The Complete Toddler Mattress Buying Guide For New Parents

Kid sleeping on a toddler mattress

Finding the right toddler mattress is essential. This is the surface your little one will spend many hours snoozing on every night. So, it only makes sense to buy a mattress that meets all of your child’s needs and includes important safety features.

But what exactly should you focus on, and what isn’t important? When it comes to kids’ beds, you have to consider size, firmness, materials used, comfort, and so much more.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed just looking at the list of requirements, don’t worry. We have your back!

In this article, we’ll share all you need to know about toddler mattresses. By the end of the guide, you’ll know how to confidently select the best bed for your child.

But first, let’s start by discussing the importance of sleep for children.

Why Is Sleep So Important For Children?

  Young kid sleeping on a toddler mattress

Children have lots of energy! They are often running, jumping, skipping, laughing, playing, and doing everything else in-between.

Because of their activity throughout the day and the energy it takes for their little bodies to grow, they need appropriate rest each night to stay well and reset for the next day.

While sleep is important for every age group, for children, sleep is essential because it helps aid their continued growth and development.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital shares that “kids who regularly get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health.”

The right toddler mattress can be a part of helping your child get good, quality sleep night after night. But what should you look for when buying one? Let’s dive in!

5 Features Of A Good Toddler Mattress

1) Breathability

 Baby sleeping on stomach

Toddlers sleep an average of 11-14 hours every 24 hours. This is great news for parents — you can get some rest! However, if your little one’s bed isn’t breathable, you may have a problem.

Choosing a mattress that allows for airflow is essential to body temperature regulation. For example, if your child gets too warm, they could overheat. While overheating is commonly due to a heavy blanket or being overdressed, there could be underlying medical issues as well.

Whatever the reason, we don’t want any child to be stuck in a pool of sweat throughout the night, as it can be both uncomfortable and dangerous.

The Newton Baby Crib Mattress allows for optimum airflow. The secret is in our innovative Breathe-Thru technology that enables a child to breathe right through the mattress.

Our dual-layer quilted cloud Mattress Cover is also 100% breathable and adds an extra layer of comfort for your child to rest safely and comfortably throughout the night.

2) Support

Most toddler mattresses are wrapped in plastic and made with foam, springs, wool, or latex. Each option has its own unique features (or cautions).

For example, wool mattresses may help your little one stay warm throughout the night, but they trap more dust and increase allergy symptoms in children already susceptible to allergies.

On the other hand, coil and spring mattresses can offer lots of support, especially for your child’s growing body. However, they may not always be the most comfortable.

For a safe, comfortable, and supportive option, our Newton Baby mattresses take the cake. Our beds are made with a Wovenaire® Core, which is composed of 10% yogurt cup material and 90% air. They are then covered with a soft, quilted, 3-D space cover.

This combination of materials gives children the comfort that foam and latex mattresses provide without the toxic chemicals and allergens.

3) Child-Friendly Materials

 Stack of toddler mattress

As we just mentioned, some brands use harmful materials to make their mattresses. And with so many different chemical combinations, it’s important to be aware of what toddler mattresses are composed of.

The best way to check your mattress for toxins is to read the label or contact the manufacturer to get more details about their materials. This ensures that you’re buying your little one a mattress constructed with quality, non-toxic materials.

At Newton Baby, all of our mattresses are GREENGUARD Gold Certified. In a nutshell, this certification confirms that the product is scientifically proven to help reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure.

Since children will place their faces right on their beds when sleeping, this certification is essential, as it will reduce the chances of them breathing in harmful chemicals. Choosing a GREENGUARD Gold Certified mattress may also help children who suffer from allergies.

4) Firmness

When your little one is an infant, their mattress should be comfortable yet firm because this reduces the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Toddlers, on the other hand, don’t require the same level of mattress firmness that infants do. This is because they are more mobile and have more physical strength to maneuver their way out of potential suffocation hazards.

However, while your toddler’s bed doesn’t need to be as firm as a baby’s, it still can’t be too soft. When a mattress doesn’t have enough structure and conforms too much, it can potentially smother your child.

For this reason, we recommend choosing a mattress that’s medium-firm to firm to keep your little one both safe and comfy throughout the night.

5) Protection

Bedwetting is very common in children under five years old (and sometimes in older children). That’s why it’s essential to choose a mattress cover or pad that’s waterproof or water-resistant and can lay securely over your little one’s mattress to protect it.

Our Newton Baby mattresses come with a cover that allows you to conveniently zip it off and throw it into the washing machine on laundry day or when an accident occurs.

In addition, these covers are made with hypoallergenic materials to provide allergy protection, which can help your little one stay safe from a build-up of bed bugs, bacteria, and dust mites.

FAQs About Toddler Mattresses

Finding a toddler mattress isn’t just about buying a bed that’s the right size and is aesthetically pleasing. It’s about making sure your little one is safe and cozy when you put them to sleep every night (or for naptime).

But even with the above information, you may still have concerns, so let’s look at some frequently asked questions about toddler mattresses.

What Is The Standard Toddler Mattress Size?

The standard toddler mattress is the same size as a crib mattress. The specific dimensions are 27 ¼ inches x 51 ⅝ inches, give or take.

Before shopping for a bed for your child, it’s important to consider the size of their room. You might also want to ask yourself a few questions, such as:

  • Where do I plan to place the bed in the room? Will it fit comfortably?
  • Will there still be room for other important furniture (e.g., drawers, a rocking chair, etc.)?
  • Can I place the bed away from plugs, wall sockets, and other potential hazards?

How Long Will My Child Use It?

 Young kid being tucked in for sleep while holding his teddy bear

Children develop very quickly and outgrow many things, including their beds. They are also unique and vary in weight and height across different ages.

That’s why the right age to transition your child from a toddler bed to a twin bed is different from child to child. But having said that, most kids are ready for a bigger bed at around three years old. Some parents may transition their growing little ones a little earlier or even later.

While there is no “right age,” the most important thing is for your child to always be safe in their toddler bed. So, if you notice that they are easily climbing out or need a little extra stretching room, then it might be time to take the leap.

When Should I Get A Toddler Mattress?

Some parents decide to buy their babies a bassinet or co-sleeper when they are born and then move them to a crib after a few months.

But if you would like to save time and money, you can buy your child their toddler mattress (or crib mattress) as soon as they are born.

Just remember that, for safety reasons, your little one will need to sleep in the same room with you for the first year. So, you may need to move around a few furniture pieces to make room for it.

Comfort For Your Child, Peace Of Mind For You

 Dad playing with babies feet

Throughout this guide, we’ve shared what to consider before purchasing a toddler mattress, such as firmness, comfort, the materials used, breathability, and protection the mattress offers.

Keeping these factors in mind will help you decide which mattress is right for your child.

At Newton Baby, we take pride in only manufacturing high-quality toddler mattresses made with the safest materials. This ensures that your child can have a good night’s sleep every night without being exposed to harmful chemicals.

While there’s so much that parents need to worry about when having a child, with our mattresses, you can worry a little less knowing your child is safe and cozy!

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