What to look for in a crib mattress

Foam crib mattresses are available in a variety of thicknesses. But thicker is not necessarily better; density is most important. The better foam mattresses are high-density, about 1.5 to 2 pounds per cubic foot. Unfortunately, most foam mattresses don't list density on the packing, so it's hard to know exactly what you're getting. Of course, if you measure the dimensions of the baby crib mattress in inches (length x width x height) and divide by the stated weight, you should get a figure close to the density of the foam.