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When you started putting together your baby’s nursery, you had style and decoration in mind, but safety remains a top priority for your little one.
One question that might be on your mind is, “How firm should the crib mattress be?” You might be wondering if there are soft mattresses that are still safe. Even better, are there mattresses that strike the perfect balance between firmness and comfort, so it doesn’t feel like laying on a rock?
Ensuring your baby’s comfort is crucial for a good night’s sleep.
Perhaps you’re already concerned about the mattress you purchased. It’s firm, but maybe a tad too hard. Your baby seems uncomfortable, and it’s affecting both their sleep and yours.
According to the experts at Safe to Sleep of NIH, it’s safest for babies to sleep on their back or side. Additionally, the firmness level of the baby mattress plays a significant role in sleep safety.
Naturally, as parents, you might feel hesitant about buying a soft crib mattress. The good news, though, is that there are safe options available. Let’s go over that further.
Can Babies Sleep On A Soft Crib Mattress?
There is a lot of understandable concern when it comes to shopping for the mattress for the baby’s crib. As a result, many parents believe that the mattress for their infant’s crib should be rock hard. They have heard that the firmer the mattress is, the safer it would be for the baby. Even though it is true that according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, a very soft and floppy mattress is not safe for the baby.
Additionally, it is just as unsafe if it doesn’t fit well into the crib either, and the baby mattress must be flat. However, even though the mattress must be firm, that doesn’t mean it has to be rock hard either for it to be safe. That would make the baby quite uncomfortable which would mean the baby would not sleep. And that would be a nightmarish situation!
The good news is that a safe infant mattress does not have to have the same consistency as cement. Now, let’s break this down a little further about the best soft crib mattress to get for your baby that will maximize the safety as well as the comfort level.
The Best Soft Mattress For Babies Under A Year Old
After reading the previous statement, you are likely wondering: When can babies sleep on a soft mattress?
You will be happy to know that a soft baby mattress that meets the current safety standards can be used right after birth! That is right. Newborns can sleep on safe soft mattresses.
However, the type of softness is what matters. Yes, it is important once again that the crib isn’t soft as in floppy as the crib must be firm enough to fit well into the crib. Otherwise, a crib mattress that is too soft and doesn’t fit into the frame of the crib is a hazard.
Having said that, you can definitely use a mattress that meets current safety standards, which are listed on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with a soft cover. It is best if the cover is included in the package. This will not take away the firmness of the mattress but it will be soft enough for the baby to be comfortable.
You’ll also be happy to know there are new crib mattress materials. There are no longer just latex, spring or foam mattresses. Softer mattresses like Newton Baby are made with new technologies that make them extremely breathable, lowering the risk of suffocation. I’ll tell you more about this.
However, it is also important to remind parents that putting blankets, pillows, or toys of any kind are a suffocation risk. However, for toddlers, that rule changes as they can start sleeping with blankets and pillows, and toys. The best soft crib mattress for toddlers are made up of a different composition.
When can a baby safely use a softer mattress?
When it comes to getting the best soft toddler mattress, the ideal ones are the 2-stage or dual-firmness mattress. That means these mattresses can be a little softer for toddlers over 12 months of age than for infants. The dual-firmness mattress would have a tag sewn into it to let parents know which side is which. The firmer side of the crib mattress is for infants under 12 months of age, and the side with extra cushioning is the side designed for toddlers.However, before you automatically flip the mattress when it is your baby’s first birthday, it is best to consult with the pediatrician first. Some babies may be able to sleep on that side sooner, and some may have to wait until they are slightly older than 12 months.
Best Soft Baby Crib Mattresses Reviews
In this guide, we have been careful to take into account the risks, the safety standards, together with your desire to find a comfortable mattress for your baby.And which fruits of this research? We found four soft mattresses for a crib that fully meet strict safety standards. To select these four mattresses we included another quality feature: the ratings of the purchasing parents. That’s right, all of these baby beds are rated the highest by users on Amazon.
Top Pick of Soft and Safe Crib Mattress
Newton Baby Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed
This Newton Baby Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed is a great choice for parents that are expecting to have a baby. It is currently the best soft crib mattress for newborns and infants, and it is completely breathable thanks to the innovative Breathe-Thru Technology. That means the suffocation risk is significantly reduced because it helps keep the airflow strong and prevents any re-breathing of carbon dioxide.
This baby mattress is composed of Wovenaire® by Newton cushioning material. It replaces latex, springs, and memory foam. Its core is made of 90 percent air and the remaining 10 percent is made of a food-grade polymer which is extremely breathable so there is no concern of suffocation dangers.
It is also hypoallergenic and contains no springs, latex, foam, glue, allergens, and has the lowest volume of VOCs. It is also completely machine washable.This safe mattress also has temperature regulating feature which means there are no concerns for overheating and over sweating. It is designed for babies and toddlers as it is a 2-stage mattress. This baby soft mattress is also recyclable as it is great for the environment.
Yes, its price is higher than other crib mattresses. But you get an amazing mattress your baby will use for many years.
Top Pick
Newton Baby Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed
Parents’ recommendations for this mattress are rave:
- It’s worth every penny for peace.
- We’ve had this mattress for a year and we love it.
- We bought two, for our newborn and our toddler. Both adore it and sleep well.
- The transition from cradle to toddler bed was smooth.
Most Adorable and Budget-friendly
Bubble Bear Premium Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress
The Bubble Bear mattress features a charming pattern of colorful cartoon dinosaurs, making it sure to be a kid’s favorite! The interior of the mattress is purely foam, but the exterior of the mattress is reinforced with wire structures, making it sturdy and difficult to misshape. A mother buyer commented: “It is soft and firm at the same time. My baby sleeps in it so much better than a spring mattress”.
However, this foam bed also does not have the two-sided option and does not come with a waterproof cover. While these two features aren’t deal breakers for many parents, that may not be an issue at all. You may want to pick up a waterproof cover separately, though, unless you want those adorable cartoon dinosaurs covered in stains before you know it!
The Bubble Bear mattress is best for parents who would like plenty of firm structure in their baby’s mattress – and who also love the adorable design!
Most Adorable and Budget-friendly
Bubble Bear Premium Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress
Very happy parents praised about this crib on Amazon:
- Really soft and comfortable for my kid.
- It’s super cute and so soft.
- Very soft yet firm for toddlers.
Most Popular
Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress
The Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress is also considered to be the best soft crib mattress for toddlers and babies. It is water-resistant as well as it featuring a removable outer cover. It is hand-washable, and it is easy to unzip to remove the cover. Just be sure to use cold water and a mild soap without bleaching.
This mattress is made out of polyurethane foam that is breathable, comfortable, firm and will maximize airflow. Parents would be happy to know as well that it is GREENGUARD Gold certified which means that it is free of lead, mercury, as well as phthalates. It meets all of the safety standards which includes the flammability one.
In LullabyBot, we picked Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress as one of the best crib mattresses overall, in a previous article. For that reason we conducted a detailed review of this product.
This soft baby mattress is designed to fit any crib!
Most Popular
Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress
Parents love this crib:
- It’s soft but not too much.
- It’s very nice and comfortable.
- A very good investment because they can use it between 3 and 5 years.
Best Waterproof Mattress
Dourxi Dual Sided Comfort Memory Foam Mattress
If keeping your mattress clean is a top priority for you, the Dourxi Crib Mattress is going to be your top pick. This model comes with double the protection, with two layers of removable protection for your mattress, both of which can be washed and both of which are soft enough to be comfortable for your child but not so heavy or fluffy as to present any sleep safety concerns.
This foam mattress also offers the double-sided baby and toddler options, with a firm side for newborn and a slightly softer foam side for older children. However, since this mattress doesn’t have much sturdy interior structure besides a firmer foam, it doesn’t provide as much support or firmness as a spring or wire mattress would.
The Douxi Crib Mattress is best for families that prioritize keeping their baby’s mattress extra clean with double the waterproof protection.
Best Waterproof Mattress
Dourxi Dual Sided Comfort Memory Foam Mattress
Parents who have purchased this mattress had glowing reviews:
- The mattress is really super soft and comfortable.
- It is very thick and soft.
- When you see/feel it compared to the ones you find at your big box retailers the quality is undeniable!
Best Organic Option
Bundle of Dreams Classic Breathable Crib and Toddler Mattress
This mattress also innovates in materials: Bundle Fiber. These compressed fibers produce a highly breathable mattress. According to the manufacturer, it is 100% breathable. We have verified this information with buyers who positively tested this key quality for the safety of a baby mattress.
The Bundle of Dreams crib mattress is a two-stage mattress. The face for newborn and infant is firmer. The toddler side is quite soft and comfy. Both sides are increased in smoothness by a removable organic cotton cover.
Its size is standard: 53×18 inches, it is Greenguard gold certified, hypoallergenic, and received the National Parenting Product Award. It is an excellent purchase for its combination of softness, breathability and healthy materials.
Bundle of Dreams Breathable Mattress
There are many positive comments from buyers of this mattress:
- This is a better mattress than anything I’ve ever bought before.
- I did a lot of research and this mattress finally has everything I wanted.
- Great buy, it’s got all the features I was looking for.
The Verdict
After carefully reviewing the 4 most recommended soft mattresses for the crib on Amazon, the winner is the Newton Baby Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed dual-firmness mattress. It had almost 400 reviews and scored a 4.7 out of 5 which means an overwhelming amount of parents made glowing reviews on the mattress. It is also made with highly innovative Breathe-Thru Technology which features the very comfortable and safe Wovenaire® by Newton cushion which is free of allergens, toxins and is better than organic. Not to mention, it is designed to keep the baby’s temperature regulated and as a result, the infant or toddler will be comfortable while sleeping.
It is the perfect dual-firmness mattress for newborns and infants and toddlers. Additionally, the customer support at Newton has been said to be excellent. They will answer any question in detail that parents have about their mattresses.
Last but not least, another reason that this soft baby mattress wins is that it is highly-eco friendly and is recyclable. Newton has done their part to help keep the environment safe by creating this fantastic soft crib mattress.
Kelly is a mom of 3 and has a degree in Psychology. She has been a parenting content writer for years. When she’s not managing projects at Lullabybot, she loves to get outdoors with her kids and her dog Bandit, and baking desserts on weekends.
