When to Flip a 2-N-1 Mattress

About the 2-N-1

• The 2-N-1 is an innerspring, dual-firmness crib mattress manufactured by Colgate Mattress Company for nearly 50 years. The mattress is designed to adapt to the changing developmental sleeping needs of both infant and toddlers. To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), an infant mattress should be quite firm to support bone development and the head. According to Yvonne T. Maddox, Ph.D., of the National Institutes of Health, infants should be placed "for sleep on a firm sleep surface, such as a safety approved crib mattress with a fitted sheet. Infants should never be placed on a soft surface, such as a pillow, quilt, or sheepskin."

Innerspring Construction

• A crib mattress should provide firm support for a baby; for a toddler, a mattress should hold up to jumping and rolling. The 2-N-1 crib mattress is constructed with 135 thick 13.5-gauge coils and has a 9.0-gauge steel border rod as extra support. Greatbeginnings.com, a design center specializing in baby- and child-friendly designs, reports that a thick border rod extends the life of an innerspring mattress; it prevents a jumping child's feet from compressing the coils too much. The 2-N-1 insulates coils with shredded coconut-shell husks, renewable resources that improve the mattress's durability and comfort.

Other Features

• The 2-N-1 innerspring crib mattress has different foam types for the infant and toddler sides. While the infant side has an overlay of high-density foam over the innerspring core, the toddler side is softer and uses an inverted egg crate memory foam. Mattress edging is padded with foam support. The final layer is a hypoallergenic, tear-, water- and mold-resistant vinyl layer. The 2-N-1 fits all standard cribs, measuring 51.5 inches long by 28 inches wide and measures 6 inches in height.

Other Designs

• Over time, the Colgate Mattress Company has reformulated the 2-N-1 crib mattress. The Classica 2-N-1 has given way to the Classica III crib mattress. Both feature the dual-side feature. The Classica III offers the most firmness along with the memory foam padding on the toddler side. Greatbeginnings.com reports that the softer side conforms more to the toddler's body and weight, and it offers more support without pressure points.