Cot mattress - AIBU

[Wildwaterfalls]

First post here so please be gentle...

We're staying with ILs during the Christmas break with DD (4 months). There will be a cot bed there, with a mattress previously used by DD's cousins (now 8 and 5).

I would like DD to have a new mattress due to the risks associated with used ones... But we're only there for a few days.

Am I being difficult? We will be staying visiting regularly going forward so worth the investment in my view.

Can you take your mattress from home with you?

Buy one and take it with you.

Buy one and take it with you.

depends, who will be making the investment?

Unfortunately not, we're flying.

Should have added I'd happily pay for the mattress myself.

if you paying for it. Go ahead order one and have it delivered there

Just explain the guidelines here, depending on the country theirs maybe different.

Actually I would engineer an accident after the first night, necessitating a trip to mothercare or equiv. Job done.

Are you taking your buggy with you? Mine is a Joolz & the carrycot doubles up as an overnight cot. Am assuming as DC is under 4 months will need to use the carrycot as opposed to pushchair

I just got lots of stuff (car seat, mattress etc.) delivered to GPs' house. No arguments and I had stuff I thought was safe.

I like the suggestion of having one delivered, although ILs both work so need to make sure the delivery will be accepted somehow.

Would feel so much better with a new mattress.

you buy the mattress and either take it or have it delivered. its normal to have a fresh matress for a new baby.

I think YANBU but then, my youngest has never had a cot he just sleeps in my bed. A bed which is a few years old. I always wondered why these rules dont count with parents beds?
I was going to suggest she sleeps in with you for a few nights? Or buy one of those super lightweight tavel cots.

Co-sleep.

If it's for the odd night I Wouldn't bother, but if you're flying perhaps you will be for longer stays?

I also think YABU as 4 babies possibly 5 have used my DFs lovely rocking crib. I was going to get a new mattress, but it's a really odd size. So in the end her 3 and my two have all used it.

DD2 didn't get a new cot mattress either, poor deprived child.

Couldn't see any point since it's totally waterproof with a washable padded cover.

Four months is tiny, I can see why you want to stick closely to safe-sleeping guidelines. You could order a pop-up cot to be sent there, or as others have said use the carrycot part of pram. If you'll visit fairly regularly I wouldn't have any discussion about it, I'd just order a new one and have it sent to them.

The guidelines with used mattresses for safety in NZ & Australia is to cover them with very heavy plastic. You could easily get that in your case. When you get there just quietly remake the cot (find older people sometimes go down the 'well we didn't need to in our day', but applying the new research has seen a dramatic drop in deaths). See www.childalert.co.uk

What is the reasoning behind the advice?

What about the little cots in hospital? Are they new?

You obviously know the hospital ones aren't new
But what percentage of its first 6-months sleeps are spent in the hospital bed, as opposed to the baby's own bed? I think cot death rates peak between 2 and 4 months, though I may be wrong. I did read a study once that found an increase in the number of babies who died when away from home (which could be for a whole lot of reasons) which has led to me bringing our own travel bed with us rather than relying on ones you get in hotels etc.

I had wondered whether bringing a mattress protector would help keep any bacteria away, but on balance as we will visit a few times each year for several nights I think I will order a new one and not worry about what ILs think

Just order it. It's going to make you feel better, isn't it? So just do it.