As Louisa grows, it si getting awfully crowded with three of us in a full bed. We have a co-sleeper, but the problem with it is she has to be moved into it after she falls asleep, which wakes her up. Last time I tried it, it upset her so much she insisted on either nursing or lying on top of me all night, which made it hard to sleep. It seems the best solution would be to get a twin be and push it up against our bed. I've looked all over for a natural bed we can afford, but they are all at least $850 for a twin. I really don't want my baby sleeping on a mattress that is going to outgass all sorts of nasty things. Chris and I could use a new mattress too. Anyone know where to get one that's not so expensive?

I just bought a handmade futon (twin size), for my daughter's new bed, and we both LOVE it. It is beautiful, and soooooooooooo comfy...now I want a big one for my bed too!!
And while it wasn't super cheap, it was decently priced- $200 shipped ($50 of that was the shipping)
Do a search for white lotus futons. They have tons of healthy choices, and a very helpful website. I bought an all-cotton futon, and it arrived hand-sewed, stuffed full of fluffy cotton (it is so thick and soft and wonderful!)
I cannot recommend this company enough!
(also, they were super nice, and it shipped super quick!!)

hope this helps,
Christy

Latex mattresses are a lot better than a regular mattress. I am buying one on ebay. It is $150 for half the mattress (3 inches) delivered. I am buying two of them and I got a pine futon base, unfinished for $79. I think that is pretty darn cheap. Latex doesn't contain dust mites, and doesn't offgas like regular mattresses. Plus, they are supposed to last 20 years! That is a lot longer than cotton:) Good luck in the mattress search. Oh yeah, Soaring Heart Futons has really good prices on wool/green cotton futons too!

Cary

BTW, wanted to clarify that it is $150 for half of the mattress so I bought 2 for a $300 twin bed:) Sorry for the confusion.

I'd recommend a futon. I loved the pros on the latex, but after talking to my sister and her friend, who both had/have one, I decided not to get one. They both had wool toppers on theirs, and both of them complained about how hot they are, and how they seem unbreathable. My sister got rid of hers, and her friend still has hers, but says every summer she gets rashes, heat rashes, and blames the bed. Her doctor told her to try a thicker topper, so she used a cotton one over wool, in case the wool was her culprit...no deal. I got too scared by that and we decided on a futon mattress. We got the one with wrapped springs though...you can get no springs, so all wool or cotton or a mix.....(make sure you check, some are filled with foam and crap)....we got springs as we had a no spring one that just ended up sagging over time since it was larger size, a queen, and was being used by 2 adults and sometimes the occassional kiddo in the bed....lol.....and we love ours. We can't feel the springs at all. They are so well wrapped and covered....but the bed does not sag, but is soooo soft but firm at the same time...I love mine. (o:

We have a latex with wool topper and it isn't hot at all. We've used it with a cotton topper also, never noticed a difference.

The 3" latex is really really thin though. We have a single bed in that size that use to be on a futon frame and I could feel the frame through it. It was fine for Ara since she doesn't weigh that much, but it wasn't good for an adult to sleep on. Our queen latex is 6".

I am not sure when she is going to do it, but I know that Michelle of Green Tara Mama is going to be holding a pre-order sale on organic mattresses sometime in the not too distant future....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/greentaramama/

Thank you for this thread!!!! :)

Christine is on a 3 inch mattress that was almost $400 (cotton and wool) and it is to thin (can feel the springs from her bed).. Since she sleeps most the night with us, we weren't too terrible worried about the thickness until recently cause she has gotten so big now and can probably feel the springs.

We also will need a mattress too (ours is uncomfortable, not natural and top color is rubbing off onto our sheets!) I was thinking latex (not sure if it is Vegan), but my dh is a heater (so is dd).

Slowly but surely we are working towards our more natural home. :)

Just a side note, we can't afford everything to be organic, so I didn't get organic sheets, but fell in love with Land's End sheets. The kids "flat sheet" has elastic on the bottom so that it is easy for them to put on and it won't pull out. Their natural pillows are great too (made out of corn fibers). Have two king size on CHristine's day bed for the "couch effect" by day, but I even let her throw them on the floor or whatever. They are hypoallergenic too. For a short time, Land's End had a bed cover that was not bleached or dyed (hope they bring that back). Anywho, when the carpet is new and wool and the old couch is replaced with a futon (etc.), will look into organic sheets too.

Jennifer

Thank you, Christy. We will be buying one of the white lotus mattresses for Christine with our tax return. I knew there had to be a more affordable one than the thin one we already have. :):):)

Jennifer

You will love the white lotus futon!!
They are even better than they sound!! The only problem that I have found is that they are sooooooo comfortable that I fall asleep too when I am laying down with dd each night :)

Christy

Well, if that is the only problem with them, LOL, than that sounds great.

Thank you once again for sharing, Christy.

Jennifer

I was just looking for a new mattress for Ara's bed and http://www.soaringheart.com is even cheaper than the lotus site. Their double bed cotton futon is $170.