Review and Giveaway: Protect-A-Bed CLOSED

For the first eight months of Nate's life, we were a cosleeping family. Or rather, I should say a bedsharing family. I loved having my baby snuggle close to me and it was super convenient for those midnight nursing sessions. I don't regret the decision but there were some downsides. Sleeping next to a tiny furnace all night would cause me to sweat profusely. And let's not forget the diaper leaks. We had a small mattress protector that we placed between our mattress and sheets but the material would crinkle everytime we tossed or turned. It would also shift around at night so it hardly protected us from accidents. As a result, our year-young mattress really took a beating during this time.

If only we had discovered Protect-A-Bed sooner, my husband wouldn't have had to share me with the washing machine.

Protect-A-Bed offers a variety of premium protection products that allow families to transform their bedrooms into healthy sleep zones. Did you know that your body can lose up to 2 pints of moisture for every 8 hours you sleep? Kinda gross if you think about it! After just 4 months of unprotected bedding, your mattress and pillows can become the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites, which are a leading cause of asthma, eczema and rhinitis.

Protect-A-Bed mattress protectors feature a waterproof, stainproof "Miracle Membrane", which protects your mattress from spills, perspiration and bodily fluids, and prevents the habitation of bacteria, bed bugs and dust mites. It's air vapor porous barrier is cool and comfortable to sleep on. All Protect-A-Bed products are free of pesticides and harmful substances such as cadmium, and exceed current flame-resistance requirements, so you can be sure your sleeping environment is safe.

We were sent the Premium Mattress Protector in Queen size to review. This particular model is Protect-A-Bed's number 1 seller. It is a fitted sheet style and has a soft, terry cloth upper.



Per the instructions, I washed the protector in hot water and dried it on medium heat before use. It held up very well in the wash, with no signs of pilling or wear. I loved how simple it was to put on my bed. It is normally difficult to find sheets to fit my deep mattress. I have to buy special 17" pocket sheets or else the elastic rides up. But the Protect-A-Bed mattress protector fit like a dream and was very easy to install. My husband was concerned that it would affect the comfort of our Temperpedic-type foam mattress. But it was so thin and quiet that we never really noticed it. I love that I no longer have to worry about a bulky, shifty underlay. And even though we don't cosleep anymore and urine stains are (hopefully) a thing of the past, I can now indulge in a late-night snack, wine or Chinese take-out in bed without fear of soiling the mattress. I can take comfort that our mattress will always be protected.

As you know, my husband suffers from asthma and allergies. We've been using the protector for several weeks and I have noticed that he is sneezing and coughing less at night. I'm not sure I can attribute this solely to Protect-A-Bed but it is definitely a coincidence.

Bottom line: I would definitely recommend purchasing a Protect-A-Bed mattress protector, particularly if you cosleep or suffer from incontinence. It may be a little pricier than other brands but it won't wear out as quickly and I see it as more of a long-term, high-quality investment in my mattress. I'm already looking into purchasing some pillow protectors to enhance our sleep safety and extend the life of our pillows, as my husband and I both tend to drool in our sleep (haha!).

BUY IT: You can purchase Protect-A-Bed products online at www.ProtectABed.com or use their handy dandy store locator to find the dealer nearest you. In addition to the Premium Mattress Protector (ARV $59.99-$99.99), there is a velour-topped Plush model ($79.99-$109.99), a reversible Elite model (ARV $69.99-$109.99) and Premium Crib Mattress protector (ARV $29.99) for infants and toddlers.

WIN IT: Protect-A-Bed has generously agreed to give away one Premium Mattress Protector in winner's choice of size (twin, full, queen, king or crib)! That's up to a $100 value!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Visit Protect-A-Bed and tell me which product you'd most like to try. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile to prevent disqualification!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count! Remember to leave one comment per entry.

1.) Follow my blog and/or subscribe via reader or email. If you already follow and/or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry each)

2.) Follow me and Protect-A-Bed on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You can do this daily! Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry per day max)

3.) Become a fan of Protect-A-Bed on Facebook. (1 entry)

4.) Add my blog button and leave a comment with the link to where I can find it. (1 entry)

Giveaway will end on February 14, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. only. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: As noted above, I received a Protect-A-Bed Premium Mattress Protector from Shannan at Wordsworth Communications to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are purely mine. Your experience may differ.