Sleep is vital in making sure that you have stress-free and overall wellness that you need. Even after your child is born, you’ll continue to have sleep problems in the postpartum months. This will be often triggered by the inconsistent sleep schedule of your baby, rather than physical body adjustments.
Usually, it takes 3 to 6 months for your child to have a regular sleep-wake cycle. A lot of napping during the day and night breastfeeding will be included until and after the first few months. The more you wake up every night, the more disrupted your sleep cycles will be. Sleep deprivation is extremely associated with aggravated mood, heightened anxiety, and difficulty in concentration. Also, your immune system is adversely affected, thus, you’ll feel weaker when you need to be on top shape.
Therefore, choosing a correct mattress for you depending on your sleep position and your baby’s sleeping needs will optimize your likelihood of both having a nice night’s sleep.
How Your Sleeping Position Determines Your Mattress Choice
Are you a mom who loves sleeping on your side, back, or belly–or a bit of both? Your preferred sleeping positions plays an important in choosing a mattress. Unfortunately, some individuals prefer to choose mattress models just because they’re fresh in the market, but it doesn’t support their sleeping style. You should learn how to pick a mattress that will work with your body, not against it.
For Side Sleeper Moms
The bad part about side sleepers is that they are the first to come into contact with the mattress with their shoulders and hips. Hence, this produces two exit points for their body’s pressure. Can you imagine the effects of lying in the wrong mattress for at least 7 hours every night? This can lead to lack of body support that can bring pain in your shoulders, back, and neck, especially if you’re sleeping without a pillow.
However, what counts in this situation as “wrong?” What’s more important is that you shouldn’t go beyond the medium firmness level mattresses. Side sleepers should pick for a mattress that will contour their body and won’t trigger pressure points.
For Back Sleeper Moms
According to sleep specialists, everybody should be sleeping on their back. If you’re already a back sleeper with an adjustable bed frame – well, good for you – you’re already doing something excellent for your health. All that matters now is to find the right mattress for you.
A back sleeper usually spreads their body weight evenly across the bed, which reduces your risk of the formation of pressure points. Hence, you have the chance to choose from a broad spectrum of mattress, without the worrying about having pain or discomfort.
For you to experience best sleep every night, you should pay attention to the mattress’ firmness level and support. Because if it lacks those, the misalignment of your spine could result to back problems.
Narrow down your list of mattresses between medium-firm to somewhere firm for they are the ones that can provide comfort and support to your body.
For Stomach Sleeper Moms
Stomach sleepers are faced with a completely distinct set of problems as their sleeping position tends to put a lot of stress on their hips and pelvic region. It can even cause their mid-section to sink into the mattress without adequate assistance. This causes an inward curving of the spine which leads to high risk of back-related issues.
Because of this, stomach sleepers need to concentrate on finding a twin foam mattress that will guarantee that their body weight will spread equally to prevent sinking. Moreover, they need their body to remain flat as much as possible. Therefore, the best option for this job appears to be firm mattresses.
Furthermore, your sleeping experience can be considerably improved by having the correct mattress and try to change your sleep position. However, it still does more damage than healthy to sleep on your stomach as time goes by.
Choosing the Right Crib Mattress for Your Baby
If you’re a new mom, it can be difficult for you to tell which crib mattress is best for your lovely newborn. Since they need to sleep for 17 hours a day, their crib mattress is one of the essential purchases that you’ll make during the first few months.
Buying a new mattress for your first baby can be a really scary move. Considering the price, comfort, materials used and especially safety, it can be overwhelming to look for advice in making a decision. Hence, you might think about why it’s so essential to have a crib mattress and how it can benefit the growth of your baby.
Firstly, your baby’s bed is the safest place for them to sleep and they’ll be going to spend a lot in their hours crib. Therefore, having the right mattress can help them support their body as it develops.
Also, your baby will be happy if they’re comfortable. Although waking in the wee hours is common for them, what’s important is that they won’t be woken by uneasiness from their mattress. Here are a few tips on how to choose a mattress for your baby to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS):
Choose a Firm Mattress
Although a firm mattress may look tight to some moms, a stable foundation is a requirement for the safety of your baby. Laying down your baby in a soft mattress can put them in danger of suffocation and boost the risk of SIDS.
Hence, you should avoid putting them to sleep on any other soft surface, especially on an adult bed. If you want your baby to have a comfortable sleep, in the long run, you should choose a double-sided mattress for them. It’s actually designed for infants because the one side is firm while the other is softer and more suitable for toddlers.
The fit of the mattress
One of the things that you should keep in mind is that the mattress of your baby must be a good fit for the crib to be secured. It’s essential to get the right size and shape of the mattress so your baby can’t get its tiny limbs stuck around the sides, causing injury or suffocation.
Make sure you have the precise measurements of your crib before you purchase a mattress.
The sides or corners should be no more than a 3 cm gap. With that, you can put a blanket on your baby not higher than their shoulders.
Although cribs have a standard-sized mattress, the size may differ. There are cribs that have a sticker on it that recommends the right mattress size. To secure your baby while sleeping, your mattress should be at least 8 to 10 cm deep, although there are crib mattresses that are thinner.
If you can’t discover the size you are looking for, there are companies that provide made-to-measure baby mattresses.
Look for Mattress Options
From foam to innerspring, there are different kinds of mattresses to choose from that are available in the market. Hence, it’s much better if you’ll take time to research about the benefits and possible problems with each option. With enough knowledge, you can make a decision in which you feel comfortable the most.
Make sure that you’ll find out that if the manufacturer of your mattress has chemicals left out during the production of mattresses. For there are certain chemicals that can aggravate current medical circumstances, or even trigger serious health illnesses. So, it’s important to know about this information because your baby will spend most of their time sleeping in their bed. Thus, an organic mattress is the best way to start if you’re looking for a chemical-free sleeping surface for your baby.
The breathability
Excellent breathability is one of the essential factors in choosing a mattress for your baby for it regulates your baby’s temperature.According to a study, overheating is associated with a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Hence, a breathable mattress keeps your baby cool by staying dry.
If anyone from your family is allergic or has asthma, you can buy a hypoallergenic cover that can be washed frequently to eliminate dust and pollen that can trigger allergies. There are mattress vents that increase airflow for moisture to escape easily, preventing mold, mildew, and odor to increase airflow. Look for tiny, strengthened holes along the sides when selecting your mattress. It’s better that there are more ventilation holes for better breathability.