Organic crib mattress or cosleeping on conventional mattress?

[DKPA]

So I'm having the hardest time deciding where my baby should sleep.  I'd like to have the baby in bed with me since it clearly has a lot of benefits but our mattress is conventional; it's about a year old from Ikea and my boyfriend doesn't want to buy a new organic mattress already, which I understand although I'd love to just do that. The other option would be to have the baby in a crib next to us with an organic mattress.  The studies about off-gassing terrify me and I'd feel that the baby wouldn't be quite as close but wouldn't be sleeping on chemicals.  So I feel like I'm choosing the lesser of two evils, any suggestions?

[JuliMummy]

I'm interested to hear a bit more about these studies you mention. I've not heard anything about this before. Are they proper scientific studies? I'd like to have a look at them...

[DKPA]

You may be right, I don't know if I should have called the information I've seen "studies".  But I've read certain books in particular The Infant Survival Guide by Lendon H. Smith and even if you just look through the forums here by searching for "organic mattress", you'll find that everyone seems to really support an organic mattress if possible because of the dangers of off-gassing.  

Apparently, these chemicals can get into your breastmilk and even cross the placenta and some doctors and scientists believe that the reason placing babies on their backs has been so helpful in reducing SIDS is that the babies are no longer on their stomach face-first in chemicals.  I really had no idea about all the chemicals in mattresses until I was researching during my pregnancy.

 It just seems so ridiculous to pour unsafe fire-retardent chemicals into a mattress and put everyone at risk for the sake of preventing a few foolish people from having their mattress catch on fire while smoking in bed.  This is especially true in my opinion for infants, why would a crib just catch on fire?  I personally don't see the logic, maybe there's reasons I don't know.  Just being someone that aims for as natural and healthy a lifestyle as possible, my instincts tell me it's not the greatest idea to sleep on a bunch of chemicals that I've read could be known carcinogens, especially in the case of a developing baby.  That's why I'm having a tough time with this decision...

[BarefootScientist]

But if your mattress is already a year old, I wouldn't think it would be a big deal at all?  Wouldn't most of the off-gassing have taken place?

I don't claim to know much of anything about these chemicals, and I don't go out of my way to purchase organic anything but sometimes food, so take my opinion with a grain of salt I guess. 

[DKPA]

maybe, id like to believe that:) but i have read it can take 3 years, who knows...

[allical1284]

Just my opinion, but I would rather have my babies next to me at night on any regular mattress than have them by themselves in a crib on even the "cleanest" mattress.  I feel they are safest nuzzled in next to my breast at night, period.

[coffeegirl]

Originally Posted by allical1284 

Just my opinion, but I would rather have my babies next to me at night on any regular mattress than have them by themselves in a crib on even the "cleanest" mattress.  I feel they are safest nuzzled in next to my breast at night, period.

Agree.

 

[DKPA]

Thanks for the responses:)

[Silverbird]

Hi.  As far as I'm aware there are two issues regarding mattresses and SIDS:

Off gassing of the nasty chemicals in mattresses.  This should gradually lesson.

The action of funguases on chemicals in the mattresses.  Dr Sprott says that this is what causes the majority of SIDS.  This gets worse as the mattress gets older and is why poorer families or 2nd babies are more at risk of SIDS.  http://www.cotlife2000.com/

Susannah Marriot in Your non-toxic pregancy says Ikea is one of the best mainstream brand of matreses for least amount of harmful chemicals http://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Non-toxic-Pregnancy-Chemical-free-Enviroment/dp/1904760082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289685755&sr=8-1-spell

My plan for our normal mattress is to cover it with polythen which is what Dr Sprott uses for his mattress wrapping protocol. You can buy it cheeply in DIY stores for dispolable dust sheets.  Then cover it a organic mattress pad from here: http://www.greenfibres.com/product/54/6026/organic-cotton-mattress-pad.html which Susannah Marriot recomed will but a nice organic buffer between you and the baby and the chemical mattress.

[sillysmile]

Originally Posted by Silverbird 

Hi.  As far as I'm aware there are two issues regarding mattresses and SIDS:

Off gassing of the nasty chemicals in mattresses.  This should gradually lesson.

The action of funguases on chemicals in the mattresses.  Dr Sprott says that this is what causes the majority of SIDS.  This gets worse as the mattress gets older and is why poorer families or 2nd babies are more at risk of SIDS.  http://www.cotlife2000.com/

Susannah Marriot in Your non-toxic pregancy says Ikea is one of the best mainstream brand of matreses for least amount of harmful chemicals http://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Non-toxic-Pregnancy-Chemical-free-Enviroment/dp/1904760082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289685755&sr=8-1-spell

My plan for our normal mattress is to cover it with polythen which is what Dr Sprott uses for his mattress wrapping protocol. You can buy it cheeply in DIY stores for dispolable dust sheets.  Then cover it a organic mattress pad from here: http://www.greenfibres.com/product/54/6026/organic-cotton-mattress-pad.html which Susannah Marriot recomed will but a nice organic buffer between you and the baby and the chemical mattress.

Thank you so much for the link about mattress-wrapping! Really compelling case.. wish I had known about it earlier. I think we may try a similar strategy for baby #2 (on the way).

[JuliMummy]

Forgive me for stirring the pot    but 'Dr Sprott' hardly looks like an authority on SIDS. That website is completely unscientific. I looked up the research he suggests on his website, and there has been nothing published along those lines in the last ten years, which would suggest that gases from mattresses have not been found to be the "major cause of SIDS". I think you'd be better off getting your information about SIDS from somewhere a little more official, scientific and reputable, such as the various SIDS organisation in whichever country one happens to be in.

[elus0814]

I went back and fourth on this too. I kept thinking that somehow the baby would be safer on an organic crib mattress than in bed next to me on a conventional one. After thinking about it for months I stuck with cosleeping, which has been wonderful for all four of our kids. I think it's a toss up as far as breathing safety, the crib mattress doesn't have chemicals (as long as it's organic wool - no cotton since any cotton, organic or not, must by law be treated) but when the baby is in the bed they are able to use you to regulate their breathing. 

[Silverbird]

Originally Posted by JuliMummy 

Forgive me for stirring the pot    but 'Dr Sprott' hardly looks like an authority on SIDS. That website is completely unscientific. I looked up the research he suggests on his website, and there has been nothing published along those lines in the last ten years, which would suggest that gases from mattresses have not been found to be the "major cause of SIDS". I think you'd be better off getting your information about SIDS from somewhere a little more official, scientific and reputable, such as the various SIDS organisation in whichever country one happens to be in.

 Thats fine I can't say I've done a full anaylise of his work! I'm still planning to do what I've said above because 1) I want a nice organic mattress pad to make the bed more comfy and buffer chemicals and 2) I'll want to make the bed waterproof and ploythen seems much safer that PVC which offgasses nasty chemicals.

[JuliMummy]

How do you know that PVC offgases nasty chemicals? Don't get me wrong - what you're planning to do sounds perfectly reasonable. I'm just trying to promote some critical thinking here."Facts" given by people who want to sell you stuff by exploiting your fears as a mother should not be taken at face value. Their claims should be considered carefully and critically. Just because someone says that gases from mattresses are the main cause of SIDS and that PVC offgases nasty chemicals doesn't make it so. Like I said before, official SIDS organisations are a much more reliable source of information about SIDS, and if you're at all scientifically minded and want to look up research about any medical topic, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ is the place to start.

[Silverbird]

Every thing I've ever read from friends of earth, eco home renovation and evironmental books and articles say that PVC offgasses chemical.  Look it up.

Surely if we're going to be like that I could go around every forum on MDC and claim that anti vax or pro breastfeeders are exploting peoples fears.  I assumed it was OK to assum give the OP's convern about offgassing that she wanted to avoid plastics and chemicals.  People who are not concered about such things don't have to worry.

I'm sorry for posting Dr Sprott without througly reseaching it before.  As far as I'm aware no-one has definitaly proved the cause of SIDS so his work might be of instrest to people.

[JuliMummy]

Ok, maybe the PVC example was a bad one. I'm not trying to upset anybody, like I said I'm just trying to promote some critical thinking,  because there is just so much nonsense out there. I've had a proper look at the Dr Sprott website, and it really is complete nonsense. As soon as you read "cover-up", "conspiracy" etc on these sorts of websites your alarm bells should go off. 

"Surely if we're going to be like that I could go around every forum on MDC and claim that anti vax or pro breastfeeders are exploting peoples fears."

The difference is (with breasfeeding at least) that it is scientifically proven and generally accepted that breastfeeding is the best option all around.

"As far as I'm aware no-one has definitaly proved the cause of SIDS so his work might be of instrest to people."

 A lot of great scientific work has been done to identify quite a few of the causes of SIDS with the resulting recommendations having resulted in a significant drop in SIDS cases. There does not appear to be a single cause. I know it would be great if there was one single cause that could be easily eliminated, which is exactly what I meant about people like Dr Sprott exploiting people's fears, because they claim they have found the causes and have just the expensive product for you to buy to save your baby. Of course, being a little less cynical, he could genuinely believe in his "facts", but that doesn't make it any more valid. The danger in all of this is not that people will wrap their mattresses, as that isn't going to do any harm. The danger is that people might then believe that the toxic gases are THE cause of SIDS and will not follow any of the official SIDS risk reduction recommendations.

History has shown how far this can go, such as people giving themselves radiation poisoning by ingesting radium, because some quack told them that it would cure them of their illnesses. 

By all means buy an organic mattress or wrap your mattress up, but take Dr Sprotts " work" with a pinch of salt.

[Silverbird]

Originally Posted by JuliMummy 

Ok, maybe the PVC example was a bad one. I'm not trying to upset anybody, like I said I'm just trying to promote some critical thinking,  because there is just so much nonsense out there. I've had a proper look at the Dr Sprott website, and it really is complete nonsense. As soon as you read "cover-up", "conspiracy" etc on these sorts of websites your alarm bells should go off. 

"As far as I'm aware no-one has definitaly proved the cause of SIDS so his work might be of instrest to people."

 A lot of great scientific work has been done to identify quite a few of the causes of SIDS with the resulting recommendations having resulted in a significant drop in SIDS cases. There does not appear to be a single cause. I know it would be great if there was one single cause that could be easily eliminated, which is exactly what I meant about people like Dr Sprott exploiting people's fears, because they claim they have found the causes and have just the expensive product for you to buy to save your baby. Of course, being a little less cynical, he could genuinely believe in his "facts", but that doesn't make it any more valid. The danger in all of this is not that people will wrap their mattresses, as that isn't going to do any harm. The danger is that people might then believe that the toxic gases are THE cause of SIDS and will not follow any of the official SIDS risk reduction recommendations.

History has shown how far this can go, such as people giving themselves radiation poisoning by ingesting radium, because some quack told them that it would cure them of their illnesses. 

By all means buy an organic mattress or wrap your mattress up, but take Dr Sprotts " work" with a pinch of salt.

Thank you for your post I totally agree with it.

"Surely if we're going to be like that I could go around every forum on MDC and claim that anti vax or pro breastfeeders are exploting peoples fears."

The difference is (with breasfeeding at least) that it is scientifically proven and generally accepted that breastfeeding is the best option all around."

What I ment by this was that I wouldn't go on a thread was asking how do avoid vax, forumula etc and start saying they were being scarmongered.  If I was intrested in the scientfic basis for such a dession I might start a new thread to ask.

I agree about the risks of not worrying about other causes or that radium thing.  I totally think looking at the possible harm caused is important.  To me mattress wrapping isn't likely to cause harm.  I totally refused to take my acupuncturist herbs becuase he kept reasuring me that it was all natural and so harmless.  I didn't want to tkae anything if they had that little repsect for herbs.  But cost benift analysis will be different for everyone.

[DKPA]

so we decided we're going to try cosleeping and hopefully it works for us.  My mom also bought us a crib and organic crib mattress so we'll use that for naps when I'm not napping too and it also becomes a toddler bed for when the baby is older.  Thanks for the help:)