Buying second hand for a baby......where would you drawn the line?

lauren_1

What would and wouldn't you buy second hand for a baby?

Evansangel

Mattress?

Your not meant to have a 2nd hand car seat, but ours was. It was from family though.

Krystaltips

I don't think there's anything I wouldn't consider having second hand... Babies get so little use out of anything that it's usually in pristine condition even after they've outgrown it...

We had a 2nd hand cot with 2nd hand mattress, it's immaculate. We use a car seat given to us by a family member so we know it hasn't been in an accident. I bought cloth nappies from a used nappy site and boil washed them before we used them...

wendym

30-odd years ago we bought nothing that wasn't secondhand, but my daughter has just had twins, and could not face the thought of anything but new mattresses in both cots and Moses baskets. She bought a new twin buggy (but it had to fold easily and fit in her car) and carrycots to fit, which I think were used about half a dozen times. She had a very ill pregnancy and I think felt generally anxious, but when she relaxed a bit allowed me to buy a playpen on ebay, also bits from NCT nearly new sales, and now thinks that with a Milton spray and a washing machine she should have been less prissy (her word, not mine).
So in short (!) I think the consensus now is new mattresses and car seats, then use your own judgment about anything else. Good-as-new baby clothes fetch very little money for the sellers at NCT sales, and can be a fab bargain.

Glamazon

We had second hand clothes including vests, sleepsuits, baby towels, baby bath, moses basket (but ended up buying a new one cos it was cheaper than the mattress), travel system (and used the car seat).

Most hardly gets used - recommendations are not to use a 2nd hand car seat but we decided to. He wasn't in it long, we know have a new one as its front facing.

Bought must stuff from car boot sales and eBay. Also got stuff from Freegle.

Coveredinbees!!!!

I'll add shoes but I'm guessing your talking new born. We were given loads of stuff 2nd hand and some of it was hardly worn if at all. One of our favourites though was a baby grow with little bunnies and carrots all over which was well loved and worn. It had to go in the bin when we had done with it which was a shame. We were given a travel system but my wife wanted a new one, I would have used it but I'm tight.

slscarborough

For me I wouldnt use a second hand mattress, car seat or nappies. Anything else I wouldnt have a problem with though!!

Guinea_2

I went overboard when I knew I was pregnant and bought quite a bit of new stuff...mainly clothes. Now I buy most of his clothes second hand from e-bay or charity shops. Most of it's just been worn once or twice anyway. The moses basket and stand was from a car boot and cost £7...much better than the silly prices I have seen in shops. He was only in it just over eight weeks so was just under a pound per week. If I'd have paid £50 for it I would have slightly miffed!!
Cot was from e-bay but I did buy a new mattress. Pram combo was bought new but with a discount! The car seat came with that but someone we know gave us another one and also a car seat for when he gets bigger so don't have to worry about that. Some toys were new but most were from car boots and given a good old wash!!
Of course for any more children we have most, if not all of their stuff will be second hand hand-me-downs!!!! :rotfl:

ukjoel

Car seats am ok with second hand as they are a lump of plastic and am just not convinced with the arguement that your a bad parent to buy second hand as you dont know where they have been.

My guess is the exposure to the chemicals in a new plastic seat are probably more dangerous than a second hand one where some other poor sod has had the chemical effect.

Although the bigger seats were bought new (cheap on last day of Asda baby event) The sods have put price up again now to £30 and need some more grrrrrrrrrrr.


Matresses (yes for the cot and crib which were second hand but matresses were new) but not for the bunk beds which were ebay but bought as grandparent house beds hardly used and have had plastic undersheets on them anyway.

Nappies - we use disposable so second hand probably not worth thinking about. We did buy some bamboo reusables but never got on with them and they sold again very quickly.

Shoes - The mum buys them new ones and gets them fitted at clarks (but buys in the sale) and I tend to then buy them sandals, wellies, on ebay or boot sales.

pigpen

carseats
Mattresses
shoes
opened food/milk

everything else is recycled!

r.mac_2

I think that it probably depends on several factors:

1. what can you afford?
2. what number of child is this?
3. what do you feel comfortable with?

I can see that a first child haas more new things than a second child, I have no problem using second hand items when I know where they have come from and how they have been looked after, or a spin the washing machine/wipe with bleach etc means you know they are clean.

what I couldn't bring myself to use second hand - nappies, cot matress, things that are 'done' and don't do their job properly.