New Parent? Is a New Mattress the Answer to your Sleep Woes?

Being a new parent can be a really stressful and tiring time, babies need a lot of attention and it drains you of every last ounce of energy. If you’re looking for tips and advice to try and maintain your sanity then you likely would have heard people say “when the baby naps, you nap”. When you finally put your baby to sleep, forget all the dirty dishes, unwashed clothes and messy house, simply drop everything and go to bed!

Of course, the next scenario is that as soon as you put your head against the pillow and lie down on your mattress you struggle to fall asleep despite how exhausted you are; you twist and turn trying to get as comfortable as possible, realising that each precious minute is less time spent re-energizing.

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So what’s the solution?

People try all sorts of different methods to try and ease themselves to sleep including phone apps, CD mixes and over the counter remedies, but the answer to a good night’s sleep could simply be having the right mattress. As a new parent you don’t want to risk losing those precious minutes that you get to nap, so make sure that you are well equipped with a comfortable and supportive mattress so you get the best night’s sleep possible. In order to help you out, here are a few different types of mattresses to choose from and some useful tips on how to pick the right one…

Open Coil

A particularly popular option is the Open Coil mattress. All the springs are positioned in rows and joined to each other at the top and bottom, often with mesh. These are typically basic mattresses which give a medium to firm feel. If you’re a new parent with a bad back then bear in mind that a firm mattress isn’t usually recommended.

Pocket Spring

Pocket springs are small individual springs in a fabric pocket and their comfort is based on the mattress “spring count”. The way in which it is designed allows the springs to follow the contours of your body offering a comfier option than the Open Coil. A pocket spring mattress can help reduce pressure points, and they are also great if both new parents are different in size or weight, as there is very little transfer of movement from one partner to the other.

Latex

A top quality material made from the sap of a rubber tree, latex has a natural elasticity which means the mattress recovers its shape quickly when pressure is removed. It’s ideal for people who suffer from respiratory problems or allergies due to its anti-microbial properties, which is why it’s becoming a more popular option these days and offers a similar comfort experience to memory foam; soft and supportive; ideal for new parents.

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Memory Foam

If you’re looking for a high quality and comfortable option, memory foam could be ideal for you. It moulds to your body using your weight and temperature to offer you the perfect night’s sleep, and it always reverts back to its original shape when the weight and pressure is removed. There are various different quality and depth memory foam mattresses offering different feels and firmness ratings. If you need to correct your posture or suffer with spinal trouble, laying on your side on a memory foam mattress can help ensure a comfortable night’s sleep.

It’s stressful enough being a new parent so when you finally get to relax in bed, investing in the right mattress can make all the difference and ease you gently into the following day.

PurFlo Cot and Cotbed Mattress Review

As an ambassador for PurFlo, we were asked to try out the PurFlo breathable mattress on Holly's cotbed to see how it compared to her more traditional mattress.  The PurFlo mattress really is something different - it isn't a solid mattress but instead a breathable sleep surface stretched around a frame.

Our first challenge was to assemble the PurFlo mattress.  The frame of the mattress is made fro lightweight metal tubes which slot together using plastic corner pieces.  It was simple enough, and when constructed, seemed very stable.  Then we had to slip the frame into the PurFlo SleepSurface which was definitely a two-person job!  To make the surface taught you pull a series of belts tight - both myself and Mr. B found this a bit of a struggle and it was hard to tell when the surface was taught enough to provide support when the mattress was in use.  The belts tuck away nicely under a cushioned end-piece.

Once the mattress was assembled, we could really see the potential benefits.  Because the mattress is hollow it allows air to pass between the holes - this helps reduce the chance that your baby might overheat and reduces the pooling of CO2 around them as they breathe out during the night.  The hollow mattress also means that there is no foam centre which can house dust-mites and can therefore reduce the chances of asthma and is kinder to the skin - Holly and Lara have both suffered with irritated skin over the years so this is very appealing to us.

The PurFlo SleepSurface can be removed for washing and can go into your washing machine - this is great for accidents and I think it will work well as we approach potty training.  The PurFlo mattress also would work well when travelling because you can take off the cover, collapse the frame and place it into it's own travel carry bag.  This compact nature means it is an attractive option for if you are planning more children - most parents will consider saving their child's cot mattress even though the current recommendations are that, to reduce the risks of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) you should buy a new mattress for each child; with the PurFlo mattress I would be able to store the frame for future children and then by a new SleepSurface when needed rather than replacing the entire mattress.

Holly seemed very taken by the new mattress and we noticed no difference in her sleeping patterns.  I have had to tighten the SleepSurface once since we started using it but I think that may be from her standing and jumping up and down on her bed!

The PurFlo mattress does differ a bit from other cot and cotbed mattresses and there are a number of required warnings printed on the label which took me by surprise when I first saw the scale of them; however, most of the warnings are largely common sense.  The mattress is noticeably taller around the edges compared to Holly's old mattress and this can mean that your child might be more able to climb from their cot if they stand at the edge, but, to be honest, once your baby has made up their mind that they want to get out of their cot, they will find ingenious ways to do so such as standing on toys (or shouting for their big sisters!)

I think the PurFlo mattress will serve us well.  The cotbed mattress is recommended for a maximum child weight of 22kg which is well above what I expect Holly to be by the time she outgrows her cotbed.