Am I nuts for not replacing a crib mattress for second child?

[AnnieW625]

DD has been out of her crib for almost 2 yrs. and we have stored the mattress in the garage (nice, dry area, with no humidity) and it's still very firm (it's been stored in two large size garbage bags since July, 2008). I don't recall reading anything about mattress replacement in the 2005 edition of Baby Bargains I had, but now it seems to be in the new book it talks about replacing them after each child (at least this what posters here have said). It honestly seems kind of stupid if you ask me esp. if the mattress has been stored properly and in good shape. My daughter slept quite well on this mattress so yeah it's not top of the line or organic, but it worked very well for her.

This is the mattress we have:
http://www.us-mattress.com/kolcraft-pediatric-2500.html

ETA; just thought to add that DD was never a crib jumper so that was a plus and maybe if she was the mattress was more broken down in the middle then maybe I'd think about replacing it, but that's the only reason I can think of now.

[Indianamom2]

Well, we didn't and ours is 5+ years old. It was stored for the last ~3 years in the very dry basement.

I'm not worried about it at all.

[citymama]

I'm not planning to and ours is way older than yours. It was used for 3 yrs by a friend's kid, then 4 yrs with DD, and I plan to air/sun it out and re-use with the baby when the time comes. (I bought our Bellini crib and mattress used from a friend who bought it new from Bellini.) It has not been in storage since DD's crib converted to a toddler bed. It is a really pricey Bellini Colgate mattress in great condition, and I'd rather not replace unless I hear a good reason why!

I've never understood/bought the SIDS connection with used mattresses - I would assume new mattresses with flame retardants would off-gas more than an old one, but I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise if there's good evidence to the contrary.

[g-mama]

Really? You're supposed to? We've used ours for all three kids and we're getting ready to give our nursery furniture to my SIL and we'll give her the mattress, too.

[infomama]

We reused our mattress....4 years in between dds. It was stored in a bedroom closet between babies.

[elektra]

I hadn't even heard about this until recently.
DS is sleeping on DD's old mattress as I write this. I wasn't worried even after I heard that it was potentially problematic. And from what I do know now, it still isn't totally clear what the dangers are. Something with carbon dioxide or off-gassing?

[WatchingThemGrow]

I remember reading it in 2005, if not in BB where would it have been? I did use the same one with #1 and #2, but we had a HMD crib we used for a little bit when we needed 2. THIS time, when we needed 2 cribs, I ended up getting a new mattress b/c I felt like DS2 deserved a new one that hadn't been used as long already.

[wendibird22]

DD2 is sleeping in DD1s crib with the same mattress bought in June 2007. Like your LO, DD1 was not a jumper and is such a lightweight that she didn't even make a dent in the mattress. I have no concerns with putting DD2 to bed on that mattress every night.

[wellyes]

DS is sleeping on DD's old mattress as I write this. I wasn't worried even after I heard that it was potentially problematic. And from what I do know now, it still isn't totally clear what the dangers are. Something with carbon dioxide or off-gassing?

I think I've read something like that - but it confuses me - I think brand-new mattresses stink of chemicals and I wouldn't put one in a newborn's crib unless I aired it out for at least a week.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds2 used ds1's mattress. I thought about replacing it but didn't see any great deals and I guess I just wasn't that worried.

You have new mattresses off gassing and you have old mattresses building up harmful mold and such. Neither is great. I think that the mold thing though could be minimized depending on the cover on the mattress, for example.

Beth