Stroller mattresses: selection secrets and care recommendations

The choice of a mattress for a child must be approached responsibly, since his health depends on it.

Features:

It is important to consider that the mattress in the stroller or baby bed will be actively used for the first time. Therefore, it should be as comfortable and safe as possible: without metal fasteners, buttons, ties, zippers, and thick seams. Various modern hypoallergenic coatings and removable covers made of natural fabrics ensure hygiene, protecting the delicate skin of the child. Such accessories for babies will create the desired temperature regime, favorable conditions for supporting the back and forming the spine, and help to avoid its curvature.

A soft mattress and a soft pillow are excluded for newborns, as this will subsequently lead to problems with posture and health.

Overall dimensions

If we want to ensure a restful sleep for the baby, the mattress must be selected in size depending on the model of the stroller (its length and width), otherwise it will periodically move out, thereby disturbing the child. Inaccuracy in choosing the size of the product can result in injury for the newborn when a leg or handle gets stuck between the wall of the stroller and the mattress.

The large size will not fit in the cradle and then it will have to be tucked in, which will reduce freedom of movement, and because of this, irregularities may appear under the backrest.

Models

In the first months of a baby's life, parents should take a responsible approach to the choice of mattresses in a stroller, since in infancy the muscle corset is weak, and the spine is fragile, but it is during this period that the foundation of a healthy organism and its musculoskeletal system is laid.

We often choose mattresses with orthopedic properties with spring blocks and small spring diameters. Such a system has both a therapeutic role and a prophylactic one (in the spine). The independent unit ensures normal blood circulation and uniform body support.

The mattress with independent springs is elastic due to the fact that they are not connected to each other, and during sleep they will repeat the contour of the child's body.

For young children, it is preferable to purchase a springless version of the bed, with a constant and even load on the baby's spine. Such mattresses are based on breathable, safe, environmentally friendly and synthetic modern fillers with an appropriate ratio of materials and cost.

The stroller, equipped with a mattress with ears, maintains cleanliness, and the existing recess will not hamper movement, which will provide a comfortable position for the newborn in sleep.

It would be nice to buy a replaceable cover or a mattress topper made of natural fabrics: cotton, terry, linen, chintz. With it, you will have to wash the main mattress less often.

In cold weather, such materials keep warm, and in hot weather, the baby does not sweat. Flax has antiseptic properties, cotton fabrics can withstand high temperatures.

In the color scheme, calm tones with fewer dyes are preferable. Sometimes an anatomical pillow is sold with the cover, which is recommended to be placed under the mattress.

Good quality certified berths will be expensive.

Convenient universal mattresses used in strollers, highchairs and car seats. Their shape presupposes slots for belts, water-repellent materials are used for manufacturing, it is possible to use it on both sides (winter - summer), dependence on the weather is excluded, and other useful functions are present.

Materials

For a small child, it is better to put a hard mattress with natural filling in the stroller:

One of the hypoallergenic options is coconut fiber mattresses. They do not absorb moisture, have good orthopedic properties, regulate temperature conditions, and have high rigidity.

Linen filler - natural antiseptic, suitable for newborns in density, creates the appropriate microflora. The disadvantages include its ability to absorb moisture and high cost.

Seaweed - eco-friendly material with an aromatic effect, contains trace elements, does not accumulate moisture. The disadvantage is a short service life, since a soft material is used.

In the cold season, an accessory made made of wool (sheepskin). Often such filler is used in double models, where one side has fur and the other linen, thereby providing air circulation and keeping warm.

Modern latex seals excellent in terms of their qualities of hypoallergenicity, elasticity, wear resistance. They get along well in reversible models (winter and summer) with coconut and flax fibers. Latex can be found artificial and natural (from the milky juice of hevea). After thermal and chemical treatment, natural material has good elasticity, porous structure, does not lose antiseptic properties and has a fairly high price.

Artificial, but still popular materials include:

Polyurethane foam (latex substitute). It has positive orthopedic characteristics, but cheap options can cause allergic reactions in the child.
Cotton (wadded) base competes with other options only in price, but in operation it quickly acquires a lumpy structure, gets lost, absorbs moisture (especially in wet weather), and it is difficult to deal with this. A large mass of cotton is a good environment for the accumulation of skin microparticles and the growth of bacteria. The heat capacity of the mattress often contributes to overheating of the body and rashes on the child's body, and the thickness makes the cotton mattresses soft.
Similar accessories for the stroller can also be found made of foam rubber. The low price of such products does not provide the parameters of hypoallergenicity, stiffness, and wear resistance.

Manufacturers overview

Nowadays, it is not difficult to make the right choice when buying baby products. Renowned manufacturers guarantee quality:

Russian-Italian enterprise Lineaflex (Tore branch - Italy) produces orthopedic mattresses, hard and medium hard, breathable, with natural and synthetic high-quality fillers, durable, with covers made of natural materials. In the expensive version, you can buy mattresses with Bonnel springs.
The Russian company "Afalina" successfully produces orthopedic and anatomical mattresses. In their production, all-stitching technologies are used, environmentally friendly materials that quickly restore their shape, taking into account the characteristics of the body of newborns. Accessories are completed with covers made of quilted jacquard or natural fabrics and at the same time have an affordable price.

Vegas brand (Belarus) offers high quality mattresses made with the latest technology. For babies, a smooth and hard sleeping surface is offered, based on coconut copra (the outer fibers of a coconut), impregnated with latex, thereby achieving firmness and flexibility. A pleasant addition is a cover made of Frotte terry cloth - environmentally friendly, pleasant to the touch, providing moisture and air regulation, creating an ideal microclimate. Teddy and Coco are popular mattresses for babies.

Universal mattresses are produced by Ceba (Poland). Comfortable reversible models (polyester on one side and cotton on the other) are also suitable for strollers. The high quality of certified materials creates a safe and comfortable environment around the newborn.

How to choose?

When purchasing a children's mattress for a stroller, it is advisable to pay attention to several components. For example, an accessory must be selected by the size of the cradle to avoid deformation, empty spaces on the sides or unnecessary creases. It is necessary to pay attention to the degree of rigidity, which is very important for the developing organism of a newborn. It is preferable to buy a double-sided base with the subsequent possibility of choosing the desired side.

A good range is presented in the category of orthopedic models. However, not a single mattress - in addition to a children's product, it is important and necessary to purchase the correct removable cover, mattress topper, set of underwear made of breathable natural materials. Only all together will give the desired result.

How to care?

It is not difficult to preserve the mattress and ensure hygiene, but even when choosing it, it is better to pay attention to the care features. Frequent use of the accessory can lead to the formation of irregularities, which can negatively affect the baby's body. To avoid this, it is advisable to regularly turn the mattress from one side to the other, straighten it and ventilate it, prevent dust and dirt from accumulating in the stroller, and improve air exchange.

Mattress covers and covers are recommended to be dry-cleaned or washed at home once or twice a week, because after the child is awake or sleeping, stains and dirt remain in the stroller. Washing rules depend on what materials the product is made of, and are usually indicated on the packaging.

Useful Tips

A safe environment around the baby is the main criterion when choosing a bed. Children are susceptible to allergic pathogens and body posture. Therefore, when choosing a berth, you should avoid synthetic materials, giving preference to environmentally friendly, natural ones. It is better to use firm, double-sided mattresses in the stroller. A cover or a mattress cover is also encouraged, which can be used for both the stroller and the crib.