Mattress replacement

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

I have been given a Moses basket by a friend. She bought it new in September with a new mattress and her DC slept in it for about 5 weeks in October-November before he grew out of it. I know the guidance is to get a new mattress for each child but am a bit at 5 weeks' wear being enough to write it off. Does anyone know why it needs to be a new mattress (all I could find is "because SIDS" but nothing about why a new mattress is safer) and whether 5 weeks' use really does mean it needs to be binned?

[ColourfulOrangex]

I'm not sure but personally for the sake of £10 I would rather buy a new one just because if anything happened I would constantly wonder if that was why but that's just me

[annlee3817]

Yeah, they're so cheap I would personally just buy a new one

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

It's not so much the money as the waste - everything feels so wasteful at the moment if I can avoid chucking stuff into landfill I'd really like to!

[ConvincingLiar]

It's your call. Is there a cover you can remove and wash? Are there any signs of wear/staining? I can't imagine it's gathered much dust in that time.

[babynelly2010]

How long ago did these 5 weeks happen and where was the mattress stored? Is it clean? I am not an expert in this obviously but if mattress comes from a friend, nearly new, was protected and stored in the house not in loft or garage or something, I would just reuse it.

[divadee]

Personally, I can understand the waste aspect but I also wouldn't take any risks. Not for the sake of a tenner.

Sometimes in life you have to just eliminate as many risks as possible and forgo any waste! You would also wonder what if? If something happened.

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

Thanks- so nobody has any idea why the advice is for a new mattress?

[annlee3817]

The theory behind getting a new mattress is that a mattress can contain germs that a brand new baby hasn't built up immunity to yet, particularly if from another home. Therefore getting a new mattress reduces the risk of SIDS. This is what I was told when pregnant

[annlee3817]

The theory behind getting a new mattress is that a mattress can contain germs that a brand new baby hasn't built up immunity to yet, particularly if from another home. Therefore getting a new mattress reduces the risk of SIDS. This is what I was told when pregnant

[RachaelCatWhisperer]

Interesting thread because I've also been offered a nearly new Moses basket, used for about 6 weeks, and with a very expensive natural fibre mattress. Seems such a terrible waste to chuck a barely used £50 mattress but sounds like I have to, eh?