Little Green Sheep Review - Baby Twist Natural Mattress
Want to know if The Little Green Sheep cot mattresses are good enough for your baby? Here’s my review of the double-sided Twist Natural mattress that is free from chemical flame retardants.
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If you’re anything like me then you’re looking for a cotbed (or floor bed) mattress that:
Hasn’t been sprayed with toxic flame retardants
Is made from natural, eco-friendly materials
Is safe for young babies to sleep on
Lasts for many years
That’s not too much to ask, is it?
Ideally, all baby products would meet these requirements, but sadly that is not the case.
I first came across the Little Green Sheep after I discovered most mattresses had harmful chemicals sprayed on them. I immediately emailed Mama and Papas to ask them what fire retardants were used in the mattress we’d just bought our son but sadly they ignored me.
The idea that my delicate little newborn could be breathing in carcinogens was terrifying. I quickly realised this was the case with most mattresses (but more on that in a moment).
Since then, I have bought The Little Green Sheep mattresses for both my children because it was the most affordable of the natural options available.
My children are now four and two years old so I decided it was time I let you know what I think of them.
This is a review of the Twist Natural Mattress by The Little Green Sheep.
COMING UP
Review: short summary
Why should you choose a natural mattress?
The problem with flame retardants
Which mattresses contain no toxic chemicals?
In-depth review of The Little Green Sheep Twist mattress
1. review: short summary
If you don’t have time (or would rather skim) my Little Green Sheep Twist Natural review, then here is a short summary. For the full review with photos, keep reading until the end.
2. Why should you choose a natural mattress
Natural (or non-toxic) mattresses have a variety of benefits but here are three important factors:
Better for the environment - it is energy-intensive to create synthetic foam which is derived from petrochemicals (fossil fuels). Foam manufacturing plants also cause air and water pollution.
Better for your family’s health - foam mattresses contain toxic chemicals, like flame-retardants and formaldehyde that off-gas for years.
Better for wildlife - Flame retardants escape from manufacturing facilities through air and water and have been found in a variety of animals, such as seals, whales and penguins in Antarctica.
3. The problem with flame retardants in mattresses
Due to an outdated law made in 1988 to protect homes from fires started by cigarettes, the majority of mattresses (and soft furnishings) are treated with toxic flame-retardant chemicals.
Due to using a unique product testing method, UK furniture contains higher levels of chemical flame retardants than anywhere else in the world.
These substances are harmful to health for two reasons:
They increase the dangerous toxins in smoke, like carbon monoxide, dioxins, and hydrogen cyanide, during a fire putting you at higher risk of cyanide poisoning.
Flame retardants, which leach out of furniture into the air, have been linked to cancer and are known to interfere with your hormones, potentially causing reduced fertility and earlier menstruation.
One of the main ways we consume flame retardants is through dust, but they can also be inhaled from the air and absorbed through the skin. These controversial chemicals have even been found in breast milk and umbilical cord blood.
As children’s brains are still developing, they are more vulnerable to the impact of these toxic chemicals. Babies can sleep for over 12 hours a day so they are spending a huge amount of time inhaling these chemicals.
4. Which mattresses have no toxic chemicals added?
Flame retardants are scary stuff, but there is a solution. Natural or chemical-free mattresses are made up of material, like wool, which is naturally fire-proof and so does not require added flame retardants.
Which materials are used in non-toxic mattresses:
Wool
Coconut husk
Pure polyester fibre (recycled is a more eco-friendly choice)
Natural latex (made from tree sap)
Rayon (not eco-friendly or natural)
As it is a legal requirement for beds to be fire-proof, you should assume that all mattresses have flame retardants on them unless it is stated otherwise. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not have to disclose the substances they’ve used.
Fire-proofing chemicals can either be mixed into materials like foam or they are sprayed on the final product.
Which materials require chemical flame retardants:
Cotton
Synthetic latex (made from petroleum)
Memory foam/polyurethane foam
Certain materials, like wool, have qualities that make them naturally flame-proof so they can be used as they are, whereas other materials, like foam, have to be sprayed with chemicals.
Further reading on flame retardants:
Terry Edge campaign (whistleblower who used to be in charge of UK fire safety regulations)
5. In-depth review of the Little Green Sheep Twist Natural mattress
View current natural mattress prices
Pros:
LONG-LASTING: Double-sided to meet your baby’s needs as they grow
NON-TOXIC: There are no harmful chemicals used or added to this mattress
ECO-FRIENDLY: Materials are natural, like coconut husk, wool and latex
HIGH QUALITY: Still in excellent condition after years
VERY FIRM: firm mattresses encourage proper spine development
SAFE TO SLEEP: Firm mattresses help prevent SIDS and comply with the Lullaby Trust guidelines
Cons:
The cover is not removable so you must make sure you use a mattress protector at all times (the Little Green Sheep mattress protectors are great - flat with no crinkle sounds)
Not vegan because it contains wool, however, there are no natural alternatives in the UK that are also chemical-free
Look:
The Twist Natural mattress arrived looking clean and flawless. It has a quilted outer layer which is soft to the touch and with no loose threads. The mattress protector is a thick sheet that sits on top, it is not fitted but remains in place.
Smell:
When I was reading about this product before I bought it, I noticed a couple of people said there was a slight “sheep smell” (due to the natural wool) that faded after a few days. My partner and I didn’t notice any farm or chemical smells of any kind with either of our Twist Natural mattresses but thought I’d include it here anyway.
Comfort:
It is a very firm mattress, but both my children can sleep through the night on it (when they aren’t ill, teething, or experiencing a big milestone) so it is comfortable enough. I do lay next to my two-year-old as she goes to sleep but as there is only enough room for me to lay on my side I don’t get the full effect.
Note: If you would prefer a soft bouncy mattress then this probably isn’t the product for you.
Quality:
After two years, this mattress is still in perfect condition and still firm (I had a different mattress when my first child was born). It comes with a five-year guarantee though.
Older child experience:
My son is 4, slim, and of average height (50th centile on his growth chart). He still uses the toddler size because it fits on his mid-sleeper and he’s got loads of room to grow.
He loves having a high bed so we are planning on using this mattress as long as he will fit in it. Using his growth chart, we worked out he should still be able to fit in it when he’s ten years old.
Little Green Sheep also sell mattresses in junior and single sizes if you are thinking about the future.
Newborn experience:
We bedshared with our second child (who has always been a lousy sleeper), but we did use this mattress for naptimes from around six months.
As I was following Montessori principles at home, I used a floor bed instead of a crib and this worked fine for us. Once she was around 10-12 months, I started to put her down in her own room at bedtime and then she’d come into my bed when she woke the second time around 1-2 am.
I like that I was able to flip the mattress when she got older to make it softer, although, it is still firm.
Sizing
The mattress in my photographs is 70x140 but the Twist Natural Mattress by Little Green Sheep is available in a variety of sizes such as:
70x140cm
60x120cm
70x132cm
77x132cm
IKEA: 70x160cm
Mamas and Papas 400:
Snuzkot: 68x117cm
Stoke Sleepi 68x122cm
Custom size
Conclusion
I’m not going to lie to you and pretend a mattress makes my child sleep through the night since swapping to it because sleep is developmental and impacted by many factors, such as teething, learning new milestones, illness, and hunger.
What I will say, is that I was happy enough with the first Twist Natural mattress I bought that I purchased it again for my next child.
There will always be cheaper and softer products on the market because synthetic materials that come from fossil fuels are cheaper. But as my main priority is my baby’s health, I will happily pay more to Little Green Sheep for a mattress free from flame retardants. It makes me feel better knowing that I’ll get at least five years out of it too.
Are toxic chemicals in children’s products something that concerns you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.