Best Crib Mattress For Baby: The Safest, Comfiest Sleep Surfaces For Little Ones

“Serta’s Tranquility crib mattress is a modern update on a traditional coil design. It uses a classic mix of materials, but is up to current safety standards. This is my recommendation to parents on a tighter budget who may not be able to afford the pricier models I’ve recommended below.

The Serta is quite comfortable, with 150 independent springs that adapt to keep baby comfortable at night. It’s waterproof, just like the more expensive models I’ve recommended, and the air vents serve double duty to keep baby cool and prevent unpleasant odors from accumulating. Despite the fact that it does have some foam filling material, it still meets GreenGuard standards for low chemical emissions. I also love that the mattress has two different firmness levels, so you can just flip it as baby grows!

However, the Serta doesn’t have quite the same non-toxic credentials as the other models I’ve recommended. CertiPur-certified foams are certainly less fumey than others, but that standard is set by the industry, not by a third-party safety institute. If you want to avoid off-gassing entirely, go for either the Naturepedic or the Newton below.

This one’s also less durable, like all coil designs. It does develop soft spots over time, so there’s a good financial incentive to invest more in a resilient model up front!”

“This Naturepedic crib mattress is an excellent midrange choice that should appeal to any health-conscious parent who wants something truly non-toxic without springing for the premium (and premium-priced) Newton.

The Naturepedic ditches polyurethane foam entirely to stick with simple coils and cotton batting. Like the pricier Newton, it meets the strictest GreenGuard Gold certification standards, which require the absolute lowest emissions (less than trace amounts). There are no harmful chemicals in this one at all, not even flame retardants. It meets federal flammability requirements using a woven cotton shield.

It’s perfectly comfortable, too, as well as being non-toxic. The coils are nice and springy, and they’re reversible just like the Serta. It’s waterproof, seamless, and very convenient to keep clean.

Why spend more for the Newton? I think the Newton is noticeably more comfortable for baby, thanks to its innovative construction material that mimics foam without the toxic chemicals. The Newton should also last longer, since it cuts out the springs entirely. The Naturepedic lasts pretty well, but all coil mattresses eventually start sagging. However, this is a good choice for the average parent who can’t spend quite so much.”

“This Newton crib mattress is the most exciting product in this category these days, as far as I’m concerned. Pretty much all crib mattresses produced have been either innerspring designs, which wear out quickly, or synthetic foam-core designs, which pose health risks due to chemical off-gassing. The Newton uses an entirely new material to give your baby the comfort factor of foam with the non-toxic credentials of good old-fashioned coils.

Newton’s Wovenaire core material is primarily made of air, supported by a food-grade polymer. It acts like a type of foam, but there’s no chemical off-gassing whatsoever. Unlike latex, it’s not allergenic, either. It doesn’t even have any adhesives to worry about! They’ve basically eliminated all the chemical concerns in one fell swoop. That’s the kind of design innovation that gets me excited!

All in all, the Newton is comfortable, supportive, and as non-toxic as crib mattresses get. It’s perfectly easy to keep clean and breathes better than anything else I’ve reviewed. Sure, you’ll pay a premium to get one of these, but it’s a phenomenal investment in baby’s health and comfort!”