Help Buying Waterproof/waterresistant Mattress Pad for 3 Year Old

Updated on November 06, 2012
T.L. asks from San Pedro, CA
16 answers

We are way overdue to put our 3 year old in her twin bed and out of her crib (although she is perfectly content in her crib, lol).
But I would like to make the transition asap.
She is potty trained, but sometimes has the inevitable "pee" accident at night, even though she is wearing a pull up, they sometimes leak if they don't wake up to change.

I am hoping some of you mommies out there can save me some research time here and please give me your recommendations of which waterproof mattress pad to buy and where to get it. I am willing to pay for something high quality that will last a long time, as opposed to buying the cheapest one at Target or wherever.
Would love one that isn't all plasticky and doesn't make a ton of noise whenever the kid moves around in the bed.

We are in Los Angeles so pretty much any store is within striking distance, or I can order online.

Thanks!

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Featured Answers

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

I've got ones from Target on my kids' beds and they work perfectly. I do buy the more expensive one from Target.
My boys haven't had pee accidents for years but I don't want to take them off because they spill their water cup or they throw up and don't make it out of bed or those kinds of accidents and I don't want to deal with them so they stay.
They work well and I've not had anything get to the mattress and they don't make noise.
I have 2 per bed and a couple sets of sheets per bed so I can quickly change beds in the middle of the night and throw it in the washing machine immediately, even if it's 3 in the morning. It's worked out well.

2 moms found this helpful
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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Here's what I do...it might seem like overkill, but honestly, it works for me so I don't feel stressed or rushed about anything, especially in the middle of the night!

I have one of those zip around covers over each kid's mattress. Then on top of that I have just a regular waterproof pad from Target, then the sheets. But, I have two waterproof pads for each bed, plus at least two sets of sheets too. This way if there is an accident (or even vomit, or a spill of the water bottle) I can just strip and redress the bed with very little effort and no midnight laundry.

I haven't had the regular mattress pads leak through to the other zip around cover, but I like just having it so that the mattress stays cleaner and in better shape, at least I think it does, so that's all that matters! ;)

Because I have a regular waterproof mattress pad on top there is no noise from the zip around pad below.

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More Answers

D.B.

answers from Boston on

We used the flat crib liner - it fit in the "wet zone" just fine. I had a regular, fitted, zippered mattress cover but it's a nuisance to take off. So I made the bed on top of that with a regular fitted sheet, then put on the flat crib pad (it was about 2 feet by 3 feet), and then put a 2nd fitted bed sheet on top. If there was a pee accident at night, I could strip off the fitted sheet and the pad, and be left with a fresh sheet underneath. I kept a pack of wipes there, and wiped off my son, threw him in dry pajama bottoms, and put him back in bed on the clean underneath sheet. I didn't have to buy anything new.

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

We did what Tori did and just purchased a zip around full mattress cover. We placed the sheets directly over it. if it gets wet, we pulled the sheets, wiped down the plastic with a sponge and clorox wipe and then placed second set of sheets on top.. So easy ...

My mom purchase sets of sheets at garage sales.. Once our daughter was always dry.. we sold these sheets in a garage sale.

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K.O.

answers from Atlanta on

I have a vinyl fitted mattress cover on the bed. Covered by a waterproof mattress protector (really any will do, because none of them are that water proof. I've used expensive, high rated ones and cheap ones. A middle of the night pee leaks through all of them). Sheet goes over regular pad. When the pee accident does happen, I wash the sheet and mattress pad and wipe down the vinyl cover. Pee never gets on the mattress this way, and you don't get the plasticy sound because you have a pad over the vinyl cover.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Boston on

I used pads from CVS that are cloth on both side and plastic in the middle, about 1 yard square. We did the same as some others said: make up the bed with the pad under the bum area, then fitted sheet on top, then another pad and another fitted sheet. In the middle of the night you can strip off one layer and have a clean bed.
My friend used the yard square incontinence pads that you can just throw away in the same manner. A pack has 10 in them. She would also have one in the car at all time for a changing pad.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I got all my waterproof bed pads, from Amazon.
I got the "fabric" type that is waterproof. It is not plastic.
And it works.
I never had a problem with it at all.

I put the pad, DIRECTLY under my child.
Not under the sheets.
UNDER the child.
then that way, the sheets don't get soiled.
If my child leaked, I simply remove the pad, then put another one directly under them. And then of course they changed into dry pajamas.
The sheets have never gotten soiled that way.
I have like 4 fabric waterproof pads, that I just rotated as needed.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I use a cellulose one from SleepCountryUSA that you can breath through, but is totally waterproof, on ALL our beds. No sweating, crinkling, or ripping.

If you have a storefront near you the have mason jars filled with blue water, and sealed with a square of this stuff & a rubberband

You can tip it upside down and make bubbles (blowing into it) but even sucking of shaking won't let the liquid through. The holes in the backing are too small for water molecules, but big enough for air molecules.

The other size is super short terry cloth (teeny teeny tiny, smaller than baby towel terry), that help soak up liquid so it doesn't just run off the side.

NOT cheap. About $100 for a twin.

I'd pay $100 a year (going on year 6 on the oldest ones), which still work perfect. GREAT stuff.

I got some for our new mattresses a few years ago, and the still look brand spanking new. With boys. Dogs. Stomach flus. Visiting "potty trained so no pull-up needed" toddlers, sexcapades, breakfast in bed, etc.

AWESOME.

______

They're fitted sheet type. The go directly on the bed, then sheet over.

NIGHT TRAINING HINT:

- "Make" the bed 2-3 times, with incontinence hospital pads / puppy accident pads under the sheets. As they accident, just strip off the first layer of bedding, and you've got clean dry bedding underneath. Lib the wet ones in the wash. Easy.

- Try NOT restricting liquids. Bladders just send weak messages to the brain drip and leak when mostly empty. When they're full full full ... They send Urgent! Messages to the brain. When training, URGENT! messages are needed to break through the sleep cycle. If you push liquids, instead of restricting, its usually only a couple nights of accidents, instead of months.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I have the waterproof cover from SleepCountryUSA that Riley describes and highly recommend it.

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T.K.

answers from Honolulu on

I saw something at bed bath & beyond awhile ago- It's something like a sheet cover.

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M.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

You can get a pure grow wool puddle pad. No nasty toxic flame retardants, and will absorb and protect your mattress. Had this for my daughter and it worked like a charm. In la try living green, or online try Dax stores.com.

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

For under ten dollars you can put a vinyl cover on the mattress (until she is older), most go around the entire mattress and zipper at one end. It will protect the mattress and make clean up much easier.

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D.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I use Naturepedic Organic Cotton Pads for both my children. They're 100% cotton and do not make noises. I have the flat crib size and I just lay it on the "wet zone". I have a couple to rotate and they're machine wash/dry. My daughter sleeps on a full and it's the perfect size to lay across the entire middle area of the mattress. They run about $50 and can be bought at Amazon. I have purchased from Fawn and Forest before as well. Naturepedic offers various sizes, fitted and flat. Their Organic Mattresses are awesome too!

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

If you get a zipperd plastic cover, leave the zipper open. Moisture will build up in the mattress and it can grow mold. It's better to use a contour plastic cover or a mattress pad with plastic on one side. I got mine from Penney's, just don't put it in the dryer.

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G.R.

answers from San Diego on

Anna's linens.....just bought mine yesterday. I first got them from bed bath n beyond. When I opened it it was as if a plastic curtain was attached. I went to Anna's to buy the one I bought 6 months ago that was perfect with no plastic sound and was so glad I did because they had them in stock and bought two. Opened them no plastic sound! And there water proof! Went back to bed bath n beyond and the cashier argued with me but I returned them and my pads are perfectly quiet and water proof!

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S.B.

answers from San Diego on

I bought a more expensive waterproof mattress at Target and really liked it. The material was soft and it wasn't plasticy at all. I actually got two kid's wear out of it! If my child had a accident, I would just throw it in the washer and dryer and put it on the bed. Eazy peazy!!

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