The Best Choice of Mattress for Your Child
A child doesn’t carry the same body weight as an adult. So, the mattress doesn’t need to be as strong or as expensive.
Which mattress to buy, at your child’s particular stage of growth and development, depends on your child.
It’s best to start at the beginning.
Crib Mattresses
We don’t carry crib mattresses, but it is extremely important to shop for a mattress that is firm….totally avoiding memory foam.
The point of using a firm mattress, is to avoid SIDS, (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
When you lay a baby on their stomach, on a soft mattress, the chances of your child suffocating increases dramatically.
There are two reasons for avoiding memory foam.
1) Memory foam is a temperature sensitive material that softens as it warms. It might feel firm in the store, but will soften under your child…increasing the chances of SIDS.
2) No all, but much of the memory foam used in the mattress industry, is toxic…off gassing the toxic chemicals from which it’s made.
The toxic off gassing of memory foam attacks the respiratory system…and should be avoided by everyone, as the off gassing affects every living being in your home.
1st Big Boy/Girl Mattress
THIS, is where the options become more complicated.
For the next couple/few years, it’s only necessary that the mattress remain reasonably firm for proper spinal development…which can be achieved at almost any price point.
However, a mattress is a much longer term purchase than for just today.
Once a child reached school age, the dynamics change. A school age child will encounter a tremendous amount of information each and every day.
The best way to retain the greatest amount of that information, is during a deep night’s sleep.
The brain behaves much like a computer. It’s during a nice long deep sleep that the information learned in school, literally downloads.
If your child doesn’t get the quality and quantity of sleep needed, then they will have to remember their lessons the hard way…through long hours of study and memorization.
So, an early bedtime and a comfortable sleeping surface is of paramount importance.
Which mattress to choose, depends on the long term projection of the use of the mattress.
For instance, it is quite common to start a child off in a twin size and later move them into a full size.
Sometimes, a full size mattress is purchased with the idea that the mattress will be their mattress until they are grown and gone.
Each scenario requires a different approach.
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Regardless of what your intentions, your child’s developing body requires proper spinal support.
And, you need to guard against accidents.
A Waterproof Mattress Protector…one made of natural materials and one that will sleep cool, is most important for the sake of keeping your child’s mattress remaining like new.
Nothing does as much damage and causes premature wear, like moisture getting into the mattress.
Whatever your choice of mattress, you don’t want to have to buy it more than once.
Here is a link to the Danican brand…the best Waterproof Mattress Protector that I have found anywhere:
If you are starting your child off in a twin size, with the intention of moving him or her to a larger mattress when they are older, your choices are simple.
The Simmons Beautyrest mattresses offer a pre-compressed, individually pocketed coil mattress, where each coil moves independently from the next.
Caution: (Most other brands offer a pocketed coil are not the same…not pre-compressed, which offers “push back support”, and not moving independently)
Simmons coil system is designed to support and maintain the natural alignment of the spine…a most important feature for the developing spine of a child.
The most popular models are the Luxury Firm “Ruth” model…shown here:
And the Luxury Firm Broadway model…shown here:
The Broadway has a higher coil count than the Ruth.
If your child is a Skinny Minny, go with the Ruth.
If your child is a bit of a Bruiser, go with the Broadway.
Neither is expensive.
You’ll notice a bit on memory foam in the specifications of these mattress. The memory foam, that Simmons uses, is NOT toxic.
If your child was born with scoliosis, opt for the “Firm” models in each of the above lines….which will be a bit stiffer than the Luxury Firm models.
The “Marnie” in Firm, and the “Broadway” Firm
When the time comes to move your older child to a larger size mattress, the Wolf Mattresses (shown in the next segment), are you best buy.
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If you are buying your child a mattress that you want to last them through their school years, we have reasonably priced solutions for you, as well.
First, you need to project what size your child will be when he or she is older. A look in the mirror should give you that information.
For the vast majority, the Wolf Latex/Hybrid Mattresses will be your best choice….shown here:
Wolf is a very old (1873) family owned and operated manufacturer out of the Midwest….same family for the last 144 years.
They make very high quality mattresses that are vacuum packed, rolled, and shipped via FedEx. Without the expense of a white glove delivery, they are a Best Buy.
There are two models, from which to choose.
There are two models, from which to choose.
The Adrian uses an interlocking coil unit, which is very strong, providing a firm, rigid type of support.
The Adara uses a pre-compressed individually pocketed coil, providing contouring support.
Both mattresses are upholstered with all natural soft Dunlop Latex….and contain NO MEMORY FOAM.
The Adara model is the better choice for most children…especially girls, who will develop into women before too long.
The Adara model is the better choice for most children…especially girls, who will develop into women before too long.
The pocketed coils of the Adara model will maintain the spine’s natural alignment and provide pressure relief at the hip, for when girls get older.
Our granddaughter sleeps on an Adara Mattress.
If you have a son, and he projects to be of average size, the pocketed coils of the Adara would still be my first choice.
If you have a son, and he projects to be of average size, the pocketed coils of the Adara would still be my first choice.
However, boys tend to grow larger than girls, and tend to be rougher.
So, if you have a future football player on your hands, the added strength of the Adrian model is something to consider.
Since guys are built more in a straight line, without the developing hips of a female, the pocketed coils of the Adara become less important.
If your child has scoliosis, the more rigid coil system of the Adrian model is your better choice.
If your child has scoliosis, the more rigid coil system of the Adrian model is your better choice.
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What’s “The Best” Mattress for Your Child
Every so often, I’ll get an email or a call from a 30 some year old, who just traded in the mattress they’ve had throughout their childhood, for a new mattress.
The story is always the same. They bought a new mattress because they needed a bigger size, or because they thought “It was time”.
For each and every one of them, their old mattress was made of all latex…and they all wish they had it back.
“The Very Best Mattress You Can Buy, is All Natural, All Latex”.
As we age, get heavier, and develop disc related back problems, an all latex mattress isn’t usually the right choice.
But, for a child you grow up on, there’s nothing better.
Latex is and has been thee best available for 100 years.
Latex is made of all natural rubber…start with the sap from the rubber tree, whipped into a foam and pouring into a mold.
Pure, All Natural Latex is Chemical Free, Hypo-allergenic and 100% safe.
Latex is extremely resilient, as well as providing extraordinary support and comfort….typically lasting 30 to 40 years.
We carry two brands that I recommend for children.
The first is EverEden…Pure, 100% All Natural Latex.
For a small child, start with the 6″ model. For an older child, the 8″ model.
Shown here:
When your small child gets older, simply add an EverEden All Natural 2″ Soft Talalay Latex Topper
Shown here:
These prices are reasonable for all natural latex, due to the UPS Delivery.
Our Grandson sleeps on the 6″ model.
Another popular option with some of today’s parents, is buying “Organic”
The Suite Sleep Brand is specifically designed to address your child’s needs at every stage of his or her development.
They carry a full line of mattresses, toppers, pillows and mattress protectors…all of it, “Organic”.
Shown here:
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