Sleep Health
Published September 29, 2025
9 minThe Best Mattress for New Parents
Here's what no one really prepares you for: research shows that 7 out of 10 parents lose an average of three hours of sleep every night in their baby's first year1. That adds up to a shocking 133 nigh
Table of contents
Why Your Mattress Matters More Than Ever The Features New Parents Need Most in a MattressThe Importance of Sleep Quality for New Parents Creating Your Sleep Environment Making Sleep a Priority (Yes, Really!)When to Invest in a New Mattress Beyond Your First Year The Bottom Line: Your Sleep Matters Citations
Here's what no one really prepares you for: research shows that 7 out of 10 parents lose an average of three hours of sleep every night in their baby's first year 1. That adds up to a shocking 133 nights worth of sleep sacrificed before the baby's first birthday.The numbers are even more stark when you break them down. Significantly, 43% of single parents sleep less than seven hours per night (compared to 33% of adults in two-parent homes )2.And beyond the actual hours you're sleeping – what's actually happening when you lay down to rest? Parents' total sleep time and sleep efficiency have been shown to decrease following the birth of a child, a change that was most notably observed within the first four weeks of birth 3.The good news? Your sleep does get better. Up to 16 weeks post-birth, sleep parameters start to return to pre-birth levels 4. The key is making sure that when you do get to sleep, it's as restorative as possible.
Why Your Mattress Matters More Than Ever
When you're operating on limited sleep, every minute of the rest you get needs to be high-quality. The wrong mattress can turn your precious few hours into a frustrating cycle of tossing, turning, and waking up even more tired than you were when you got into bed.As a new parent, your body is dealing with unique challenges that make mattress selection especially important:Physical Recovery: Whether you've given birth yourself or are supporting a partner through recovery, proper spinal alignment and pressure relief are crucial for your body to heal and restore during those shortened sleep windows.Stress and Tension: Exhaustion can be a key contributor to symptoms of depression and anxiety 5, which have been shown to have a lasting negative impact on both parents and babies. Supportive mattresses can reduce the impact of physical stress on your body, meaning you're able to fully relax when you rest.Frequent Position Changes: With a drastically new lifestyle, some new parents might find their sleep habits changing. Maybe you're suddenly more comfortable on your side, are moving around more, or need to be able to get in and out of bed quickly for middle-of-the-night baby care. Find a mattress that emphasizes motion isolation to accommodate these changes.Temperature Regulation: Hormones, stress, and the physical demands of parenting can affect your body temperature regulation. A mattress with cooling properties is going to be essential for comfortable rest.The Features New Parents Need Most in a Mattress
Based on the unique challenges of new parenthood, certain mattress features become absolutely crucial:Motion Isolation
This might be the most important feature for new parent couples. When one partner needs to get up for a feeding or diaper change, the last thing you want is to wake the other – who might finally be getting some rest.Memory foam and hybrid mattresses excel at motion isolation, absorbing movement so it doesn't transfer across the bed. Nectar's mattress lineup is specifically designed to minimize motion transfer, so when you slip out of bed at 3 AM, your partner can keep sleeping peacefully.Edge Support
You'll be getting in and out of bed more frequently than ever before – for baby care, quick naps, and inevitable middle-of-the-night wake-ups. Strong edge support makes these movements easier and safer, especially when you're half-asleep and potentially unsteady on your feet.Pressure Relief and Spinal Support
Caring for a newborn is a physical endeavor – whether it be hours of bouncing, walking, rocking, or feeding. Proper spinal alignment is going to be crucial in your recovery and your comfort, so look for mattresses that offer proper support, along with the pressure relief your achey joints will be asking for at the end of the day.Temperature Regulation
Sleep disruption is frustrating enough without adding overheating to the mix. Many new parents find their body temperature regulation is suddenly affected by hormones, stress, and other physical changes.Modern mattresses incorporate cooling technologies like breathable covers, cooling fibers, and airflow-promoting construction to help maintain a comfortable sleep temperature throughout the night.Need a little more cooling? Our DreamCloud Ultra features 4x the cooling fibers of our Classic model, plus phase-change material that keeps your temperature regulated throughout the night.The Importance of Sleep Quality for New Parents
Poor sleep can impact your health far beyond simply feeling tired. In recent studies, it's also been shown to affect your parenting capabilities. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact positive parenting, and caregivers who sleep less often experience higher levels of stress 6.Additionally, your sleep deprivation can quickly turn into a safety concern. New parents often experience significant sleep disturbance due to infants' irregular sleep schedule 7, leading to dangerous, drowsy driving. When you're already operating on limited sleep, making sure that sleep is as restorative as possible is critical.Creating Your Sleep Environment
While your mattress is the foundation of good sleep, creating an optimal sleep environment enhances its benefits:Keep it Cool: Set your bedroom temperature between 65-68°F. This range promotes better sleep, and will work well with your mattress's cooling features.Keep it Dark: Blackout curtains or an eye mask are game changers when it comes to signaling your body that it's time to rest, perfect for whenever-you-can-get-them naps.Pro tip: Red night lights offer enough light for you to see and get around, while helping both babies and parents stay in the “sleep zone”.Keep it Quiet: Get a white noise machine to help mask baby sounds and household noises (when you're off duty), so you can fully slip away to dreamland.Keep it Comfortable: Look for breathable, moisture-wicking sheets that complement your mattress's cooling properties rather than override them.Keep it Covered: Consider investing in a mattress protector , so you won’t have to worry about any late-night spills or baby-related accidents.Making Sleep a Priority (Yes, Really!)
We know – this claim is almost laughable when you have a newborn. But that doesn't mean it isn't true. In postpartum, prioritizing everyone's sleep can minimize the risk of harmful mood symptoms.This doesn't mean you need to sleep 8 hours a night. It means making sure that when you do sleep, it's as high quality and restful as possible.Some practical strategies that work well when you have a supportive mattress:Sleep When Baby Sleeps: Everyone says it, but that’s because it really works. A comfortable mattress makes it easier to fall asleep quickly when the opportunity arises.Take Turns with Night Duty: If you live in a two-parent household, split a 10-hour night into two shifts. One person can take 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; the other person can take 1:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.Accept Help: When friends and family offer to help, say yes. Lean on your community in times of need – even if that need is simply another hour of down timeWhen to Invest in a New Mattress
If you're currently sleeping on an old, unsupportive mattress, entering new parenthood might be the right time to upgrade. Research from Oklahoma State University 8 found that people who slept in new beds for 28 days started to sleep better, regardless of which model they were given. The most important thing seemed to be that the beds were new.Consider a new mattress if your current one is:- More than 7-8 years old
- Causing you to wake up with aches and pains
- Not providing adequate motion isolation
- Making it difficult to get comfortable or fall asleep quickly
Why Nectar is Great for New Parents
We understand the unique sleep challenges new parents face. Our mattresses are designed with features that matter most in your first few months of parenthood:Motion Isolation: Multi-layer memory foam (or hybrid) construction ensures that your middle-of-the-night movements won’t disturb your partner's precious sleep – or vice versa.Adaptive Support: Our mattresses provide personalized contouring that adapts to your body, offering pressure relief where you need it most while maintaining proper spinal alignment.Cooling Technology: Nectar mattresses feature cooling fibers and breathable construction to help regulate your body temperature throughout the night.365-Night Trial: We know that as a new parent, you need time to determine if a mattress truly works for your changing sleep needs. Our industry-leading trial period gives you a full year to make sure your mattress supports your family through this transition.Forever Warranty™: With everything else you're juggling as a new parent, the last thing you need to worry about is mattress durability. Our warranty means one less thing on your worry list.Beyond Your First Year
While the first year of parenthood brings the most dramatic sleep changes, you want a mattress that can evolve as your family grows.- Toddler years: When little ones occasionally join you in bed, you'll appreciate the extra space and motion isolation
- School age: As your sleep patterns normalize, consistent support and comfort remain crucial
- Beyond: A durable, high-quality mattress will support your health and wellbeing for years to come
The Bottom Line: Your Sleep Matters
New parenthood is demanding enough without adding poor sleep quality to the mix. You might not be able to control your baby's sleep schedule, but you can control how restorative yours can be.Enter DreamCloud: expertly engineered to offer your perfect sleep. With an ultra-breathable CloudQuilt™ cover, pressure-relieving memory foam, and superior motion isolation, we’re here to make sure every second you have counts – because we know how much it matters. Shop your DreamCloud today .Citations
- Snuz Sleep Survey. (2022). The Truth About Sleep: Snüz Sleep Survey Results.
- Nugent, C. N., & Black, L. I. (2016). Sleep duration, quality of sleep, and use of sleep medication, by sex and family type, 2013–2014.
- Parsons, L., Howes, A. E., Jones, C., & Surtees, A. (2023). Changes in parental sleep from pregnancy to postpartum: A meta-analytic review of actigraphy studies.
- Okun, M. L., Mancuso, R. A., Hobel, C. J., Schetter, C. D., & Coussons-Read, M. (2018). Poor sleep quality increases symptoms of depression and anxiety in postpartum women.
- Malish, S., Arastu, F., & O’Brien, L. M. (2016). A Preliminary Study of New Parents, Sleep Disruption, and Driving: A Population at Risk?
- Jacobson, B. H., et al. (2007). Grouped comparisons of sleep comfort for new and personal bedding systems.
