We don't normally think about what we are sleeping on, if it's comfortable and you sleep well, you are hardly going to think about what you are actually lying on, and what you may be breathing in. I certainly had no idea that I was sleeping on toxic chemicals coming out of my mattress, until I became interested in natural health and environmentally friendly issues.
When I found out what was in mattresses, I nearly fell over backwards. Most of us, as in 99% of us, each and every night are sleeping on pure toxins that we are breathing in and being absorbed through our skin. And this includes baby mattresses too. Most are made out of toxic chemicals such as polyurethane which is what foam is made out of - this is the what forms the bulk of most mattresses, especially baby ones as foam is very soft. Foam is made from petroleum and usually contains chemical 'catalysts, surfactants, emulsifiers and pigments. Some types of polyurethane foams often can also contain other various chemical additives which include benzene, formaldehyde, toulene and even more different chemicals.
PVC is also found in baby mattresses, this is usually the plastic cover that goes over the mattress to protect it from getting wet. PVC contains phthalates and these are endocrine disrupters - which are associated with reproductive problems, asthma, puberty happening too soon, cancer, liver damage and kidney problems. These phthalates can often be 30% of the entire composition of the mattress. They can leach into the babies skin and can also be breathed in.
All of these chemicals create a mixture which 'off gasses' and whoever lies on them, will breathe in.
And to have a new born baby sleeping on something as toxic as this, is quite alarming. You may think how can this be so serious, well some reports are coming out that SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is linked to toxic mattresses.
http://www.healthychild.com/toxic-sleep/has-the-cause-of-crib-death-sids-been-found/
Dr. Jim Sprott, OBE, a New Zealand scientist and chemist, says he is certain that crib death is caused by toxic gases, which can be generated from a baby's mattress. He says chemical compounds containing phosphorus, arsenic and antimony have been added to mattresses as fire retardants and for other purposes since the early 1950's. A fungus that commonly grows in bedding can interact with these chemicals to create poisonous gases (Richardson 1994). These heavier-than-air gases are concentrated in a thin layer on the baby's mattress or are diffused away and dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere. If a baby breathes or absorbs a lethal dose of the gases, the central nervous system shuts down, stopping breathing and then heart function. These gases can fatally poison a baby, without waking the sleeping baby and without any struggle by the baby. A normal autopsy would not reveal any sign that the baby was poisoned (Sprott 1996).
With toxic exposure, for most people, they don't have a reaction immediately. But over years and years, combined with all of the other types of toxic encounters (from food, water, air, house pollution etc) all of these toxins add up to become something way too intense for the body to deal with. My book, which is out late this year, is about this very subject. And looking at how our health is dramatically declining, which sadly includes children as well, it really is a huge problem that we must take more seriously.
So, one thing I feel very strongly about is a healthy mattress for a baby. They sleep so much when little and you want their sleep to regenerate them, not to stress them out.
Abaca made our king size mattress and it's been absolutely fantastic. We have had it for 3 years now and it still looks brand new and has been so comfortable. The quality is incredible and the price matched that of a normal (ie toxic!) mattress.
I had no idea they made baby made to measure mattresses until I checked out their website.
I contacted them to tell them about my Amby Nest hammock bed that I was going to be using during the day when my baby was asleep. At night we are going to co-sleep with our daughter, and luckily, she will be sleeping on an organic mattress 24/7.
Abaca customer service was fantastic right from the word go. They were familiar with Amby Nest's and already had the measurements noted from previous customers. They explained to me what the mattress would be made out of (organic wool with an organic cotton outer layer) and that it would also be the correct thickness for a baby. You can't have a baby mattress too soft you see, they need something firm to lie on to help with physical development. I asked what the turn around time would be and was very impressed to hear that it would only take up to 7 days, and it was usually less than that.
It was delivered to me by courier in a box and wrapped beautifully. When I took it out of the box and looked at the mattress, I was really amazed at the quality. My Amby Nest came with a mattress but it was just flimsy foam and the comparison was like night and day, my new Abaca baby made to measure mattress was stunning quality. I put it inside my Amby Nest and it couldn't have fit better - it was perfect!
I have also seen that they make made to measure bedding as well so I can order a mattress protector to go with the mattress and also organic fitted sheets and blankets as well.
I haven't had my baby yet (counting down now, 3 -4 weeks!) but I know that she is going to sleep like a baby (ha!) and I will sleep well knowing that she is not going to be breathing in any toxic chemicals from her mattress. This mattress will also last for my next child too as the quality is so good that I am sure it would last 10 years or so like our king size mattress will.
Abaca is a wonderful online organic store. They really care about quality and safe, toxic free products and know how to make things with impeccable quality.
These types of mattresses cost approximately, depending on what size, from £45.00+ - you can contact Abaca for a quote.
They also sell organic pillows which is going to be my next purchase for my own bed! Organic pillows is something quite hard to find - so Abaca really is ahead of the rest of the crowd!
And, they also make bed frames which are made to measure too!
If you are looking for a new mattress for your own bed then I can't recommend Abaca more highly. And please, consider buying one for your children and or newborn, it's sooo important to limit their toxic exposure!
We think buying their mattresses is some of the best money we have ever spent!
Abacas Story:
After 15 years of working in the mattress industry, Rhiannon Rowley's concern about the chemicals in the fabrics and materials used to create mattresses, led to the development of Abaca Organic.
There was already a clear need for natural bedding for people with a range of conditions including various allergies and ME. More than just a natural alternative, Rhiannon wanted to create a truly luxurious organic bedding range.
The company produces organic mattresses using the purest organic Welsh wool and organic fabrics. Unlike other mattresses which use synthetic fabrics, Abaca mattresses are made of natural materials without the need for chemicals. No pesticides are used in the production of the cotton materials used. Each organic mattress is carefully hand stitched and finished.
Abaca is one of the first companies in the UK to offer a genuine organic bedding range.
The organic bedding products used by Abaca are produced using materials created by traditional farming methods, avoiding the use of highly toxic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. These production methods not only offer great benefits to the farmers and the environment, but increasingly enable you to choose products which will be safer for you and your family.
More and more people are choosing to avoid the risk of chemical contamination of their homes and bodies, and Abaca products now let you decide to make your bedrooms a much more natural environment. The average human spends about one third of their life in bed, so Abaca bedding products can significantly reduce your exposure to these potentially damaging substances
