Safest "Breathable" Crib Mattresses & Marketing Tricks to Look Out For!

When you are shopping for a crib mattress as a new mom, the last thing you want to think about is the possibility of your child suffocating on it. But some brands are capitalizing on those fears to sell something that could potentially be more dangerous. Mamavation community members discovered what looked like mold inside one of their “breathable” crib mattresses and told us their stories about products that we investigated and are concerned about too. We are bringing these stories to you as a warning about the dangers of microbes around infants. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like best organic mattresses, best non-toxic shampoos, and best infant formula, now join us for a cautionary tale concerning crib mattress marketing and the dangers behind brands promoting “breathability” and stick around till the end for an investigation on over 40+ crib mattresses.

Disclosure: This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN. It contains affiliate links.

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New Dangerous Crib Mattress Trend–“Breathability”

We all want to keep our babies safe and have that peace of mind, but brands sometimes use those instinctual feelings we have to protect our young to sell us things that could potentially be more dangerous over time. This is very true in terms of the marketing of “breathability” in crib mattresses.

“Breathability” is a new trend in crib mattresses where they are designed to be air permeable. They have a “breathable” mattress cover that allows for airflow through the mattress so the baby can breathe easier if they roll onto their bellies in the prone position (tummy down).

Every brand selling a mattress with “breathability” makes claims this helps reduce suffocation & some even go as far as to say it reduces Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). However, there isn’t very much proof of any of this at all, and some studies point to quite the opposite. We also found that several of these brands are using this angle as a way to get away with adding more toxic chemicals to their crib mattresses (like PVC or vinyl) during a time when parents are looking for fewer chemicals. Then there are some brands that are not waterproofing the mattress at all. This allows microbes to grow and concentrate on the inside of the mattress, giving no guidance on how often to clean the insides of the mattress.

So is this “breathability” marketing angle too good to be true and are there any downsides? The answer we found is YES! And this post will go over the points as to why you should avoid this trend.

Mamavation Community Members Complain of Mold Inside “Breathable” Mattresses Without Waterproof Covers

Mamavation received some complaints about mold and smells developing inside some “breathable” mattresses, so we set out to search out the community to see if there were other examples of possible mold. And sure enough, we found them (including one community member who had pictures of the potential mold developing).

The story went like this. One mom started washing her mattress more often and lived in an area that was prone to mold. She didn’t notice the black spots inside the mattress until after several washes, then started noticing black and dark brown spots (pictured above) and smells. When she contacted the company and showed them the pictures, they told her the plastic rayon fabrics were being burned at the factory, which was why they had black spots, and there was no problem but they were happy to replace the mattress. They also wanted the mattress shipped back to the company. But the odd thing was she did not notice those spots during several washes before. This got our attention.

Other community members have complained of smells coming from inside similar mattresses, however, they did not take any pictures or notice what looked like developing black mold.

According to Dr. Tanya Altmann, a board-certified pediatrician, best-selling author, and founder of Calabasas Pediatrics: “I’d recommend replacing any mattress where you see or smell mold.”

These types of “breathable” mattresses that do not have waterproof covers seem to be a catch-22 for parents who are concerned with the issues of mold and may live in more mold-prone places. From our analysis and interviews with consumers who purchased this type of mattress, here are your two choices:

Clean your mattress often: mold is attracted to cellulosic fibers, which is exactly what the insides are made of. And when they are not dried to completion, which can take half the day, mold can start to accumulate. Not to mention the fact that you are instructed to clean it in the bathtub or shower where bacteria from those surfaces can be transferred onto the crib mattress.
Don’t clean your mattress often: mold can start to develop based on the vomit, drool, urine, feces, and sweat that is being deposited inside the mattress over time. In other words, if you don’t clean the inside, you’ll eventually grow a garden of microbes.

Either way, it seems like it’s a breeding ground for different types of issues, including mold, bacteria, and other microbes for your infant to breathe in while they are sleeping on this permeable mattress that is not waterproofed.

How “Breathability” Crib Mattresses Can Pose a Threat to Infants

The problems around “breathability” are (1) permeability and microbe growth, (2) potential higher temperature sleeping, (which is counter-intuitive but science-based), (3) the potential for improper washing and drying, and (4) additional harmful chemicals you don’t need like formaldehyde, PFAS, fire retardant chemicals, or vinyl.

Permeability

Permeability, or the ability for air to get inside the crib mattress, can be a problem for microbe development. According to a 2016 study in Toronto at the Hospital for Sick Children, they sampled 77 different crib mattresses and found that 57% of mattresses with permeability issues had bacterial growth on the mattress cover.

Think about all the times a baby spits up, defecates, urinates, drools, or sweats on that mattress. With no waterproofing, it will seep inside and potentially grow a garden of microbes. Some crib mattress companies boast on their website, “In a third-party CPSC accredited laboratory, tests showed that a baby gets 97% more air while breathing through [omitted because we don’t want to get sued] Mattress Pad than on a conventional waterproof crib mattress,” I’m not so sure that’s a good thing. What’s inside that air they are breathing?

The Temperature of the Infant

Although the temperature of the infant is linked to SIDS, the “breathability” mattresses do not lower the infant’s temperature as advertised. This seems counter-intuitive, but it’s backed by science. We found studies looking at the temperature of infants during their sleep and ironically found that babies that slept on “breathable” mattresses had higher temperatures when sleeping, not lower temperatures as you would think from the “breathable” mattress ads.

“The ‘evidence’ the manufacturers of these crib mattresses provide is not evidence of reduced risk of suffocation or SIDS,” said Dr. Fern Hauck who is part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on SIDS. “As long as the mattresses meet government safety standards, they can be used, but they should not be marketed as preventing SIDS or suffocation,” she added.

Improper Washing & Drying

Mattresses that expose the insides to microbes need cleaning in order to keep them from collecting bacteria, mold, and fungus. In order to keep this from happening, the insides will need to be fully cleaned and then dried before the baby is able to sleep on it again. The problem with this is very common user error. Companies do not give details on how often this should happen. Should it be monthly, daily, or weekly? No one really knows.

There is also another issue. Washing the mattress could expose the insides of the mattress to more microbes based on what is present in the bathtub or shower. Microbes live inside our bathrooms and when this happens, they can be transferred onto the mattress and start growing after it’s zipped up.

There’s also the problem of not allowing the mattress to dry long enough. The user error in the Mamavation community was great because the drying process was so cumbersome. It took 6+ hours for some mattresses to dry. In places that are wetter and mold is more common, like Seattle, more time was needed to ensure the mattress was dry. Expecting consumers to understand the proper way to dry the mattress is too cumbersome. And it’s also greatly disruptive to an infant’s napping schedule.

Additional Toxic Chemicals Added to Mattress

We also found that several brands are using this “breathability” marketing angle as a way to get away with adding more toxic chemicals to their mattresses. As consumers are getting wiser to the inherent problems of toxic fire retardants and PFAS chemicals, they are demanding less of these contaminants. But in terms of “breathability,” you will need waterproofing in order to keep microbes from forming so chemicals are added to accomplish this. We found more fire retardants and potential PFAS chemicals added to “breathability” mattresses than other types.

What Board-Certified Pediatricians Say About SIDS, & Prone Sleeping

It seems pretty obvious to us that “breathability” mattresses are simply not needed because babies should not be placed on their bellies during the times that SIDS is most common–the first three months of life. Babies start to gain the function of being able to roll over on their bellies at about 3-4 months and that is when rates of SIDS plummet. So as long as you are abiding by the advice set out by your doctor, who takes their queues from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), your baby should not need a “breathable” mattress.

According to Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, a board-certified pediatrician & mom of 3 young kids here are some guidelines,

” The American Academy of Pediatrics advises Back to Sleep for every sleep to decrease risk of SIDS and other sleep related infant deaths.

Infants should be placed for sleep in a supine position (wholly on the back) for every sleep by every caregiver until the child reaches 1 year of age.

Some other tips to help families create safer sleep environments for their children include placing infants on a firm sleep surface (eg, mattress in a safety-approved crib) covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft objects to reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.

Infants also should never be left to sleep on sofas, armchairs or in sitting devices.

You should keep soft objects and loose bedding away from the infant’s sleep area to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.

Soft objects such as pillows and pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and loose bedding can obstruct an infant’s nose and mouth.

Infant sleep clothing is preferable to blankets and other coverings to keep the infant warm and Bumper pads and similar products that attach to crib slates or sides are not recommended for infants.”

(Dr. Manasa Mantravadi also has the best stainless steel dishes for children available here.)

Mold & Other Microbes Can Be A Health Concern for Infants

Although mold in our every day is inescapable, too much of it is very bad for infants and in rare cases can lead to death.

Mold is quite common according to The American Academy of Pediatrics, “Molds readily enter indoor environments by circulating through doorways, windows, heating, ventilation systems, and air conditioning systems. Spores in the air also deposit on people and animals, making clothing, shoes, bags, and pets common carriers of mold into indoor environments. The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria.”

The problem lies in the fact that infants may be particularly susceptible to the effects of these inhaled mycotoxins because their lungs are growing very rapidly.

Several studies have been reported on by the American Academy of Pediatrics:

This study links airborne exposure to mycotoxins with health problems in humans. Specifically, an upper respiratory tract irritation and rash in a family living in a Chicago home was linked with a heavy growth of Stachybotrys atra (also known as Stachybotrys chatarum)
This study links potent toxins with acute pulmonary hemorrhage among infants in Cleveland, Ohio. Physicians and public health officials in Cleveland reported a cluster of eight cases of acute pulmonary hemorrhage and hemosiderosis that had occurred. One of these infants died from pulmonary hemorrhage.
Another study found infants with pulmonary hemorrhage were more likely to have resided in homes with major water damage from chronic plumbing leaks or flooding. The number of molds, including the toxigenic fungus Stachybotrys atra, was higher in the homes of infants with pulmonary hemorrhage than in those of controls.
A study in animals found intranasal administration of toxic spores of Stachybotrys atra to mice resulted in severe interstitial inflammation with hemorrhagic exudates in the alveoli.
In terms of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and microbes, one study from the Cleveland county coroner re-examining 172 infant deaths from 1993 to 1995 found the presence of hemosiderin-laden macrophages in alveoli indicating alveolar bleeding at least two days before their death in 5% of the infants.

Cellulose substrates, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly favorable for the growth of some molds according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Unfortunately, this is exactly what the insides of some of these crib mattresses are made of. They refer to it as “reconstituted wood pulp” but it’s actually a form of rayon made from wood pulp.

Some “Breathable” Crib Mattress Companies Brag About Replacing Plastic with…More Plastic

We reached out to a certain “breathable” Crib Mattress company with questions about flammability and how was it possible to remove the chemical flame retardants and also pass the flammability standards set out by the Feds without the use of polyester. Their answer was interesting.

“We use a layer of viscose material sewn into our cover. Viscose material is made from reconstituted wood pulp and is chemical-free. We quilt this material into our mattress covers for a safer, non-toxic solution.”

Just so you know, “natural viscose” is rayon. You know, plastic.

I’m not sure you can really say this process is “chemical-free” but okay. Basically, they are removing one plastic for another plastic that sounds good, but is actually less environmentally friendly.

However, some details have been left out about these “natural” fibers they are using, so we decided to fill in those gaps for you.

The Dark History of Rayon Isn’t Something a Crib Mattress Company Should Brag About

Rayon, even when made from plants, undergoes a very intense chemical and mechanical process to get it from solid tree bark to soft usable fiber. This process includes sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide viscous liquid that is later spun into thread using sulfuric acid. The process is so toxic, it’s not even allowed to be made in the United States because of how rayon workers and the environment is exposed to toxic chemicals.

According to Author Blanc of Fake Silk: The Lethal History of Viscose Rayon, “throughout most of the 20th century, viscose rayon manufacturing was inextricably linked to widespread, severe and often lethal illness among those employed in making it.” He goes on to testify that regular exposure to high levels of carbon disulfide has been shown to damage the nervous system and for the workers in viscose rayon factories poisoning caused insanity, nerve damage, and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Not exactly the vision I got when they called it “reconstituted wood pulp.”

Mamavation’s Recommended “Breathable” Crib Mattresses & Mattress Cover

Now that we’ve spent all this time warning you about the dangers of most “breathable” mattresses, is there any crib mattress we DO recommend? Yes, indeed there is! If you STILL feel like you need some “breathable” action, but don’t want to put the baby into any potential danger, select the following:

Naturepedic Breathable 2-Stage Mattress (Lightweight OR Innerspring)
Naturepedic Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Crib Mattress (Lightweight OR Innerspring)
Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Mattress Cover

The Naturepedic mattresses are made with FDA food-grade sugarcane plastic waterproofing below the certified organic cotton. With both of these standard size products, the baby will have plenty of oxygen required to breathe and no off-gassing of problematic chemicals or microbes. Below we will describe the features in detail so you can see why this would be superior to other brands we’ve ranked.

Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Lightweight 2-Stage Crib Mattress

This is the ultimate breathable mattress that is safe for infants, where the baby can breathe and they are not accumulating toxic chemicals or microbes.

Has GOTS 3rd party certification. (They also have GREENGUARD Gold Certification, but this certification isn’t as meaningful in terms of mattresses so don’t be fooled by other brands relying on this certification alone. )
Made from GOTS organic cotton & GOTS organic wool.
Contains no chemical fire retardants or other types of harsh chemicals.
Contains no polyurethane foam, (which is incredibly flammable, so no wonder brands put a ton of fire retardants inside these types of mattresses inside the fire barrier) but is still soft bedding.
Has a waterproof barrier made from a tiny food-grade plant-based polyethylene sheath made of sugarcane, which is the safest plastic.
No adhesives are used. Everything is sewn together by a factory full of Amish workers that are picked up early in the morning and dropped off before dinner every weekday.
Very easy to clean. You simply wipe it with a damp cloth. That’s it.
Pricing: Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Organic Crib Mattress is $459. (Or you can purchase the Naturepedic Breathable Organic Crib Mattress for $359)

Mamavation reached out to Naturepedic for you and got a discount for you to use. Take 15% off your Naturepedic total purchase with code MAMAVATION15. While supplies last. Cannot be used with other promo codes. Cannot be applied to past purchases. Valid one time per customer. Other restrictions may apply.

Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Crib Mattress Cover

This Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Crib Mattress Cover offers a layer that combines breathability and waterproofing for a safer, healthier, and more hygienic design.

GOTS Organic certified crib mattress cover
The cover features a soft organic cotton surface and a 3-dimensional polyester lattice structure that creates a breathable space under the baby for increased airflow and air permeability.
This results in improved temperature regulation for less sweaty backs and a reduced risk of overheating.
It also allows the baby to breathe directly through the breathable cover if necessary.
The cover also features a waterproof backing that protects the mattress from urine, spit-up, and other messes, making crib changes easy. Waterproof backing is made from a plant-based food-grade polyethylene sheath, which is the safest way to waterproof a crib mattress.
Machine-washable.
Pricing: For a regular crib is $99 or a mini crib is $69

Get all the safety and comfort benefits of a breathable mattress with the convenience and practicality of a removable and washable layer.

Mamavation’s Investigation of Baby Crib Mattresses

Mamavation analyzed close to 40+ crib mattresses for materials used, transparency, fire retardants, “waterproof” chemicals that may be made of PFAS, use of petroleum, legit certifications, and marketing materials. These breathable baby mattresses are very common today. Most are for standard-size cribs. Below you’ll find our rankings based on the best information that was available online which is what every consumer looking for a mattress is relying on.

We also pulled all the prices down from websites so you can price compare them. We did not test any of these mattresses for fire retardants, but some brands we can assume use them inside fire barriers based on the flammable materials they are using inside the mattresses. In other words, some materials when used make the mattress very flammable and you would need to use some type of fire retardant in order to keep it from becoming a fire hazard.

Not Our Favorite Baby Crib Mattresses

These baby crib mattresses have one or many of the following issues: polyurethane foam is present which means it’s made of mostly petroleum, has Certipure certification which means they are using polyurethane foam, uses fire barriers that contain fire retardants, doesn’t have any waterproofing inside the mattress which means it could potentially be collecting mold, doesn’t have any 3rd party certifications at all, or uses nanotechnology. Some of these brands were tested by Clean & Healthy New York & The Ecology Center and were found to have toxic chemicals inside.

BABELIO Premium Memory Foam Crib Mattresses (Price: $99)
Bubble Bear Premium Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress (Price: $62.99)
Colgate Eco Classica III 2-Stage Baby & Toddler Mattress with Organic Waterproof Cotton Cover (Price: $219.99)
Colgate Natural Crib Mattress (Price: $374.99)
Dourxi Crib & Toddler Mattress (Price: $159.99)
Dream on Me Breathable Two-Sided Crib Mattress (Price: $29.99)
Foundations Infapure Crib Mattress (Price: $69 to $159)
Graco Premium Foam Crib Mattress (Price: $79)
Ikea Pelleplut Crib Mattress (Price: $45)
L.A. Baby 2 in 1 Memory Soy Foam Core Extra Firm with Jacquard Cover (Price: $120)
Milliard Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed Mattress with Waterproof Cover (Price: $66.99)
Modera Organic Cotton Dual-Sided Crib Mattress (Price: $119)
Moonlight Little Dreamer Crib Mattress (Price: $199)
Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Crib Mattress (Price: $199)
My First Mattress Breathable Memory Foam Crib Mattress (Price: $89.99)
Newton Baby Crib Mattress (Price: $250 to $350)
Nook Breeze Breathable Crib Mattress Sleep Systems (Price: $419)
Nook Organic Mini Crib Mattress (Price: $219)
Royal-Pedic Crib Mattress (Price: $760)
Safe Sleep Breathable Crib Mattress (Price: $299)
Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib & Toddler Bed Mattress (Price: $61.49)
Sealy Baby Firm Rest Antibacterial Waterproof Standard Toddler & Baby Crib Mattress (Price: $85.44)
Sealy Nature Couture Cotton Bliss 2 Stage Crib Mattress (Price: $129.98)
Serta Nightstar Eco Balance Ultra Innerspring Crib and Toddler Mattress (Price: $119.99)
Simmons Beautyrest Crib Mattress (Price: $149.19)
Wonder Dream Baby Crib Mattress (Price: $189.99)

Better Baby Crib Mattresses

These baby crib mattresses contain one or more of the following issues: Claims to be made with organic materials but doesn’t have GOTS certification for the entire mattress to prove it’s only organic, uses allergenic materials that should be avoided around infants, uses fibers and/or materials that are known to collect mold, or may use some chemicals to waterproof that are unknown and could potentially be PFAS. Some of these brands rely on GreenGuard Gold certification as their main certification, but sadly this certification is not as stringent as one might think in terms of crib mattresses.

Avocado Green Crib Mattress (Price: $1,249)(This brand also produces mattresses made from polyurethane foam in the same manufacturing plant.)
Brentwood Home Eco Air Waterproof Baby Crib Mattress (Price: $299) (This brand also produces mattresses made from polyurethane foam.)
Earthsake (Coyuchi) Crib Mattress (Price: $499- $675)
Essentia – Natural Memory Foam Crib Mattress (Price: $649)
Lullaby Earth Baby Breath Safe Breathable Crib Mattress (Price: $259-$318) (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 15% off at checkout)
Lullaby Earth Baby Breath Safe Breathable Mini Crib Mattress (Price: $199) (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 15% off at checkout.)
Lullaby Earth Baby Gentle Support Waterproof Crib Mattress (Price: $199) (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 15% off at checkout.)
My Green Mattress Emily Crib Mattress (Price: $259) (GOTS certification under Quality Sleep Shoppe, a company that produces mattresses with polyurethane foam.) (Take 10% off products by using “mamavation” at checkout)
Naturalmat Baby Crib Mattress (Price: $424)
Organic Dream Crib Mattress (Price: $279 to $350)
Saatva Crib Mattress (Price: $445-$524)
Savvy Rest Organic Crib Mattresses (Price: $399)

Best Baby Crib Mattresses

These baby crib mattresses are few but have legitimate GOTS organic certification for the entire mattress, meaning there are no chemical surprises. These mattresses use appropriate waterproofing with food-grade plant-based polyethylene sheath which is the safest way to waterproof a mattress for infants, therefore no mold will be developing within the crib mattress. Contains no chemical fire retardants or other types of harsh chemicals and no polyurethane foam. Has GOTS organic certification for the entire mattress, and not just one part of it. Does not rely on GreenGuard as their only certification and does not use any sort of allergenic materials, like latex, inside the mattress.

Naturepedic Breathable Organic Crib Mattress (Price: $349-379) Take 15% off your Naturepedic total purchase with code MAMAVATION15. While supplies last. Cannot be used with other promo codes. Cannot be applied to past purchases. Valid one time per customer. Other restrictions may apply.
Naturepedic Ultra Breathable Organic Crib Mattress (Price: $399-450) Take 15% off your Naturepedic total purchase with code MAMAVATION15. While supplies last. Cannot be used with other promo codes. Cannot be applied to past purchases. Valid one time per customer. Other restrictions may apply.
OMI OrganicPedic Organic Mattress (Price: $599)

Safest Non-Toxic “Breathable” Crib Mattresses & Marketing Tricks to Look Out For!