Choosing a new mattress for a child is harder than most mothers think it’ll be. They start with their cot but pretty soon they’re grown up enough to need a proper bed and a dependable mattress in a children’s size.
Sleep is vital to children because they need between 10 and 14 hours every night. It helps them grow, develop normally, and wake up with energy for the day ahead. You’ll also notice pretty soon that they get irritable if their bed isn’t comfy and they’re becoming sleep deprived. They may complain about their enforced bedtime, but we all know keeping kids on a reliable schedule works best and helps to ensure they get the chance to sleep longer.
When looking at different types of mattress, memory foam options look comfortable enough. But are they suitable for kids? In this article, we aim to confirm this for unsure mums looking to shop for a new mattress and needing to be steered in the right direction.
Mattress 101: What Should a Mattress Offer a Child?
When moving a child from a cot over to a mattress between 18-36 months, it needs to be right for them. The sleeping posture must be fully supported. This allows them to grow and develop while they sleep without any problems. A mattress must be suitable for their growing frame and not one that will only be good for a year or two and then be inadequate. As a parent, you don’t want to have to keep replacing their mattress that frequently.
To allow them to sleep for over 10 hours and preferably longer still, it must offer a hygienic sleeping surface that won’t cause irritation.
How Should a Mum Approach Mattress Shopping?
Providing spinal column support for their smaller frames is a critical factor in the selection of a mattress type for children. Certainly, memory foam mattresses have unique features that aren’t always present with other types. Particularly, it adjusts its shape to that of the child using it. This provides a consistent surface that’s highly supported. You can tell them that NASA developed memory foam, which will get them keen on the idea of a new bed.
Nonetheless, not all memory foam is appropriate. It needs to be specially formulated with properties that are right for kids. Otherwise, it can be less than ideal. For this reason, it’s a good idea to stick with recognised brands in the mattress market and mattresses made for kids. By doing so, it ensures that the assurances about quality and features are trustworthy.
What Features Are Suitable?
Firstly, look for mattresses from recognisable brands. These brands should have been around in the market for several years and probably have independent tests on their memory foam. Secondly, the mattress must meet UK standards for safety. This relates to fire safety, especially. Thirdly, the memory foam must be breathable and preferably hypoallergenic, to avoid an allergy flare-up. These are also useful for children with asthma.
It’s also worth noting that young babies being moved from a cot to a memory foam mattress or pad must use special nursery foam. This relates to safety when they roll over on their stomach during the night.
Why Is Memory Foam Better for Kids?
Children experience spinal cord growth overnight. For this to happen, it’s useful if they remain more or less in the same sleeping position through most of their sleeping time. When a bed is uncomfortable, this is less likely to happen.
Memory foam adapts to the curves of the body, and it does so surprisingly quickly. This type of foam actively relieves points of pressure, so your child isn’t likely to get hot areas on their body or develop rashes as a result of them either. They’re free to fall asleep and remain comfortable.
For children who get too cold, these memory foam mattresses benefit from the foam’s design where body heat activates the adaptive nature of the foam. Therefore, as they get a little warmer, it moulds to their unique body shape and keeps them tucked up nicely. Mattress Next Day has an excellent range of mattresses suitable for children that are delivered quickly to your home.
Are There Other Alternatives?
Memory foam is one type of mattress that you can choose for your child. There are others, such as pocket spring, standard spring, reflex foam, or latex foam, but they’re not always the best for younger kids.
Memory foam tends to reduce a child’s tossing and turning in bed leading to better sleep. The spring-based mattresses aren’t always as comfortable for them. This leads many parents to consider memory foam as the best material for a kid’s mattress.
A good mattress should last 3-5 years in most cases before it won’t offer the necessary support for your child. Make sure you don’t keep any mattress too long.
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