Review on Harlow's Earth Protective Porta Crib Waterproof Mattress Cover: Safe Sleep Protection for Babies, Shielding Against Harmful Chemicals and Toxic Off Gassing by Kristina Kajer

For those of you who are new to the concept of mattress packaging, you can do a quick Google search and you'll find quite a bit of information on the relationship between mattress vapors and SIDS. Mattress covers are clear plastic bags that wrap around a crib mattress and (theoretically) keep out harmful chemicals that can (theoretically) increase the likelihood of SIDS. The most compelling evidence for this theory is that no child using a mattress topper has died from SIDS — at least not from what I've read. As far as I know, there are no downsides to using a mattress topper (other than the one-time upfront cost), and if it gives me some peace of mind during the first year of my belly sleeping kids, it's worth it. For my first child, I bought a secure package of a baby mattress for about $50. For subsequent babies, I've used the Harlow's Earth version - a significant savings over BabeSafe. As far as I can tell they are almost identical in terms of material. While these wraps do nothing to prevent side damage, they are a great way to protect the mattress itself. They are very easy to clean which was great as the kids got older and got potty trained at night. For my newest baby I now use pack and play instead of a traditional crib so I bought this portable mattress cover for pack and play with mattress. For reference, I use Dream On Me, Sunset 3 inch crib mattress. The mattress cover adapts perfectly to the width of the mattress, has a considerable length at the end so that it can be folded and fastened under the mattress. My only complaint is that the velcro straps somehow didn't attach properly and couldn't be used. It's okay - I just sealed the bottom of the fold with tape. Considering it's essentially a thick plastic bag, the cost is high, but given the potential benefits, I think it's a worthwhile investment. .