Basinet question - Need Help

[pinkmomagain]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but here goes...

I'm expecting in Oct and wanted to use the basinet that I used for my other 2 (ages 9 and 6). It was manufactured by Century (Graco) in 1995 and since it's been through 2 kids and sitting in my closet all this time, I was hoping to get a replacement pad (I don't think you can really call this pancake of a thing a matress). Graco cs says that it cannot provide me with a replacement. I said that it looks like the same size as ones I see in the stores (oval-shaped), but they say no, they have nothing else that will fit.

Do you think it's OK to use the one I have (I was worried about SIDS and perhaps mold/mildew/chemicals) or can you think of a good alternative? I won't buy a whole new bassinet.

Any opinions?

TIA,

Gina

[lakelady]

Hello -- I'd say don't bother with the old mattress, for all the reasons you give. I am using a very sturdy but older wicker bassinet, first kid, but had to have a matress made custom because the older mattress was from the 1960's, totally gross, and didn't really fit all that well. You can find the plastic-covered mattresses in a variety of "custom" sizes at www.ababy.com, and other sites, and they ask if you want rectangular, rounded corners, or oval. But those weren't small enough for this bassinet. My husband spotted oval bassinet size mattresses at Babies R Us, but it wasn't close to what we needed, and there's a great place where I live that does upholstery work, so I took the plunge on this one. The foam is firm, and non-flammable, supposedly, but the cover is a zipped-on waterproof flannel, which I am glad to have rather than the plastic covers that are on mattresses usually. I would think that you could find something to fit your GRaco, though. The standard sizes are all listed on that ababy site. Good luck!