Are Latex Crib Mattresses Safe for Babies?

Are Latex Crib Mattresses Safe for Babies?

When you consider that a baby spends 12 to 14 hours a day sleeping, you realize that their mattress is one of the most important things in their lives.

Because babies spend so much time on their mattress, every new parent should think hard about the brand you choose as well as if it contains latex. 

But why should you think about latex crib mattresses specifically?

Is latex safe?

In a landmark study of the effects of latex on 1,000 health care workers, nearly 22% confirmed they had symptoms related to wearing latex gloves. In a separate study, more than 10% of America’s health care workers claimed they are allergic to latex.

Most of the symptoms experienced by healthcare workers were skin related, but some had asthma and cold symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, nose, ears, and throat, runny noses, nasal congestion, or worse.

 

In a landmark study of the effects of latex on 1,000 health care workers, nearly 22% confirmed they had symptoms related to wearing latex gloves.

In a separate study, more than 10% of America’s health care workers claimed they are allergic to latex.

But what about latex crib mattresses?

Is there any reason to think the risk may be less for babies? Hardly; a body still in development is even more susceptible than one that’s fully grown. 

Natural latex/rubber has been associated with high allergies in children in particular, and natural latex contains certain proteins that are more allergenic than even synthetic latex.

With latex and your baby, it’s better safe than sorry. Unless you’re going to test a baby for a latex allergy, (which, even if you wanted to, is a little hard to do before the baby is put into their crib for the first time,) you don’t know whether your baby is going to react to it or not. Nor is there any way to know if a sensitivity will develop over time – also a common occurrence.


At Naturepedic, we make our crib mattresses without latex. And we also don’t use any materials like coir (crushed coconut husks) that traditionally require a significant amount of latex to mold and hold it in a form like a mattress. If you’re looking for something 100% latex-free, you’ve found it.

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