Cot Mattresses - safe to use for next child?

[pinkmama]

Hi. I really love our cot, its an oval one from Ikea. Sadly since our last child they stopped doing it. DD2 is now ready to go into a cot, we cant replace the mattress. Is it safe to use the old one or not? The advice on this seems to change.

Yes.

Thanks Tinker

Hiya I never bothered to get a new mattress when ds took over the cot after dd - mostly due to me not knowing why they advised doing it - I'm going to change it this time though - the theory is that when any wet gets onto the mattress some mould spores can grow inside the mattress which are toxic to a newborn. I'm only changing because ds still has a cup of milk through the night so there's often a wet patch in the morning - I think if he didn't have that I wouldn't bother.

There are other companies which do oval cots though - have you looked into any of the sizes?

zephyrcat - the advice has changed. it always used to be that it was ok for siblings anyway, but now they don't \link{http://www.sids.org.uk/fsid/cot.htm#fifteen\mention it at all}

Thanks. I bought a really expensive lovely mattress for DD1 and threw it out when she had finished with it. We then got given this cot by friends and found a mattress in teh Ikea bargain basement bit luckily. Its only foam, so I suppose I could get a rectangular one and cut it to size. DD2 is 7 months now, so its not like putting a tiny weeny baby on it. Its just that its been in the attic and smells slightly musty. I ahve given it a good airing, and washed the cover.

get a plastic cover for it? (well, get a big bit of plastic and make one)

you should NOT put plastic covers on babies cots.... especailly for children under a year...

the mattress stops beig 'breathable' and contributes to cot death (so ive herd)

(if they were to roll on their front and get 'stuck' they could suffocate)

\link{http://www.cotmattress.com/Your_cot_%20mattress_questions_answered.htm\This} mattress site is quite good.....

helllllllllooooooo. i've reused our mattress, occasionally dd even sleeps on it.......... xx

Q: Should I buy a second-hand mattress or use my mattress for my second or third child?

A: If you know the history of the mattress and are sure that it has been kept clean, stored well, wrapped in dry conditions, with no possibility whatever of mould or bacteria growth on the inside of the mattress (either from urine or vomit on foam or damp in poor storage conditions), has not sunk due to usage and you are able to wash the cover at 60°C, then you won't be passing the bacteria of one child on to the other and there is no problem in using the mattress for a second child.

However, if you have purchased a second-hand cot or you are in any doubt about the history of the mattress, then play safe and buy new.

faq from www.cotmattress.com

this thread is 5 years old