Sids And Old Mattresses

[satya]

Hope this is the right place to post this.

I read on the weekend that a study has found that many cases of SIDS could be due to old mattresses being used. Some germ gets in the mattress and when the baby moves it escapes from the mattress. Some babies immune systems are not well enough developed to fight the bug and it then results in SIDS. I must stress it said that this was thought to be the cause of only some SIDS cases.

They recommended that all babies should have new mattresses. Who knows, it could be some mattress manufacturer who did the research, but just in case there is some fact to it I thought I'd post the info here for anyone who is interested.

[RhiChiChi]

I have heard this also. A bit scary if you are using it for a 2nd, 3rd child etc.... I wonder if it has to be really old or just used?
I wonder if putting the matress outside in the sun a few hrs a day would help?

[*mitch*]

You can also put the mattress in the freezer (if you have a big deep freeze), for 24 hours or so & then put it in the sun to dry out...

I did this with Alexas mattress as her cot & mattress were my godsons...


HTH

[Pandora]

I will be buying a new mattress per child.

I know of people who have had problems (not SIDS realted these were adults) with new mattresses not being cured properly and gases escaping causing headaches, breathing problems etc.

I have always wondered about that with kids mattresses.

[Gemma]

We will be buying a new matress for # 2 and we bought Amy's new. We would never use a 2nd hand one. We won't even use Amy's for #2 and it will be just over 2 years old.

[satya]

I have heard this also. A bit scary if you are using it for a 2nd, 3rd child etc.... I wonder if it has to be really old or just used?
I wonder if putting the matress outside in the sun a few hrs a day would help?

The article I read just said not to use mattresses which had not been used for about 6 months.

[chocolatecatty]

Such a bad thread to read just before bedtime!!! We're at M&FIL's and Caty's using a mattress that has to be about 10 years old or something.....not good! How do you tactfully ask them to get a new one (or buy one for them yourself) without the whole 'well no child has died in it yet' response you're bound to get?! Aah, two more nights hopefully wont get her!

What if there's heaps of layers between bubs and the mattress?

[RhiChiChi]

Geez, I wonder how many parents don't bother buying new matresses for # 2,3 etc.... It would be something I wouldn't have thought twice about, but now.............
Also, what if I already have the cot set up with the sheets/blankets on it (new matress). The matress won't be 'aired' IYKWIM

[visitor2]

I have used the same mattress for all 3 of mine. I never knew of this study.
If i wanted a new mattress for my cot i would have to buy a whole new cot as the one we have used for all 3 came over from the UK and is bigger than cots here. I can't even buy fitted sheets for it here.

[ShootingStar]

We were given Jesse's cot from my sister who has had 3 kids. The cot still looks brand new.. and Jesse is using the same matress they did. My sister told me at the time she gave it to us that sids recommended you dont use 2nd hand matresses, but my sister is also a very perdantic person and it was always covered with matress protectors even though it has a built in protecter and to me it still looks brand new. But it was my nephews and my niece and they are like my own kids to me. They also have no pets and dont smoke. It spent a couple of days in the sun before Jesse used it also. Therefore i am fine using the matress. If it was one that i bought on ebay and didnt know who used it before (ew!) then yes i would purchase a new one, but like Satya said its only said to have thought to have caused sids.. from what i heard sids was caused by something in the childs brain?