How to decide what type of crib mattress is best for your baby?
Babies sleep a lot! Yes, I know; at that time, it didn’t seem that way to me either, but they do. Your baby will spend much of her first year in her crib, so choosing a safe crib and a proper crib mattress is crucial. Crib mattresses are available with many additional features. But before you even start thinking about them, decide whether you want a foam or coil mattress.
Some might not agree, but nowadays, foam baby crib mattresses are as good as coil models. Of course, I’m talking about quality models on both sides. However, if you’re trying to decide between a foam or innerspring/coil crib mattress, there are a few differences that could help you with your decision.
Which Crib Mattress is Better, Foam or Coil
As long as you choose a crib mattress of good quality, both types are suitable! Both foam and spring crib mattresses can provide excellent support and maintain their shape well over time.
What about the price?
Foam crib mattresses are often cheaper than innerspring models. You can find a quality foam crib mattress for less money than a quality coil model. That’s because the material for foam mattresses is more affordable. And remember, that doesn’t mean it is not quality or safe!
Foam vs. Innerspring Crib Mattress Comparison
| Feature | Foam Crib Mattress | Innerspring Crib Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Usually lower | Generally higher |
| Weight | Up to 13 pounds | 15–30 pounds |
| Support | Depends on foam density | Depends on coil count and gauge |
| Durability | May wear faster if low quality | Typically more durable |
| Bounce | Low bounce | More bounce—toddlers might use it as a trampoline |
| Changing sheets | Easier due to lighter weight | Heavier and trickier |
| Structure | Simple polyurethane core | Steel coil core + cushioning layers |
| Waterproofing | Often via vinyl cover | Often via vinyl cover |
Our Favorite Models:
TOP-RATED FOAM CRIB MATTRESS
Dourxi crib and toddler bed mattress
TOP-RATED COIL CRIB MATTRESS
Serta Tranquility innerspring crib and toddler mattress
RELATED: Best baby crib mattresses
Foam Vs. Coil Crib Mattresses
Foam Crib Mattress
Foam crib mattresses have become much more durable over the last years. With normal use, they hold up just as long as innerspring models.
Structure of a crib mattress with a foam core:
The structure of foam mattresses is not as complex as the coil mattress’s structure. However, it is proven to be equally effective in providing firmness and sufficient support to your child.
Foam crib mattresses are made of a polyurethane foam core that is surrounded by a vinyl or fabric cover.
You can also opt for a dual-sided foam crib mattress, which features two layers of varying firmness. One side is made of firmer foam, providing a safe sleeping space for newborns and young babies. The other side, for toddlers, has plushier memory foam for added coziness.
The structure of a dual-sided foam crib mattress
Vinyl covers are waterproof, and those made of fabric are usually only water-resistant but more breathable. Anyway, the best covers are those with more layers, featuring double or triple laminated ticking that is reinforced with nylon. Such covers are more durable, more resistant to tears and holes, and better tolerate frequent cleaning.
Foam’s thickness, weight & density
Foam mattresses are available in a variety of thicknesses, with most models ranging from 3 to 6 inches. Foam crib mattresses also do not weigh a lot. Most of them are lighter than 13 pounds. Because of such characteristics, changing sheets is generally easier than on innerspring models.
Better foam mattresses have denser, higher-quality foam. Such models are slightly heavier but still lighter than innerspring crib mattresses.
💡 Baby’s Little Place Tip: The foam’s density is usually not listed on the label, but you can estimate it by comparing the weight of different foam mattresses.
heavier foam mattress = denser foam = better quality
Foam crib mattresses compared to innerspring models:
PROS:
- They are cheaper than innerspring mattresses
- Foam crib mattresses are lighter than innerspring mattresses, which makes changing sheets easier
- Foam is less springy, so there is less chance of being used as a trampoline when your baby grows
CONS:
- If you don’t pick a quality one, it won’t last as long as a spring mattress
- Low-price foam baby crib mattresses have a bigger potential to indent from cheap innerspring models
- The chances of an initial smell are higher
Innerspring Crib Mattress
Innerspring baby crib mattresses have a core made of springs, which is surrounded by multiple layers of different materials. Better innerspring mattresses have more coils of better thickness!
Never buy a mattress without knowing its exact structure! It must have a description of what’s inside!
The innerspring mattress’s structure
- coils in the core
- insulator pad
- cushioning material
- cushioning material
- mattress’s cover
1. SPRINGS:
Innerspring or coil crib mattresses are heavier due to the springs in their core. Their weight ranges from 15 to 30 pounds.
The number and the thickness of steel coils in the core define the quality and firmness of innerspring crib mattresses. Crib mattresses with more coils are generally better. If there are more springs in the same space, they are closer to each other, which results in a firmer structure.
However, more coils don’t always mean better firmness. You need to find the perfect combination of coil count and steel gauge (or coil thickness). A mattress with fewer coils but a thicker steel gauge can be firmer than one with more innersprings of worse quality.
- Coil count: The cheapest crib mattresses have fewer than 80 springs, expensive ones have 200 or even more coils. The general recommendation for a quality baby crib mattress is about 135-150 coils.
- The thickness of crib mattress coils: Steel gauge ranges from 19 to 12.5 gauge, where the lower the number, the thicker the steel.
2. INSULATOR PAD:
The first layer is the insulated pad, which prevents the coils from poking through the mattress’s surface. The best insulator pads are fiber wrap pads, made from pressed scraps of cloth, and coir fiber pads made of shredded coconut shells. Coconut pads are more expensive, but they work well in crib mattresses.
Some lower-quality insulator pads are made of woven polyester, hard felt, and plastic mesh. Innerspring mattresses with insulator pads are less durable, tend to form pockets over time, and become concave, which can create a safety hazard.
3. – 4. CUSHIONING LAYERS:
The next layer above the insulated pad is the cushioning. It can be made of cotton, foam, or polyester.
While cotton and foam are okay, avoid polyester. Yes, it is cheaper, which makes the whole purchase more affordable, but it’s less durable. Mattresses with polyester cushioning tend to form pockets sooner.
5. COVER:
The entire innerspring baby crib mattress is surrounded by a fabric or vinyl cover. Fabric covers enable better breathability, but those made of vinyl are more durable. A multilayer vinyl cover resists tears, punctures, stains, and leaks better than a fabric cover.
But choosing vinyl over the fabric doesn’t mean that you have to settle for worse breathability. Look for a mattress with side venting holes that also allow for perfect air circulation.
Border Rods are a must-have on innerspring baby crib mattresses!
Border roads provide strong side and edge support, extra firmness, and better durability. Border roads keep the mattress from sagging when your baby stands or walks near the edge.
What adds to the price and increases the quality and comfort of the innerspring mattress?
- Coil count
- The thickness of crib-mattress coils
- Number of layers
- The material’s quality in each layer
- The mattress cover
Innerspring crib mattress compared to a foam model:
PROS:
- It will probably last longer than a foam mattress
- An innerspring crib mattress is a durable choice
- They tend to have better edge support
CONS:
- a higher price
- It is heavier than foam mattresses
- The bounce on innerspring crib mattresses is bigger
Bottom Line
Both foam and innerspring crib mattresses can be great—if you choose a well-made model. Focus on firmness, safety, support, and clean materials over marketing buzzwords. And always check what’s inside the mattress, not just what’s on the label.
No matter whether you choose a foam or innerspring mattress, it must fit perfectly into your crib. In fact, a snug fit and sufficient firmness are the most important features you should look for when buying a crib mattress for your baby! You can read more about them in our baby crib mattress buying guide, where you will get all the information you need before purchasing a crib mattress.
This is a very well written article and contains all the information that anyone wants to know.
But I couldn’t find any purchase button as I wanted to purchase it.
Hello!
The purpose of this article is primarily to present the differences between foam and innerspring crib mattresses. However, we have included two links to our favorite foam and coil crib mattresses.
Our favorite foam crib mattress is the Dourxi crib and toddler bed mattress.
Our top-rated coil crib mattress is the Serta Tranquility innerspring crib and toddler mattress.
Links were and still are under their pictures. However, we agree that maybe the links were not visible enough before, so we have now designed them as buttons.
If you want more choices, you can also look at our article with the best crib mattresses.
I hope this helps!
Regards, Baby’s Little Place