Organic Mattresses- Worth It?
I confess, I use a lot of hand-me-downs that the experts tell you not to use: a Pump-N-Style breast pump from my sister, crib bumpers, the BPA bottles (that I am finally getting rid of), and a crib mattress that is 9 years old.
Since we are expecting a new baby this summer (hooray!) I am considering tossing/donating the old mattress for a new one. This time I am considering organic.
When I got this email from A Fresh Squeeze, it gave me lots of reasons to go organic. I thought you might be interested in it too.
P.S.- I have been afraid to look at the prices, but a modest solution would be to buy an organic mattress pad. It is a perfectly reasonable alternative.
The foam in many synthetic mattresses is derived from petrochemicals prone to combustion, so conventional mattresses are often treated with chemical fire retardants (though mattresses made since 2005 do not likely contain the highly toxic PBDEs). Over time these chemicals, along with those emitted as the polyurethane foam itself breaks down, can off-gas into the air you breathe.Most organic mattresses, however, are one of two varieties: natural rubber, or the coil innerspring mattress, which is made of metal coils surrounded by natural wool and organic cotton. The organic materials won’t off-gas chemicals, and natural wool is inherently flame retardant.There are more benefits: Conventional mattresses can harbor dust mites that trigger asthma and allergies, but the pesky mites simply can’t survive in rubber or wool. Natural rubber is anti-microbial, hypoallergenic and mold- and mildew-resistant. And natural wool wicks away body moisture as you sleep (don’t worry, it’ll evaporate during the day), helping you maintain a comfy body temp even on humid nights. Last but not least, materials like organic cotton are earth-friendlier. Natural rubber is harvested by tapping the milk of the rubber tree (a process that trees heal from within an hour). And organic wool comes from shorn sheep raised and fed without pesticides or hormones–all of which should help you sleep easier.
Here is a list of organic mattress manufacturers and more information about PBDEs.
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Maybe organic mattress are not as durable as the one that where made of synthetic materials, but using organic things is a evironment friendly since they are naturally decomposed..
I did a lot of research on this as well, when my friend gave me a hand-me-down Sealy Deluxe crib mattress. My son was already 8 months old, so pretty much over the SIDS hump… I ended up buying a mattress cover from http://www.preventcribdeath.com/ for $30, and an organic cotton flannel mattress pad from http://www.healthychild.com/ for $57.00 (the woman who runs this site turned me on to the prevent crib death site and told me not to bother w/ the organic mattress for the crib, even though she sells them…) and it’s been great! Oh, and I got a dust mite mattress cover from her site for my queen mattress. A lot cheaper than an organic mattress…
This is something I often consider, thanks so much for this post. I even started to wonder this about our mattress (where she often ends up ;/ and much of the clothing she wears).
And a HUGE congratulations to you guys!!! I hope you’re feeling great, how exciting!