Possible bed bugs in NEW mattress- please help im in bits

missyp123

I had a new mattress delivered from a very well known company on monday.
This was a 400 mattress reduced to half price so i wouldnt class it as cheap budget. It has a memory foam layer then is springs underneath, the bottom is not like my older mattress where you could turn it and use it both sides-it has a felt type layer.

Anyway my little girl fell asleep in our bed on mon night, but she was put in her own bed for the duration. Tue morning (it was a warm night) she had 2 'heat lumps' (or so i thought) on her legs.

after taking her to school i myself niticed my legs had several bites and were very itchy and irritated.

...Now i do have 2 cats and after 11 years they have had fleas twice previously. I freaked and just thought it was that, they had not had their frontline treatment in about 7 weeks so i rushed and got them the treatment and checked them over. I did not find a thing but the last few days have been crazily vacuuming and coming them etc etc.

I have continued to get bites, however it wasn't until last night i got bit in bed. I immediatley sat up and just where my leg was there was a tiny tiny almost clear like insect...never seen it before but was quick to trap it a squash it with my nail. I checked the bed and managed to find one more on the duvet cover.

We checked sheets and mattress, then changed sheets, i couldnt sleep all night, been freaking like mad.

Anyway after proper inspection this morning i found another insect which was the same size but had obvioulsey fed on one of us as it had blood in it...this time it was dead. still tiny though..not what i expected when u see these great big ones on life of grime or something.

We have never never had this problem before and im tempted to take a kife to the whole thing to see if they are infesting the mattress.

What do i do when having to call the company?
Im three months pregnant and we have a 5 year old i just could'nt put us through bugs getting everywhere.

Please help

PollyOnAMission

If these are bedbugs you need to tackle this ASAP before they spread to other rooms.

Firstly, can you get a photo of the bugs? I would inspect all round the mattress meticulously, lifting the seams etc. Look out for dark spots that resemble small patches of mould on your bedding and mattress, and also shed body cases.

I don't want to scare you but bedbugs can breed and spread at an alarming rate. I've be tempted to get a pest controller out to treat your room ASAP. When taking clothes/bedding etc from your room, put the items in binbags and tie in a tight knot. Put the things straight in the washing machine at 60 degrees or higher, or better still take to a launderette. Be extremely careful if you or any members of your family visit other people's houses.

I really hope you have some success with the furniture company. I would demand not only that they take they mattress away and give a full refund, but also that they pay for a course of pest treatment from Rentokill or similar. Some kind of treatment is very important; even with the mattress gone it only takes a pregnant female or male/female pair left behind to start a new infestation.

I really feel for you x

PollyOnAMission

This picture shows bedbugs through their different life stages. As you can see, they do start small and clear before growing larger, rounder and flat. Do these resemble the bugs you found?

http://www.google.com/m/imgres?client=ms-opera-mobile&q=bed+bug+life+cycle&channel=new&start=0&site=images&imgid=ANd9GcRXa_01ony-VtE9M4lwmfbgqqC9A6pM1nKZ5JvaW7Q5ONB0mGnIR4Yqsssmzg&imgsz=786414&imgurl=http://bed!!!!!!.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/common_bed_bug_lifecycle.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bed!!!!!!.com/photos-of-bed-bugs-and-signs-of-bed-bugs/&ht=1200&wd=1170&tbnh=150&tbnw=146&ei=7KHdT8CdC4XH0QWMhAE&ved=0CAoQ9QEwAA

Try to catch one and keep it in a VERY secure small clear pot. This will help if you have a pest controller out as they will be able to do a firm identification. Good luck x

Hintza

How would a mattress have bed bugs before it has ever been used on/as a bed? I very much doubt you will get very far with the company unless it is not new or it is something else that could have been transported with the mattress (which I doubt).

Owain_Moneysaver

I'm not a bedbugologist but I would suggest it's quite possible that the bedbugs could have transferred in the delivery van particularly if the delivery people also collect old mattresses when delivering new.

somethingcorporate

Alternatively, they could have been "caught" from any friend that already had bedbugs.

Again, I feel it necessary to point out I am also no bedbugologist.

vax2002

Buy a steamer or borrow a wall paper stripper and steam the mattress

MothballsWallet

Sometimes, especially when in hotels abroad, I get what resemble insect bites after sleeping in the bed - however, my wife tells me that I may not have been bitten by bed bugs, but it may be a localised reaction to the laundry detergents used on the bed linen.

budget_babe

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

I'm not a bedbugologist but I would suggest it's quite possible that the bedbugs could have transferred in the delivery van particularly if the delivery people also collect old mattresses when delivering new.

Hi and so sorry to hear about your awful dilema.

The quote above seems to be the most probable, and I really do feel for you especially as you are pregnant too.

2 Years ago I went on holiday to Scotland, (1st and only time). I woke up on my the first morning of my holiday with lumps on my shoulder, to cut a long story short the bites got more each day, until 4 days into the holiday and I woke up looking like I had been 12 round with Ricky Hatton, my eye was closed and a fluid like sack all on my face. I had to go to the doctors who advised I had been bitten by bed bugs and had a severe allergic reaction. (My Husband was in the same bed but he was ok).

I like you became neurotic I googled them and on my return from my holiday threw everything away, I was just so traumatised by it all.

I even checked my matress with a magnifying glass. The thing is they can spread so if you do have this problem then you need to take action now. They rarely bite below the knee though, my bites were on my face, arms, hands, body, back etc. (Nothing below the knee).

It is just so awful for you and I really do feel for you, but get in touch with pest control and the company you purchased the matress from, though proving that they have responsibility may prove difficult?

I do hope you will be ok and please don't stress too much as it will get sorted. I know how horrible it is and since my experience I am soooooo careful, for instance I wouldn't hire a carpet cleaner etc.

Big hugs and take care
Budgie x

Valli

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

I'm not a bedbugologist but I would suggest it's quite possible that the bedbugs could have transferred in the delivery van particularly if the delivery people also collect old mattresses when delivering new.

I think this is a really sensible post - BUT I also think you are going to have a devil of a job getting the mattress company to admit liability for this one so, if you are absolutely certain you did not have a problem prior to the 'new' matress coming into your home...

get a company like rentokil in to identify location of infestation and deal with it and RECORD where they found bugs

contact environmental health dept (council)

missyp123

thank you all for your advice.

I am 100% sure there is a problem.
I have been ripping apart my bedroom all morning, and i managed to catch one and have put in in a container.
It is soooo small but iv tried to look at the pics above and i would say it matches the image of the bug furthest left which seems to be the 3rd stage. It is prob just over a mm i would say.

My hubby is with u guys that they will never take liability but i just cant believe to to be a coincidence. We did not have this problem prior to the monday and then all of a sudden were getting bit!

I am calling an expert first thing and continue to vacuum and wash as much as i can.

Can not believe this, im so stressed.