# Quick! Memory foam mattress pads OK for co-sleeping?



## Laurel (Jan 30, 2002)

My dh is having back problems, and I'm not experiencing our mattress as comfortable either, and someone suggested a memory foam mattress pad, which would be a great Christmas gift. I was just wondering if these are safe to use with a bed-sharing baby? I have not actually seen one in person (I was thinking of ordering online--overstock.com has an incredible deal on one right now). To me, foam would be rather firm, but they must not be too firm if they mold to the shape of your body. However, a small infant would be more lightweight, so it probably wouldn't mold to her? Yes or no?


----------



## missy_cbell21 (Nov 4, 2006)

i have one and ds is one year old. we have no problems with it. your own body weight is what determines how far you "sink in." they are great for back problems and try too get one of the pillows that are shaped too fit in the crook of your neck they work wonders!


----------



## alisoninparis (Nov 5, 2005)

We slept in one recently with 10 month old DD and it was really nice. I don't see why it would be a problem even for a young baby, since newborns sleep on their backs and they wouldn't have enough weight to sink down very far in the foam.


----------



## catgirl1007 (Feb 9, 2005)

We have one and love it, but took it off for the newborn phase. I think we put it back on for DD when she was 6-8 months old. It's off again b/c DS is only 3 weeks old. I'm not concerned about his body weight causing him to sink into it, but am concerned that when I nurse him side-lying that he'll sink in because of my body weight. I think they're fine for older babies, but personally don't trust them with newborns.


----------



## summerbabe (Nov 12, 2006)

We have a memory foam mattress and we love it. We do not have any problems with sinking in, either with ds by himself or while nursing side-lying. I think this material is a good option for co-sleeping.


----------



## mommy2girlies (Jun 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *missy_cbell21* 
i have one and ds is one year old. we have no problems with it. your own body weight is what determines how far you "sink in." they are great for back problems and try too get one of the pillows that are shaped too fit in the crook of your neck they work wonders!

ITA We have a Temperpedic mattress and the memory foam pillows (LOVE THOSE!!) I always used to have a stick neck when I woke up. Not now. We've had 2 more little ones since we've had our mattress and both slept fine. My ds is still sleeping with us. Our 2nd dd wanted to sleep w/ her sister, so they co-sleep







: I think they're fine


----------



## Helen White (Aug 19, 2004)

We have a memory foam pad on the twin bed that my 2 and 4yos share. But I wouldn't consider using one on the bed I share with my newborn until she was close to a year old. I know things would probably be fine, but it would increase the risk, just as sleeping on a pillow top mattress or with heavy blankets or comforters would, and that's a risk I'd just rather not take. Also--those pads have a very strong smell when first removed from the package. They have instructions to let them air out for at least 24 hours before you use them, and they must continue offgassing in smaller amounts for some time. I would have additional concerns about a baby sleeping on those pads for that reason.


----------



## Voltige (Mar 11, 2006)

We added a memory foam topper to our bed about 3 months ago, when ds was a year old. It's been wonderful, but it did STINK for a while and I didn't want him sleeping on it. I will remove it when we have a newborn again though. Just to be extra safe. . . . . either that or put a firm changing pad below the sheets where the baby would sleep.


----------



## Laurel (Jan 30, 2002)

Wow, these are really helpful responses! Thanks!

I think I might wait a few months to get the mattress pad--maybe for Father's Day? DD is 4.5 months, but she is pretty small for her age, and besides I had not thought about off-gassing.

However, I think I will go ahead and get the pillows now. I have had problems with my neck since a minor car accident 8 years ago, and a pillow might help me too. Our pillows are in really sorry shape, and it would be nice to get something really good.

When you have gotten memory foam, what density and thickness have you gotten?


----------



## NotTheOnlyOne (Oct 23, 2006)

I have a two inch thick one on our bed. My ds is 4.5 months and I took it off until he was 3.5 months. SOmetimes I think maybe it would be safer without it, but he does sleep on his back and when he nurses at night I sit up (most of the time) so I dont have to worry about us both falling back asleep while he is nursing.


----------



## mommy2girlies (Jun 6, 2005)

We have the actual temperpedic mattress, not the memory foam that you can buy separate. Ours didn't smell at all and is firmer than the memory foam.


----------



## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

My mother ended up in the ER with breathing problems after using a Tempurpedic mattress, she believed it was from the chemical off-gassing and ended up getting the company to take it back and then bought an organic mattress. I would do a google search for "mattress off-gassing" and read up on it a little bit before I bought one.


----------



## Ruthe (May 31, 2005)

I wouldn't take any chances with a memory foam pad and a small baby. They are NOT a firm surface, no matter how you look at it. Maybe some are firmer than others but the whole point of memory foam is to conform to your body contours. A young baby doesn't have the neck strength to lift his head up if he/she ended up face down on that.
Some say the safest place for a baby to sleep is on mom's chest with the head sloping down toward the hollow of her neck. If the baby laying face down needed to lift his head up to turn it to one side, he would not have to lift it more than level with the rest of his spine to do it. If a baby wants to turn his head on a flatter surface, he has to lift it higher than the plane of the rest of his spine. If his body were sunk into memory foam, he'd have to lift it even higher. I don't understand how anyone could think this was a good arrangement for a small baby. A back or side layer can easily wind up on his stomach occasionally, and I wouldn't chance it.
Adult beds can be made safe for babies. The first thing I would do is remove the memory foam, remove the pillow top mattress, and get a nice firm flat surface to sleep on.


----------

