second hand cot mattress

[Shelly32]

My sister is due to give birth in four weeks and I offered her one of DD's cot mattresses. It is a MC mattress with a breathable, removeable protective cover. She has never wet it or been sick on it (I didn't offer the other mattress as this one had been sicked on once).
My sister has been advised by her midwife not to take it and to get a brand new one. I can see why you wouldn't want to get a mattress for a newborn from a stranger but this is her niece's mattress and I am almost OTT clean, something she's commented on before. Does anyone know why this advice is given? Is it due to cot death? AIBU to feel sad over the waste of money and think that no one will else will get the benefit of it. Replaceable covers are only £15 but DS is still adamant that she wants a brand new mattress, which is up to her of course.

Personally, I think it's best to listen to researchers who have completed rigourous studies showing that "a valid significant association exists between use of a used infant mattress and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome"*, and it's best still not to take any avoidable risks when it comes to something like SIDS.

Your last post comes across as if you'd like to make people feel silly or gullible if they "listen to the media" on this (when actually, they're following the recommendations of researchers and SIDS awareness groups, but nevermind). I really hope you don't succeed in convincing anyone to take the chance.

• www.bmj.com/content/325/7371/1007.1

meant to include source for quote in above post.

Does anyone know at what age it is safe to use a second hand mattress?

Dd2 is now in dd1's cot, has been since 6/7 months old, with dd1's mattress....

TIA

I re-used dd's mattress for ds as it had a removable washable cover and the underneath was waterproof and could be cleaned.

DD's mattress has both a washable cover and was used with a mattress protector (quilted, waterproof type). Would anyone use the mattress for another child? What about the mattress protector?

I had same one for all my kids the mess bit was at top of the mattress which was never laid on as babies are feet to bottom of the cot which I always thought was daft to have the mesh at the top

Oh god. We have our cot mattress stashed under the bed for due in July DS3. Has served both his brothers. DS2 was a vomiter. DS1 was not. I need to get a new mattress don't I? And I am so not normally a worrier

I would use it, it's in god condition and has no deterioration. I used the same mattress for my dcs.