Memory foam matresses -- safe?

[Aufilia]

I think the title expresses my entire question: would a memory foam mattress be a safe co-sleeping surface? Our old mattress is SO dead, it slouches and it's uncomfortable and the whole bed really needs to be larger to hold 2 adults, a baby, and 4 cats... so how about memory foam? Bad idea?

[JorgieGirl]

I used a memory foam cosleeping with my DD from birth. It only sinks to the weight of the person on it. So a little baby isn't going to make much of a dent. I actually found it was better than the mattress itself since the mattress was quilted and she'd roll into the divets as a newborn.

Some are thicker than others, and some are mushier than others, so just use your own judgement. I don't think there is any set rule when it comes to memory foam.

[sgeiger]

foam mattress

Most of them are petroleum based, and the off-gassing is toxic. I'd look into that aspect with regards to safety. I chose a latex mattress which has the same feel as memory foam (instead of springs) but no toxic air for a baby to breathe.

[marinak1977]

We share a queen memory foam mattress with our 10 week old, and occasional dogs. I find that it doesn't sink low under DS and that he tends to stay nicely close to my side (we sleep skin to skin) So it works for us so far (although it would've been nice to have a king)

[MissNo]

Both of our girls coslept (and sleep) on the tempurpedics, they are lovely.

[cristeen]

I seem to recall reading a study done in Europe on mattresses, and memory foam wound up being the most toxic mattress on the market. Maybe someone else will have a link to that study.

If you're going to shell out the money on a new mattress, i'd be spending it on a real latex one myself. But even if I had to go conventional, memory foam would be the very last thing I would buy.