Mattresses, including crib mattresses and kid’s mattresses, are full of industrial chemicals, most of which are toxic and can cause a range of health problems.

Of course no one wanted to actually create toxic mattresses – but they apparently did not think about the effects of chemicals on one’s health when they designed and developed what we know as “traditional” mattresses. For example, most crib mattresses are
covered with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them waterproof. In order to make PVC pliable, industry has to add phthalates, which can leach into the air and contribute to the development of asthma, allergies, and, according to some scientists, even cancer.

Then there are the fire retardants in mattresses, which usually include boric acid (also used to kill roaches) and formaldehyde (a probable carcinogen). These chemicals are widely used because they are very effective, especially in mattresses using highly combustible polyurethane foam.

Just the smell of traditional mattresses put me off when I searched for a crib mattress for my baby – and ended up with Naturepedic, which contains NO nasties.

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