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We are looking at this issue as well.

I think we will go with www.whitelotus.net for our next kid.

This is something that didn't occur to me when my son was born (2005) - but I remember the crib mattress we bought having a stink to it, and I made my husband air it out on the (enclosed) back porch for like a month. :)
The kid just moved up to a twin bed and I got the cheapest organic mattress I could find - $600, and hope it lasts for at least a decade. It's a latex core, wrapped in organic wool and organic cotton cover. I've never slept on a mattress without springs, but I think his mattress is soooo comfy - I've napped on it more than once -
We bought it from organicgrace.com

I am interested in this issue, and disappointed to see that the NYT article contained no useful information (IMHO). Apparently there was a chart that listed information about certain types of mattresses, but I couldn't find the chart in the online version.

I would love to hear what anyone who has done the research has ended up buying (Julia, care to share what you got?). I've read bad reviews of the Serta organic line at BRU, basically saying it's organic cotton filling surrounded by hazardous chemicals. I am looking into Naturepedic, which seems to be a good solution but isn't cheap.

I bought our mattress long ago before thinking about this and then wanted to do something to upgrade it. I have allergies and had heard that organic mattresses help with allergies quite a bit (unless you are sleeping on what you are allergic to). So, for our mattresses I bought wool toppers at Soaring Heart. They have crib mattresses, also.

http://www.soaringheart.com/category.cfm?topCategory=naturalbeds&category=fKidsNaturalBeds

Its been discussed here before, but I'll mention it again: There have been studies out of Europe that link SIDS with brominated flame retardants. I try to now live by the rule that if something smells like chemicals (it is off gassing and the chemicals are not stable), I don't want it in my house.

We bought our crib mattress from Lifekind, organic cotton and "naturally safer wool." I believe it was around $425 with shipping. It was so comfortable, we bought a queen size for ourselves. This disolved our co-sleeping guilt as well.

We also bought the Gulliver crib and an organic mattress by Simply Affordable from Terra Luna Sol for about $225 (including shipping)

http://www.terralunasol.net/simplyog.html

The quality of the mattress is great and it arrived in just a couple of days. My only hesitancy in recommending it fully is that it seems to be a teeny tiny bit short. Not sure if it is the mattress or the crib - the mattress is handmade and so the shape can vary slightly. I am not worried about it, but it may not be for a perfectionist.

I also bought a wool puddle pad (can't remember where, isn't that sad?!) to protect it and it has made it through throwing up and leaky diapers...we just wash and hang to dry.

I drove myself a bit nutty with the pre-baby research... There is too much bad information, too many choices and never the perfect thing at the right price, but all our stuff has worked out wonderfully. Good luck everyone!

we bought ourselves and our daughter natural latex beds from: http://www.thenaturalbedstore.com and we LOVE them. they are not cheap, but they are worth it. we have the rainforest's and i have never slept better. i used to have to switch sides in the middle of the night to make myself comfortable, but don't anymore. no more headaches, aches and pains, no more chemicals. their website lists information on the fire retardant laws and details how their beds are in compliance WITHOUT chemicals.

they make crib sized mattresses too. the aurora is $399 and i think we're going to go ahead and buy one. our baby sleeps with us, but our 4.5 year old has returned to our room and is sleeping on a toddler bed next to our bed and it was purchased before i knew any better.

we also do a wool piddle pad, just in case!

good luck!

I work at a hospital and everyone is worried about latex, and latex allergies. Are parents worried about exposing their children to latex at such an early age?

jeneric,
From what I understand, latex allergies are a result of synthetic latex manufacturing, not natural latex from trees.

My understanding, as well, is that latex is very rarely the source of allergies. The allergen is the chemicals added. Things like rubber gloves are highly processed.

This is what naturepedic ( www.naturepedic.com ) has to say about latex/wool mattresses:

Natural Latex/Rubber and Wool Crib Mattresses:

Many manufacturers offer natural latex/rubber crib mattresses. These models pose an allergy concern for many parents and physicians. Ironically, natural latex is more allergenic than synthetic latex and must still be processed with various chemicals in order to be usable. These mattresses are also much heavier (which makes changing sheets more difficult). They also require a dust mite encasing and use wool as a fire barrier, another high allergy material.

I have no idea whether that's true or not, but I thought I would throw it out there. I think you have to view their claims with some skepticism because they are obviously trying to sell you their own mattress. Their mattress is covered in polyethelene plastic, which they promote as the safest alternative, but it's still a plastic. If anyone knows of independent studies/comparisons out there, I would love to hear about them. It's such a daunting topic, and maybe whatever you end up buying you aren't quite sure if it's right.

LaneC --

Interesting question.

Everything I have ever read about natural latex is that it is antimicrobial, as well as dust mite and mold resistant, so no dust mite cover required. However, if it did require one, it would likely be included with the mattress, and so no big deal.

Here is info on the processing chemicals required for Talalay latex (sounds pretty benign to me):

"Only the components needed to convert the material from a liquid to a solid that lasts are added: soap, ammonia, zinc oxide and sulfur. The ammonia evaporates and the soap and zinc oxide are washed out. The sulfur is needed to cure the product so that it bounces back after you sleep on it."

As for latex allergies, the info I have read is that there are 2 kinds -- here is info from a latex bed retailer (obviously, they have their perspective, but it sounds reasonable, although I would never put a person who is allergic to natural latex on a natural latex bed, even with cotton and wool barriers, but that is a question for an allergist).

"Natural latex allergy. There are two types of latex allergies. One allergy is to the chemicals and/or synthetic latex used in latex items like latex gloves. Most people have this type of allergy. However, some people do have a true natural latex allergy which is an allergy to the proteins in natural latex. All of the natural latex used in our mattresses are washed to remove the proteins which should eliminate any problems or allergic reactions. However, a very small number of people have reported allergic reactions when in direct contact with the natural latex used in our mattresses (while directly touching the latex). Most people who do have a true latex allergy will have no problem sleeping on a natural latex mattress, because there are layers of organic cotton and wool in between the latex and the outside of the mattress. "

Natural latex is NOT more allergenic then the chemical latex, and is NOT a significant concern for parents and doctors -- that is a gross exaggeration.

Here is more info on natural latex allergies. It seems that the biggest problems come from the use of latex gloves in hospitals, where the cornstarch powder inside the glove makes the latex proteins airborne, and where there is direct skin contact with the latex protein.

If there are food allergies to avocado, kiwi, banana or chestnuts, there may be a sensitivity or potential allergy to natural latex (they are part of the same family).

Here is more info on NRL allergies:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/latex/about.htm

"one is not as likely to inhale the proteins themselves from latex inside a mattress. What is inhaled is the ODOR from the proteins. Much of the proteins are washed out of the latex during processing, and what's left is wrapped in layers of organic wool, cotton batting and fabric. So actual latex proteins from latex mattresses that are quilted or tufted are not likely to become airborne. " (another blurb from a latex mattress manufacturer, but it does sound right that with a latex mattress you are unlikely to have direct contact with the latex proteins, which is what triggers the allergic reaction).

What really makes me leery of naturepedic's claims though is that natural latex mattresses "must" use wool as a fire barrier, another high allergy material.

Yes, manufacturers are required by law to treat their beds with fire retardants -- wool is naturally fire-resistant, and can be obtained as an organic product. It is thus, a natural option, NOT a necessity. Chemical fire retardants are implicated in crib deaths, and have a host of issues of their own. It is also a gross exaggeration to state that wool is "highly allergenic". Moreover, if there is a wool allergy, you can get a mattress from one of these manufacturers without the wool if you give them a doctor's note (I did).

The bit about the plastic covered mattress -- Dr. Sprott advocates "mattress wrapping" with a special kind of plastic -- only on the tops and sides, not on the bottom too -- as a way of diminishing the risk of SIDS. His research shows that crib death increased dramatically with the advent of fire retardants in bedding (!), and that sweat and bodily fluids can combine with dust mite products and the bedding itself to create toxic neuro-chemicals. While the concentrations are very low, and so do not pose a danger to adults or children who can move around (thereby getting away from them), they DO pose a danger to babies under 1 year of age. You can easily google all this to read more.

Back to the plastic though... have you ever slept on a plastic covered bed? It is horrible. Because your body can't breathe, you wake up soaked in humidity and sweat.

Dr.Sprott advises wrapping the plastic with 2 thick cotton flannel blankets, but that creates a problem with your sheets being too small.

We had a custom made organic mattress made with natural latex, wrapped it with Dr. Sprott's plastic while they were small, and then stopped after a year so that it was easier and more comfortable.

Nothing I have read or come across supports the exaggerated claims made by Naturpedic, or would make me hesitate in buying another natural latex mattress, but it is something everyone has to sort out for themselves.

oops

I swear I pressed "previews" so that I could edit this sucker down, but it posted...!

Sorry for the long post!

For what it is worth, polyethelene plastic is the substance the New Zealand crib-wrapping expert suggests as a good way to prevent off-gassing.

Finally, latex matresses don't "have" to be be wrapped in wool. But wool meets the US governments flamability standards and is thus one of the healthiest wraps to use. Other alternatives cheaper alternatives are borax, etc.

Don't apologize mschatelaine, it was interesting reading. The more info available out there the better - I find most consumers are completely unaware of what's in their mattresses.

The NY Times article skimmed right over the new (July 2007) fire-retardant regulations for mattresses. It's difficult to find truly objective reporting on these regulations. Most of what's available online is either from organic mattress sellers, or from press focusing on the benefits of the new regulations. But I've read enough that I would only consider natural latex, wool, cotton or horsehair mattresses the next time I buy a mattress.

When I slept on a futon back in the early 80s, it was because futons were cheap - I had no idea how 'green' my behavior was!