Cotbed mattresses

tim_n

Wife found this in a charity shop for £30:

http://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-rialto-cottoddler-bed-ivory-white-with-natural-oak-effect-trim/cbri32500/type-i/

and now I need to find a mattress for it! Baby isn't due for a long long time yet (26th July) so seems pointless to buy one quite yet - maybe June?

So: When would the earliest date would you consider getting a mattress?

How much/what type is recommended? I've seen lots of foam with covers for cheap, but as this is a cot bed, should I get a proper sprung one to last for 4yrs? Alternatively should I get a cheap waterproof one and buy another in a years time?

Grandparents want to buy, so it's not my money (and they're not the sort that have problems heating their home but buy new cars on their pensions on a yearly basis) but I'd rather get value for money. I looked at mothercares website but they seem extremely expensive compared to argos or other kids shops (even mama and papas shop seemed cheaper...)

lisa26_2

I've just had this deilema (baby due end of April). I personally went for a sprung one as I want it to be supportive enough for the baby to use for as long as the cotbed is big enough so atleast to the age of 4, possibly even longer if we're lucky.

in the end I got this one:

http://www.boots.com/en/Rochingham-Stars-Moon-Kumfy-Spring-Mattress-140x70x10cm_53187/

It's almost identical the a silentnight one I was looking at but half the price. And Rochingham and Silentnight and basically one and the same.....or atleast work together anyway!

luby-lu

I bought this cotbed for my daughter from Mamas and Papas, and it came with a free mattress, basic sprung, £90! they told me they always recommend using a sprung mattress. I don't know whether £90 is more than you wanted to spend but i think when the cotbed is only £30, you have ended up with the whole bed for £120, you probably couldn't buy such a lovely new cotbed for that!

In regards timings, my daughter was only 6lb12oz but was out of her moses basket in 7 weeks, and apparently this is normal.

Hope that helps a bit, i know the mattress was the thing i dreaded buying the most!

Gillyx

Agree with the above poster, with a cotbed I'd go with a sprung mattress, you will get a lot more use from it. You can buy waterproof sheets for most mattresses

I probably wouldn't buy my mattress from Argos for myself, so I wouldn't for a baby either.

tim_n

Gillyx wrote: »

I probably wouldn't buy my mattress from Argos for myself, so I wouldn't for a baby either.

I've had a bed from Argos before and didn't have any problems with it - a £99 including mattress "some assembly required" (means go buy an electric screw driver with the money you saved - took about 2-3hrs!).

We were thinking of buying from Ikea as they were cheap but I've noted they're not the right size - about 20cm short.

The boots one looks good - but there's similar (and slightly cheaper) mattresses in argos - I did also find a mattress only site specifically for babies which looked good as well.

My experience of waterproof sheets is not particularly good - I've never had/used one but I've had to help put them on bunk beds for kids at scouts and they're usually thick rubber affairs, but that was a while ago - are there more forgiving ones?

Gillyx

tim_n wrote: »

I've had a bed from Argos before and didn't have any problems with it - a £99 including mattress "some assembly required" (means go buy an electric screw driver with the money you saved - took about 2-3hrs!).

We were thinking of buying from Ikea as they were cheap but I've noted they're not the right size - about 20cm short.

The boots one looks good - but there's similar (and slightly cheaper) mattresses in argos - I did also find a mattress only site specifically for babies which looked good as well.

My experience of waterproof sheets is not particularly good - I've never had/used one but I've had to help put them on bunk beds for kids at scouts and they're usually thick rubber affairs, but that was a while ago - are there more forgiving ones?

I personally wouldn't want to sleep on a cheap mattress, I value my back and at almost 38 weeks pregnant have had no problems at all with back pain, and I think my memory foam mattress is probably helping that.

I'd say getting your cot so cheap, I'd try and buy the best mattress you can afford.

The one that Lisa pointed out looks like a really good buy, if in doubt Kiddicare.com. A lot of parents on here buy there mattresses from there and say they're the best value about

tim_n

Gillyx wrote: »

I personally wouldn't want to sleep on a cheap mattress, I value my back and at almost 38 weeks pregnant have had no problems at all with back pain, and I think my memory foam mattress is probably helping that.

I'd say getting your cot so cheap, I'd try and buy the best mattress you can afford.

The one that Lisa pointed out looks like a really good buy, if in doubt Kiddicare.com. A lot of parents on here buy there mattresses from there and say they're the best value about

Kiddicare.com was the site I'd found through google adwords - I'm not paying, grand parents are but I'd rather get something that'll be worth it in the long run without going over the top - after all it's a baby not a pregnant wife and I doubt the springs will do an awful lot for a baby straight away. I was more looking to see if someone said 'no don't buy a full sprung mattress the baby will destroy it and it'll only need replacing in 12mths time!' Sounds like sprung is good to go.

We've also got a crib we can use for the first few months if need be anyway.

Gillyx

That's what we've done, gone with a crib and foam mattress. I'd say though £52 for a mattress that will more than likely see your child from about 6 months old to maybe 4/5 years of age, is a bargain and not at all over the top, and even buying a cheap-ish one to start with, and then another later on, the grandparents would be more out of pocket. It is of course all down to personal opinion and preference

jackomdj

We got foam mattresses for the cot bed, they are not terribly heavy even at 4 so the foam mattress was fine. Also we kept the old mattress when we got the new one and used it as a put me up bed for our eldest when we had visitors using her new bed.

ETanny

Definatley get the best matress you can afford - espeically as it will be used for a few years yet.
Also invest in a waterproof matress protector incase of leaky nappys/blowouts and of course toilet training.

Waffle_On

We got our sprung cotbed mattress from Mothercare. I think we paid about £80 for it, and it had a built-in waterproof layer, with a zip off soft cover on top. I've had a little go on it and it seems very comfy. We're 2 year in now and it's still going strong - it will certainly last us til we get a new bed.