An Honest Review of the Newton Baby Crib Mattress: Is It Worth It?

We’ve had the Newton Baby crib mattress for over 4 years. When we first got it I wrote a comparison post talking about the Newton Baby mattress vs. the Safety First crib mattress. But I’ve never done its own review post, so here we are today!

We originally got the Newton mattress when our daughter was not yet two years old. She was still sleeping in a crib, and we were planning to expand our family. When I was researching crib mattresses while pregnant, I wanted to know what was the best baby mattress out there at a reasonable price. We knew we wanted more than one child, but I didn’t really take this into account when I was doing my research. I assumed that we would need to use the same mattress in a toddler bed and would just buy another mattress for our eventual second child. Looking back, we did need to have two crib mattresses, but we have continually used a baby mattress in the nursery since late 2017. (Note: I got the mattress gifted from the brand over 4 years ago.) Read on to find out what my honest thoughts are!

Newton Baby has grown a lot as a company since years ago when the original crib mattress was its main product. (I actually don’t remember if they had any other baby products available on their site at that time!)

There are currently 4 versions of the Newton Baby mattress: The mini (for mini cribs), the Essential, the Original, and the Waterproof. The Mini is 3″ thick and fits 37.75″ x 23.75″ mini cribs, and it costs $199.

The Essential, Original, and Waterproof all fit standard-sized cribs at 52″ x 28″. The major differences for these three standard-sized mattresses are in the mattress thickness and removable cover:

• Essential is 4″ thick with a single layer cover ($249)
• Original is 5.5″ thick with a dual layer cover ($299)
• Waterproof is 5.5″ thick with a dual layer cover ($349)

One of my major concerns when we first got this was how to use a waterproof cover with this crib mattress, but the Waterproof version takes that need away. Also, at that time the Original only came in one color, but now it comes in 4 different colors: White, Gray, Pink, or Light Blue.

What’s so special about the Newton Baby mattress?

You’ve probably seen the Newton mattress before, most likely on Instagram through one of their many influencer campaigns. It’s a fully breathable mattress that is also 100% washable. The core of it is made of food-grade polymer (10%) and air (90%), which makes up its Wovenair core. It is made to fit standard cribs and move into a toddler bed, too. Newton Baby’s biggest claim to fame with this mattress is its breathability.

The Newton Baby crib mattress is also GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means it has undergone testing to ensure it has low chemical emissions.

A note on safety standards for crib mattresses

All crib mattresses sold in the United States need to meet safety standards from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Even if you’re buying a mattress that meets these standards, you should always follow the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines:

• Always put babies (under 1 year old) to sleep on their backs
• Baby sleeps on a firm mattress that fits tight in the crib
• You can use a tight fitted sheet and nothing else in the crib (no stuffed animals, blankets, bumpers, pillows, etc.)

How to take care of the Newton Baby mattress

It’s easy to wash the Newton mattress cover in a regular washing machine. You can zip the cover off of the mattress, zip it back together so it’s in one piece, and put it through a cold cycle. Tumble dry on low heat to dry thoroughly. On their website it says not to hang it to dry. I normally tumble dry on low heat and then hang dry to finish drying.

If the inner part of the mattress gets gross (because… it happens!), you can actually just take it outside and hose it off. Or put it in a bathtub and wash with dish soap. That’s one thing I LOVE about this mattress.

FAQs about the Newton Crib Mattress

Is it really breathable? Is the “breathable” claim a marketing gimmick or actually safer?

This is the single most debated topic about the Newton mattress. Yes, if you don’t put an additional waterproof cover on it, the mattress is breathable. The whole point of the Newton Baby is that you can breathe through it- but you can’t add a waterproof cover or sheets, or the breathability goes away. While there are no massive medical studies proving it prevents SIDS, the physical reality of the Wovenaire core (which allows air to pass through) offers immense peace of mind to parents the moment their baby starts rolling onto their stomach.

Does using a waterproof sheet or mattress cover ruin the breathability?

Yes. The Original Newton (which requires their specific breathable waterproof cover to maintain airflow) is different from the Waterproof Newton model. But regardless, any standard plastic-backed sheet for waterproofing will negate the breathability feature entirely.

Is it washable?

Yes! Another plus to this crib mattress. See above for “how to take care of the Newton Baby mattress” for how I wash ours. If you anticipate needing to wash yours often, I’d recommend buying a second crib mattress cover ($69-99, depending on which version you buy, and $59 for the mini) so you don’t have to worry about timing your wash cycle just right.

Is the Newton mattress too flimsy?

Some parents seeing the mattress in stores have complained that it bends or feels “floppy” when stood up vertically, causing concerns about edge support and firmness. While the core isn’t rigid like a traditional spring mattress, it provides the exact necessary firmness for a baby’s weight when laid flat in the crib.

Now, probably the question that brought you here…

Is the Newton crib mattress worth it?

That totally depends on your definition of “worth it.” If you plan to use it for multiple children, yes, totally worth it. If you get peace of mind knowing that it has a breathability aspect to it, yes, worth it. It’s not a cheap crib mattress, so it is really every family’s own decision to make! For us, this crib mattress is worth it. It has been through two kids so far and still looks to be in excellent shape. It’s easy to wash, easy to put back together, and it’s comfortable. (I’ve actually fallen asleep on it once or twice… #momlife!)

I consider the Newton crib mattress to be one of those luxury baby products. It’s not something you absolutely have to have in order for your child to be safe and healthy, but it’s a nice to have. It’s like our double stroller: Yes, I could have bought an umbrella stroller and called it a day. But I wanted certain features with our two kids riding in it, so I splurged. I wanted comfort. I wanted function. Same with this crib mattress.

Final thoughts on the baby mattress

So is the Newton baby mattress worth buying? Back when we had our first child, I purchased a crib mattress under $100, but it ended up falling apart after four years. We have three kids, so we clearly needed to get more than four years out of a crib mattress!

If you plan to have more than one child, yes it is worth buying. Or if you have the budget and want the convenience of a crib mattress with a zip-off cover that you can wash. For us, the Newton baby mattress has been for sure a worthwhile investment. Considering the cost per year, we would have had to buy three of the cheaper mattress to keep up with our needs. And that would have been about $300, which is exactly the cost of a Newton baby mattress!

Other Newton Baby products

Since we got the crib mattress when our daughter was not even 2 years old yet (she’s 6 now!), the company has expanded QUITE a bit. They now offer:

• Twin-sized kids mattresses
• Pet beds in 3 different sizes
• A play couch similar to the Nugget – we have a Nugget couch so I’d be interested in checking this out!
• A pregnancy pillow
• Waterproof crib mattress pad
• Organic cotton sheets
• Organic cotton swaddles
• A bassinet meant to be used for bedside