Breathing Easier: The Benefits of a Breathable Mattress for Your Baby

When you put your baby to sleep at night, their sleep surface should be safe and comfortable. A breathable crib mattress is the best thing to make this dream a sweet one!

With a breathable crib mattress, your little one can breathe straight through it. We’ll share some benefits of using this kind of mattress and give you a safe (and comfy!) option to consider.

Safe Sleep

Back Is Best

By the time you bring home your new baby, you've hopefully gotten the message that you should always, without exception, place your newborn on his back to sleep.

Though no expert knows with 100% confidence that back-sleeping will prevent the tragedy of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), one thing they do know with confidence is that back sleeping clearly seems to be highly preventive.

According to stats from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), deaths from SIDS declined to fewer than 40 per 100,000 births in 2015, from just over 130 per 10,000 births in 1990. The Back to Sleep campaign, now known as Safe to Sleep, launched in 1994.

Sleep Environment Matters

Other measures to keep baby safe while sleeping have since been added to the list of should-do's. These include:

  • Keeping the crib or other sleeping space clear of blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals and such
  • Regulating the room temperature
  • Using a fan to keep air moving
  • Banning all smoking from the household

Feeling all safe and smart? Okay, great. Now…what happens when your baby, at the still-tender age of 4 or so months, achieves the feat of rolling over while sleeping?

Although, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the vast majority of SIDS deaths happen before 4 months of age, you still don’t want to take chances, which is why you still practice safer sleeping principles.

After all, it’s not as though you’re going to suddenly pile Grandma’s antique afghan and a menagerie of stuffed animals in the crib just because your baby can theoretically roll away from them!

Now that we’ve covered the basics of safe sleep, let’s move on to the topic of the day: breathable crib mattresses.

How Does A Breathable Crib Mattress Work?

Baby sitting next to a breathable crib mattress

Breathable mattresses are designed to allow air to flow through. This means if your baby were to roll over onto their belly while sleeping, they would be able to breathe straight through the mattress, which helps to reduce the risk of suffocation.

How? Breathable mattresses are made with different types of materials than standard mattresses. For example, the Newton Baby Crib Mattress is made with firm plastic polymers that are spaced far enough apart to allow for breathability.

But that doesn’t mean it’s hard! The right mattress is firm, breathable, and comfortable for your little one.

The Wovenaire Difference

breathable crib mattress

What sets our mattress apart from other breathable crib mattresses is our unique design. Our crib mattress is made with Wovenaire, a patented cushioned material that replaces generic (and often uncomfortable!) materials like foam, latex, and springs.

What’s more, it’s 90% air by volume, so it’s super light — no more having to worry about picking up a heavy crib mattress to change the sheets or wash it off!

Wovenaire is made by weaving the same material used to make yogurt cups in a pool of crystal-clear water, which then forms into a solid, three-dimensional cushion.

It’s then shaped and formed into a specific size, either a standard-sized crib mattress or a mini crib mattress. Lastly, it’s placed inside a cover. (You can learn more here!)

Also, there’s no need to worry about the mattress cover — it’s breathable, too! It’s made with two layers of breathe-thru spacer fabric that’s cozy for your little one but durable enough to stand up against everyday use.

Don’t forget to have an extra mattress cover on hand. So when an accident happens, you can just throw the cover in the washing machine and put on a new one if the mattress doesn’t need to be rinsed off right away.

Speaking of accidents, both our crib mattress and mattress covers are washable. So just toss the mattress cover in the washer and put the crib mattress in the tub to give it a good rinse.

This is a great way to test the breathability factor, too, because you can visibly see the air pockets!

Benefits Of A Breathable Crib Mattress

baby sleeping in crib with rainbows on walls

Safer Sleep Surface For Your Baby

In addition to the benefits of breathability, the right breathable crib mattress is simply a safer sleep surface for your baby overall.

With no chemicals or foam (and being GREENGUARD Gold certified!), this type of mattress provides your baby with the best sleep environment.

Better Quality Of Sleep For Your Baby

Traditional crib mattresses are often wrapped in plastic and can easily wake your baby up at night because of the noises they make whenever your baby moves around.

But with a breathable mattress, your baby will be more comfortable and won’t get woken up by the noise of their mattress, meaning they (and you!) can sleep much better at night!

No More Sweaty Backs

Another reason your baby might wake up at night is that they’re too hot. This can be caused by different things, one of them being the material of their crib mattress.

Since breathable mattresses allow for airflow, the air can come through the mattress so your baby won’t overheat and wake up to a sweaty back.

baby sleeping on breathable crib mattress

Safer For The Environment

Our breathable mattresses are made with different materials than traditional ones. No foam, latex, springs or glue means no toxic chemicals or allergens — and a mattress that exceeds the most rigorous 3rd-party emissions standards which test for off-gassing.

What’s more, Newton Baby’s Crib Mattress can be recycled! Since our material is non-toxic and free of chemicals, we’re able to recycle it, which is so much safer for the environment!

Easy To Wash And More Hygienic

Over the years, mattresses take on tons of wear and tear, and a lot can happen during that time. Having a washable mattress is crucial in keeping your baby healthy and safe while they sleep!

Being able to rinse away an accident from their diaper or spit-up in just a few seconds is key to helping your baby’s sleep surface withstand the test of time.

Think about what happens if you’re not able to rinse these spots off of your baby’s mattress. Over time, they turn into mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Definitely not something you want your little one sleeping on!

Peace Of Mind

Last (but certainly not least) on our list of benefits of using a breathable crib mattress is the peace of mind that it gives you. At night, you can lay your baby down knowing that they’re safe and comfortable.

Having that peace of mind is priceless!

What To Look For When Buying A Breathable Crib Mattress

breathable crib mattress

Free Of Flame Retardant Chemicals

Flame retardants are used in most products to reduce the likelihood of them catching on fire, or at least slow down the process.

So in and of itself, flame retardants are not bad and are actually necessary. However, it’s best to examine what flame retardants are in the product you’re using.

Sadly, most flame retardants contain harsh chemicals, so when you’re in the market for a breathable mattress, make sure it’s free of these harmful chemicals.

The good news is that Newton Baby doesn’t use toxic chemical fire retardants!

We’ve done all the work and research for you. All crib mattresses must pass a burn test that follows the Federal Flammability Standards, and we’ve passed the test!

Instead of using chemicals, we use what’s called viscose material, which is made from wood pulp. This material is sewn into our cover, making our crib mattress flame retardant and chemical-free!

Free Of Polyurethane Foam

Based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), exposure to some of the main ingredients in polyurethane foam can cause health problems.

This includes, but is not limited to, asthma, lung damage, respiratory problems, and skin irritations. And over time, the foam breaks down and releases toxins into the air.

So, to be on the safe side, look for mattresses that are not made of polyurethane foam.

With Newton Baby, you don’t have to worry about extra toxic ingredients being added to your baby’s mattress. We don’t use foam, glue, latex, or springs!

Waterproof

Newton Baby washable breathable crib mattress in bath tub

When it comes to any mattress, you want to make sure it’s waterproof for hygienic reasons. Your baby will eventually have some sort of accident on their mattress, and as we mentioned earlier, that can cause mold and bacteria to grow.

Any covering you have on your baby’s mattress — sheets or covers — should also be waterproof for the exact same reasons.

Newton Baby has the ONLY washable crib mattress! You can wash it often as you’d like, or just give it a spot clean as-needed. That’s the beauty of it. The option is there to give it a full rinse in the tub if need be.

Our breathable mattress pad can be used with any mattress and is also waterproof for the safety and health of your baby.

Meets Current Certification Standards

Certification standards are constantly changing, so check current standards to stay up to date. One that mattress manufacturers should always meet is the GREENGUARD Gold Certification Standard.

This standard is met when a product is made with materials that emit very few chemicals. The program sets strict guidelines for the amount of VOCs released into the air. VOCs volatile organic compounds) are gases released from certain solids or liquids.

With Newton Baby, you can rest assured that your baby is sleeping safely since our mattress is GREENGUARD Gold certified!

Breathing Easier: A Mattress For Peace Of Mind

Parents looking down at sleeping baby in crib

At this point, you might want to consider a new, breathable mattress (if you hadn't thought of it earlier). No, it’s not that the mattress can “breathe,” but that your child, if they end up face down, can breathe through it.

The latest, high-tech comfy mattresses, like the Newton Crib Mattress, are made of the same material used to make yogurt cups, which allows air to circulate through them.

Remember, that does a few things:

  • It creates a cleaner, greener sleep surface for your baby, as it’s non-toxic and free of allergens.
  • It’s not trapped or encased in latex or plastic. Instead, two layers of super-soft, removable, quilted fabric wrap the inner, patented Wovenaire core.
  • It keeps the sleep environment naturally cooler, thanks to the breathability of the fill. Experts say a steady cool (but not cold) temperature is best for your baby.
  • It makes your life easier, as it’s completely washable. You can remove and launder the cover in the washing machine or even (and you know those times are coming!) rinse it in the tub or shower. Plus, it dries fast.
  • It’s recyclable. When you no longer need it, there’s no need to leave this mattress at the curb. Without any latex or foam, all materials are 100% recyclable. With that said, you’ll want to keep it. Toddler bed, anyone?

Don’t forget that back is always best when your baby is sleeping. And keep in mind what to look for when you’re in the market for a breathable mattress.

The benefits of a breathable mattress are endless, with your peace of mind probably at the top of that list! Your baby can breathe easier at night with Newton Baby’s Crib Mattress — and so can you!

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