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We all want the best for our kids, but what you may not know is that supporting your baby’s sleep now sets them up for healthy growth throughout their entire childhood. It’s important to make sure you get them the right mattress for both safety and comfort so that your child’s muscles and bones will grow properly.
This Stitch and Cradle crib mattress review will help you understand more about what to look for in a mattress and whether the Stitch and Cradle crib mattress may be the right one for you and your baby.
Contents
Types of Crib Mattresses
There are two basic types of crib mattresses. Both types are fine as long as you don’t settle for something that’s poor quality. Either type will keep its shape for as long as you need to use it and provide the support your baby needs.
Innerspring
An innerspring mattress has several layers, but the number of layers and what each layer is made of will depend entirely on the quality of the mattress. The higher the quality, the more you’ll pay. However, this will also increase your child’s comfort level as well.
Many of these types of mattresses have vinyl covers you can easily wipe down with a damp cloth, making them easy to clean. That’s always a plus when you have a baby.
Foam
Foam mattresses are typically made from polyurethane. Many of them are waterproof, but they tend to be a bit heavier than innerspring mattresses because they’re so dense.
They may or may not come with a cover that makes them easy to clean, so using a cover is important. However, foam is very firm and supportive, so it’s a great choice, especially for a young infant.
Dual-Firmness
Some innerspring mattresses are double-sided, offering an infant side and a toddler side. They’re more versatile, they offer differing levels of support for your child at different stages, and they last longer.
The baby side is more firm and often covered in foam while the toddler side is an innerspring mattress that provides a dual-firmness mattress for all ages. These types of crib mattresses tend to be more pricey as well.
Crib Mattress Sizes
Crib mattresses also come in plenty of sizes, just to make it even more confusing for you. It’s important to be sure that the mattress you select fits your crib correctly or there will be places where your baby can get trapped or hurt. Large gaps are very dangerous for infants.
Crib mattresses generally come in a standard size that is 52 x 28 inches or a mini size that is 38 x 24 inches. These are the two most common sizes. However, there are premium cribs that come in odd shapes, like ovals, and in cases like these, you may have to select a different mattress size.
Features
What kind of mattress you get will depend on what’s important to you. Innerspring and foam are different, but there’s nothing wrong with either of them. It just depends on what you want. It’s important to look at all of your options first before deciding what you need.
Firmness
The best foam mattresses are very firm and very heavy. It’s difficult to lift them when making the bed, so it’s not the best solution for people with minimal upper body strength. However, it is a great mattress for an infant with tons of support.
Test the firmness of the mattress by pressing it on the edges and in the center with your hand. It should snap back rather than conforming to the shape of your hand. This means it’s firm enough to support your baby’s head.
Density
Weight will tell you a lot about the mattress’s density. You can always find the weight of a mattress online, but it can be difficult to find in the store. Rather than searching endlessly, press your hands together on either side of the mattress. Very dense mattresses will offer a lot of resistance.
Layers
When it comes to innerspring mattresses, higher quality mattresses will have more layers. However, you also need to evaluate the quality of the layers themselves. The heavier the mattress, the higher quality of the layers.
Better quality materials will offer more cushioning and heavier gauges of steel will offer more support and last a lot longer without creating depressions on the mattress where your child normally sleeps.
Coils
A lot of mattress companies will advertise the number of coils they use in their innerspring mattresses to make you think it’s what’s important. However, what’s more important is the gauge of steel they’re using.
Rather than looking at the number of coils, pay attention to the gauge of steel. The smaller the gauge, the thicker the steel. If you can find a mattress with a relatively small gauge and a higher number of coils, you’ll be looking at a better quality mattress.
Rods
There are rods that run along the perimeter of innerspring mattresses at the top and the bottom. They add to the durability and the firmness of the mattress. They make the edges stronger and provide more support.
The better these rods are, the more support your mattress will have and the less likely it will be to sag when your baby stands on the edge.
Insulator pad
Every innerspring mattress has an insulator pad that rests on top of the coils. It prevents the coils from poking through the top of the mattress. It makes it more comfortable to rest on and it improves the durability of the mattress.
Poor quality insulator pads are made from woven polyester. Don’t be fooled by how good they feel in the store. They won’t last long after you get them home. Neither will the plastic mesh insulator pads.
The highest quality insulator pads are made of coir fiber. You can also get fiber-wrapped pads made of a pressed cloth that are excellent quality. Another quality insulator pad is made of compressed hard felt.
Top layers and covers
The cushioning on the top of the mattress can be made of foam or another material like cotton or polyester. The more high quality it is, the more you’ll pay. Polyester isn’t as expensive as foam or cotton, but it’s still pretty good quality.
It’s always important that you never purchase a crib mattress without knowing what’s in the layers.
You definitely want your crib mattress to have some sort of fabric or vinyl cover surrounding the entire unit. While vinyl doesn’t offer the same breathability as fabric, many vinyl covers have ventilation holes that help improve circulation.
Vinyl also helps resist stains, tears, and punctures much better than fabric, so they’ll last a lot longer as well. Try a mattress with a three-ply cover so it will have a tougher shell.
How the Stitch and Cradle Mattress Measures Up
The Stitch and Cradle mattress is hand-crafted in the United States. This makes a lot of people feel good about their purchase, especially when it comes to giving their money to a home-grown company.
Each mattress is CertiPUR-US-certified. You can order them online, and they come with a 100-night trial. If you don’t like it for any reason, you can return it for a full refund.
What is it?
Stitch and Cradle offers a 2-in1 mattress that comes with an infant side and a toddler side. Rather than having to choose between an innerspring mattress or a foam mattress, you’re getting both.
The infant side offers a hard, flat surface that gives more of the support that’s so important for newborns. It’s made of a high-density foam that won’t sag, so you can feel confident that it will support your baby’s head like it should.
Once your child is a toddler, you can flip it over to enjoy the softer, more comfortable toddler side. Remove the cover so your child can enjoy a more forgiving sleep on a mattress that conforms to their body and cradles them as they rest.
Ingredients
The Stitch and Cradle mattress doesn’t have any formaldehyde, phthalates, trisphosphate flame retardants, heavy metals, or any other harmful chemicals. It’s made without any ozone depleters at all, so you can feel comfortable with your contribution to the environment.
The foam is non-toxic. Many foams give off chemical gasses, but the Stitch and Cradle foam is naturally poured so there is no chemical off-gassing.
It’s an open-cell foam with hundreds of tiny holes throughout that allows for maximum airflow and breathability. It also minimizes heat retention so your baby can rest comfortably throughout the night.
It’s a high-density foam that provides firm support for your baby. It won’t sink, which makes it a great choice for the head support your baby needs early on.
Care
The mattress cover is removable and made of a 100% polyester ultra-soft knit. It’s waterproof, so if your baby spits up, the diaper leaks, or you find that it needs to be washed, you can remove it quickly and easily with the zipper.
It’s completely machine washable, so you won’t have to worry about any extra special washing instructions or care. It’s also designed to be gentle on your baby’s sensitive skin, so it won’t cause any irritation.
Size and cost
The Stitch and Cradle crib mattress is designed to fit standard sized cribs. It ships free and comes with a 100-night free trial. If you don’t like it for any reason, you can send it back. It also comes with a lifetime warranty, so you can take comfort in the fact that if anything goes wrong, they will fix it or replace it for you.
It comes at a middle of the road price point, which is nice to see of a good quality mattress. While it’s not the best quality mattress on the market, it gets good reviews and parents seem to like it a lot.
The waterproof crib sheet is sold separately, which is kind of a bummer, because it’s a really nice thing to have, and you’re definitely going to want it.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly ingredients
- Non-toxic materials
- 100-night trial period
- Lifetime warranty
- Dual-sided design
Cons:
- Not available in stores
- Pricey
- Machine washable cover sold separately
Alternatives
If you’re in the market for a new crib mattress, but you’re not sure if Stitch and Cradle is right for you, here are some other quality crib mattresses you may want to take a look at first. They’re all worth a look before making a final decision.
Lullaby Earth Breeze Crib Mattress
This crib mattress is slightly more expensive than the Stitch and Cradle mattress, but it’s breathable, waterproof, has a MADE SAFE certification, and dual firmness. It’s an incredibly popular mattress among many parents of newborns for a lot of reasons.
This mattress has low VOC emissions and it’s 100% recyclable. You can do the environment a solid when you’re done with it and recycle the whole thing. It’s also really lightweight and has seamless edges, which is so much nicer than it sounds. You don’t really know how wonderful seamless edges are until you have them. They also add to the longevity of the mattress.
This one comes with a waterproof cover so you don’t have to buy it separately. It’s machine washable, and the mattress itself is easy to wipe down.
On the inside, the mattress has a WaveSupport core made from food-grade polymer that’s completely safe for your child.
Lullaby Earth breathable crib mattresses provides 97% more air while breathing through the sleep surface than traditional crib mattresses according to independent tests. Our practical approach to breathability is effective without sacrificing hygiene.
OrganicDream 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress
This mattress is made in the US from both domestic and international materials. It’s Greenguard GOLD certified, uses OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, and has 100% organic cotton surfaces. The organic cotton surfaces are ultra-soft.
The cover is removable and machine washable. The surfaces are hypoallergenic and breathable. It’s really lightweight, making sheet changes easy, but it’s very thick, which means it can provide superior comfort.
The infant side is very firm, but the toddler side is soft and responsive, so your baby and your toddler will get what they need for a good night’s rest.
All edges and corners are reinforced so they won’t sag, and as a bonus, the cover is water-resistant for as long as 16 hours. You’ll have plenty of time to wash it before it soaks into the mattress, ruining the core.
Serta Perfect Start Crib Mattress
This dual-firmness mattress is one of the most affordable. It’s cheaper than any of the others on this list. It’s a fiber core mattress with a Greenguard GOLD certification and a waterproof cover. It’s also made in the US.
The waterproof cover is made of vinyl, which means it’s easy to wipe down, but that also means it will dry out and crack with age. It also features a bit of a crinkly vinyl sound when you push down on it, which may bother some people.
The infant side is very firm and the toddler side is softer, but not quite as soft as some other dual-firmness mattresses. However, the polyester core offers more support than a polyurethane core.
FAQs
Answer: It’s important that your baby’s mattress is breathable. It helps your baby’s body regulate the temperature throughout the night, especially since it’s not safe to keep them covered up with a blanket until they’re much older.
If the mattress isn’t breathable, you may want to consider turning a ceiling fan on low, adding a breathable mattress pad, or putting an oscillating fan in their room.
Answer: Both types of cribs have their advantages. For instance, an innerspring crib mattress offers better weight distribution and edge support. It will also be more waterproof and breathable.
However, a foam mattress will offer great density and support, which means the mattress will be very firm, which is just what your infant needs early on.
Answer: Firmness is one of the most important things you can look for early on in your infant’s life. Crib mattresses are intended to be much firmer than adult mattresses because they keep your baby safe and they support growing bones. The mattress should be rated for infant use.
However, you should also look for waterproof qualities like a vinyl or polyethylene surface to make sure it’s easy to clean and it will resist mold.
Answer: Your baby’s mattress has to be firm enough that it won’t conform to the shape of your baby’s head. This prevents suffocation. Crib mattresses should be between 8 and 10 on the mattress firmness scale.
Answer: While you might not be able to sleep on something so firm, the truth is, your baby’s mattress is supposed to be that way. There’s nothing too firm for your baby. It reduces the risk of suffocation and SIDS.
As your child gets older and the risk of SIDS and suffocation decreases, you can introduce a softer mattress. This is generally around 12 months of age, but every baby is different. You can get input from your pediatrician if you have questions about when is the right time.
The Bottom Line
If you’re seriously considering a Stitch and Cradle crib mattress, you really don’t have anything to lose. With a 100-night trial, you can give it a shot. If you or your baby don’t like it for any reason, you can always send it back.
Plus, with a lifetime warranty, you’ll have the peace of mind that if anything goes wrong, you can get it fixed.
It’s a great design, albeit pricey. It has everything you need for your baby to rest well into toddlerhood. You can feel good about your purchase doing good for the environment, and the non-toxic materials will also be comfortable and safe for your baby.
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