Passing down mattress and car seat from DS1 to DS2 - is this ok?

[scarlotti]

Ok, so this might be a bit of a daft question ..... but am I ok to use the same mattress and car seat for DS2 that I did for DS1? There will be 4 years between them and DS2 won't go into the cot bed for about a year.

I keep reading that every child should have a new mattress, but does that count if it's the same family?

Also, another thread has just mentioned that car seats have an 'expiry date' - I had no idea. Will the seat I bought for DS1 4.5 years ago still be ok?

If there is a safety issue I'd rather be safe than sorry, but I can't help the cynical voice inside that thinks this is just to get me to buy more stuff...??

I'd prefer to get a cheapish replacement mattress

Ring manufacturer of car seat for expiry of car seat

I'm expecting DC2 in December and will not be reusing the mattress from DS's cotbed. It's going to my Mum's for sleepovers and we're getting a new one for DC2. The SIDS people suggest a new mattress for every child and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened and I hadn't changed it.

I always thought the expiry on car seats was 5 years (please feel free to correct me if anyone knows better) so we'll be reusing our car seat as it'll only be 2.9 years old when DC2 arrives and we know it's been looked after.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like a new mattress is the way to go then.

Have rung the car seat manufacturer and yes, it's 5 years. So we bought the seat in June 2005, DS2 due November 2009 and likely to be in it until September 2010 at least. Is this ok?

I lent the car seat to a friend for her baby too in the interim, but it wasn't in an accident so I presume it's still ok?

Guess it's down to personal attitude to risk..

I did re-use the mattress that dd had for ds (3 years between them) as it had a removable washable cover and was clean with no tears in the waterproof bit. The SIDS website says this:

It is very important that your baby?s mattress is kept clean and dry. Ideally you should buy a new mattress for each new baby. If you are not able to do this, use the one you have, as long as it was made with a completely waterproof cover and has no tears, cracks or holes. Clean and dry it thoroughly. Check that the mattress is in good condition; is firm, not soft; fits the cot without any gaps; and doesn?t sag. Never sleep your baby on a pillow, cushion, bean bag or waterbed.

I also re-used the group 1 car seat that dd had which will be around 5 years old now. DS is almost too big for it now anyway and needs to go into the next stage one soon.

I reused the mattress inbetween DS and DD. And the car seats. Will check expiry date as the stage 1 seat DD is must be about 4.5 years now.

I reused the cot but not the mattress.

I think it does count if it's the same family - even if your DS1 was a very clean baby (my DS wasn't - he pooed and sicked etc in the cot a number of times), it is likely he still did a bit of dribble. I think the bacteria multiply and so even a bit of dribble is quite ick a few years later.

The car seat sounds fine to reuse. I'd wash the covers personally. I didn't reuse my group 0 car seat because of other issues (it was totally crap and a very bad design causing DS's head to flop on his head and him choke on sicked up milk). I would have reused DD's group 0 car seat had I had another baby (but I am not!).

I re-used my carseat with a 3.5 year gap.

My matress is currently on it's 4th child, it has a zip off washable waterproof cover so is fine.

It is not ok to use a matress that has been repeatedly wet (by urine, vomit or sweat) as this can create mold spores within it (one theory for SIDS), however if it has always been suitably covered then it is fine, better really as it will contain far less manufacturing chemicals then a new one (another theory).

Personally I would far rather re-use a good, well cared for matress than replace with a cheap one with a high chemical content.

I would check the date of manufacture on your car seat Scarlotti, there should be a sticker on it somewhere. You may have bought it in June 2005 but if it was manufactured in January 2005 then it's going to be out of date very soon after DC2 arrives...

They recommend to change them because the plastic degrades and becomes brittle so it won't stand up to a crash as well as a new one would.

Really??? It never occured to me to change the mattress or car seat.

Thanks, will check for actual manufacture date.

Threads when you say the mattress has been covered ... do you mean by a sheet? Only DS has slept on it since he was 6 months and has never been a sicky/pooey baby. However he sweats a lot and probably dribbles as much as the next child. I've only ever used it with a fitted sheet, but the cover doesn't come off so it gets a periodic wash. Still in nappies at night and used mattress protectors when he was potty training over naps so practically no wet beds to date (have that joy to come I'm sure)

Head end wasn't covered by the waterproof bit though, just a fine mesh presumably to aid airflow. Hmm..

I think its all a bid to make you spend more money tbh. I have used same cot, mattress and car seats (plus a number of other things) for mine with a 4 year gap. Both lived, nothing wrong with either of them and saved me a few quid!

No, I mean completely covered by something waterproof.

Mine has a full size zip on waterproof cover, that then has some padding and a cotton top, but you can bung the whole thing in the washing machine at 60.

Well it's a new mattress for us then as the cover doesn't come off and isn't completely waterproof. Still, that's a year or so away so I can cope with that now I know!

Will be checking the car seat and hoping we can squeeze enough use out of it for this one!