An organic bassinet mattress is the best place for your new baby to sleep. Little ones are much more sensitive to chemicals than adults, so why not provide baby with a place to sleep that's totally organic?
All About Bassinets
A bassinet is a popular choice for little ones who need a place to rest while they are still near the rest of the family. Bassinets are often more like baskets than full-on cribs, making them more portable and versatile than other choices on the market.
Most organic bassinets are made of grass or reeds, making them lovely, natural and durable. However, many have handles that cannot support baby's weight. Make sure you read any safety instructions that come with your product.
Adding an organic bassinet mattress to your baby's bassinet will make it an even more comfortable and chemical-free place.
Alternatives to Bassinets
You can also buy an organic bassinet mattress and use it in places other than the bassinet. These mattresses are great for using on the floor for tummy time and playing when the child is older, or even for giving the baby a comfortable place in mom and dad's bed if you are co-sleeping.
Some bassinet mattresses are really the size of a standard crib mattress, so you can use them on the floor when baby is small and in the crib when he or she gets a little bigger.
Buying an Organic Bassinet Mattress
Organic mattresses are still somewhat difficult to find in stores, unless you happen to live somewhere with a specialty organic bedding store. Your best bet for finding an organic mattress for baby is shopping online.
Here are some options to help you get started:
- Naturally Good has a variety of options including a co-sleeping mattress.
- Nature Baby, a company in New Zealand, has a bassinet mattress full of wool and covered with a cotton/linen blend. It provides support without harming baby's developing head.
- Eco Choices has a natural bassinet as well as organic crib bumper pads, comforters and blankets.
Why Organic Bedding Matters
Some people might question the usefulness of buying organic bedding for baby, but it really is an important and good choice for those who can afford it. Estimates say that babies spend about 60 percent of their first year of life sleeping. While that percentage goes down over the years, there's still a lot of napping and even playing in the crib going on as baby gets a little older.
Conventional mattresses are full of chemicals, solvents, plastics, formaldehyde and more. And the fabrics used to cover these mattresses are produced from cotton grown in a conventional way-with pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, all of which can potentially do damage to your little one. None of these things are good for grownups, but they can be especially harmful to babies, who do not have the immune systems of older people.
Lest you think that choosing an organic mattress means your child won't be protected from fire, wool is actually naturally flame-resistant. It's also great at wicking moisture away from the body without itself feeling wet, which will keep baby comfortable through the night.
Having a child involves making a lot of choices that can impact the health of both your baby and the planet. Choosing organic bedding is one easy way to ensure a healthy start for your child as well as making a statement that you prefer products that aren't made with chemicals or fabrics that are grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
