mattress cover/pad

[stacik]

Maybe I am slow, but I don't understand why I need a mattress pad for a crib mattress, since most of them are covered in vinyl, anyway. Can't any leaks, spit-up, etc. just be sponged off the mattress, saving me one more thing to wash? Is another vinyl cover really necessary?

[babyretailer]

Mattress pads do two things. First, they add softness to the mattress surface. Secondly, they protect your sheets from getting chaffed by the mattress bindings.