Planning to co-sleep - what about chemicals in new mattress?

[RunAndBeMum]

I'm six months pregnant and planning to co-sleep. We desperately need a new mattress for our bed but I'm worried about the chemicals that would come off it. Does anyone know whether we can get a new one, or whether we should wait till the baby is past the risk of cot death?

I got a new mattress when I was pg with DS1 as I had killer backache! and co-slept til he was 9mo, it never occurred to me to worry about chemicals, I'm sure it will be fine :)

Get it asap - leave it standing vertically unwrapped in an aired room for as long as possible - the risk is probably tiny, but this way you should be cutting it down - three months airing has to make a difference surely?

Well if you buy a good quality one that has a wool cover then there won't be any chemicals so there's nothing to worry about :)

Definitely go ahead and get one now, you will be so much comfier over the next few months as your bump gets bigger.

God, this never even occurred to me. We bought a new mattress just before DS was born and no ill effects have been suffered (he is 3). I have a feeling you will be ok ...

But in case it is of interest, we did get this which, while it cost about a million quid to get shipped over from USA, has been invaluable during life with two co-sleeping babies. I imagine it would protect against any chemical stuff as it's pretty thick. It has paid its way; it also had a life in between babies as a sort of base for post-bath drying, dressing and stories when DS was an older baby/young toddler (eg he was still in a cot and had no other comfy surface in his room, therefore we would spread it on our bed and sprawl around there before bedtime, then roll it up out of the way once he was in his cot).

Following all the standing and airing mentioned above, how about a couple of soft and chunky blankets as mattress protectors? Might keep any residual chemicals locked in?

I didn't even think about chemicals - perhaps I should have... However, I put a couple of thick blankets on just because the mattress was a bit lumpy (although new!) and they have been invaluable for absorbing sick and other skankiness - easier to change the blankets than to clean the mattress in the middle of the night.

I'm watching this with interest, as we're also planning on getting a new mattress and co-sleeping with our second baby. (Didn't with DS, at least, not properly, but I think it'll be the only way I can cope with breastfeeding all night and looking after DS all day!). We're meant to be moving house, so we can't get the mattress delivered until we move (nowhere to store it, and current bedroom too small for kingsize). I was worried about chemicals too.

DirtyMartini - wow, that looks great! Did you never find anyone selling them in UK, or even second-hand? How much did it cost to ship over here?

I can't quite remember! It was a lot, though. And then I had to pay customs charges when the parcel arrived. I used a big chunk of my maternity pay. I have never regretted it, but can understand most people would think I was nuts. DP and I just both thought it looked really good and took a biggish gamble.

I suppose you could make one if you were good at those things ... the pad is really thick though, to absorb milk leaks and whatnot, and the zipper is really sturdy and the whole thing has lasted really well being washed a million times. To get the same quality would take a good bit of outlay and effort, I think.

We call it "the giant penis" because when it's rolled up the pad wraps round the bolster and the end of the bolster just protrudes slightly and has a seam bisecting it, and the whole thing does look a bit like a giant organic cotton uncircumcised cock sitting atop our wardrobe.

at DirtyMartini.

Dirtymartini, I've found somewhere in UK that sells them for £16o plus postage I presume. But reading the specs (3 layers of organic, thick cotton flannel and a flannel bolster stuffed with hypoallergenic polyfil) I wonder if I could make one myself? I can sew, sort of... I agree that it would take a lot of effort and finishing, and I'm sure the finished product wouldn't be as good. Does the bolster bit come out of its case? I can see it un-poppers from the sheet bit.

Lol at huge cock on top of wardrobe! Handy!

Yes, it comes out. I'm sure you could make one if you're good at that stuff. If DP and I tried to make one it'd take us 5 years and be really badly done -- not much sewing goes on in this house, more's the pity. I wish I had the skills!

If you do make one and it comes out well, you should start selling them ... build a small business empire.

BTW, I recommend not skimping on the cotton flannel; I think that it being very thick and absorbent is key. Leaking milk, baby posset etc just sort of vanish so you're never in an uncomfortable wet patch.