"Breathable" bassinet mattress protector suffocation risk??

[Raupe]

Hey lovelies, I hope you can help me. I bought a so called "breathable" mattress protector for my bassinet (protect-a-bed brand), as the bassinet mattress is breathable and so I wanted the protector sheet to be as well. However, I didn't realise that the sheet has a plastic backing and therefore you can not breathe through it (I think by breathable they mean the skin can breathe ). Anyway, is there a protector out there that you can actually breathe through? Would it be safer to not use the cover? Would it be a suffocation hazard if bub rolls onto her belly? Is it really necessary to use a protector? Not sure what to do... opinions?

[Teeki]

I think if you can breathe through it, it's not going to protect the mattress very well. Wee/vomit/whatever is going to get through.

I never bothered with a protector for ours (we just used the pram bassinet during the day and cot at night). I'd just wash the sheet thing when needed and air out the mattress. The actual cot, I've put two towels underneath the fitted sheet, all tucked in, to help protect the mattress.

[Raupe]

Thanks Teeki, that's what I thought. The mattress is quite small, so if it needs washing it wouldn't be much of an issue. I'm just freaking out that bubba will suffocate if she rolls over if we have that plasticy sheet on....

[onthefly]

I can't see how it would matter... If bub can roll, then they can also lift their head and/or turn it to the side to breathe. I would think the suffocation risk came when babies face was compressed or covered - say, something soft like pillow, blanket - and they couldn't move clear of it to breathe.