000 boots 1151545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I opened DDs crib mattress and let it air out for like 2 months before she arrived ;)</p> <p>Er, we ended up bedsharing so she hasn't actually used it yet. Oh well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151544 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:54:46 +0000 looch 1151544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Your crib might have particle board and that off gases as well, so I didn't stress about it.</p> <p>The most important thing is that you have a tight fit with the mattress and the crib. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151536 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:49:08 +0000 Bookish 1151536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: Yeep. Agreed.</p> <p>None of us slept on organic mattresses (I bet) and we turned out just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151533 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:47:38 +0000 autumnlove 1151533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't concerned about it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151530 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:44:52 +0000 wahine08 1151530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: WHAT?! Too much rain?? That's the weirdest thing I've heard in awhile! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151526 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:43:48 +0000 loveisstrange 1151526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, there was also research to backup that too much rain during pregnancy can cause autism... </p> <p>My point is, take it with a grain of salt. The main issue is off gassing and if you aired it out, you're probably good to go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151524 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:42:41 +0000 wahine08 1151524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow I've never heard of this! We haven't bought our mattress yet so I guess we still have a window.. although I wasn't planning on buying an organic mattress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crib-mattress-toxicity#post-1151521 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:41:06 +0000 daniellemybelle 1151521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm reading the book Superbaby (highly recommend!) and there is a lot of talk about toxins. One of the main things she recommends is an organic mattress because of the toxins that conventional crib mattresses have. Of course, we already bought a conventional mattress. We aired it out in her room for a few days, and then put a mattress cover &amp; a crib sheet (both washed of course but not organic) over it.</p> <p>Is this something you had heard before or are concerned about? At this point, we are obviously not going to get a new mattress, but the author really stresses it &amp; everything in her book is backed up by research! </p>