DS has outgrown his snuggabunny swing and his jumper and I have a friend I was thinking about loaning them out to, since it while be a while before LO#2 comes along. Do you think it would be a mistake to loan these out if I will be using them again? Just not sure how worn out they would get.
Re: NWMR: Loaning Out Baby Stuff
My soon to be SIL let us borrow their crib, RNP, jumperoo & bath seat. I have taken really good care of them since I know she wants them back as she plans on TTC within the next year or two. We hardly used the RNP or crib for that matter so those are in excellent condition still - If it were up to me, I would lend them but make it clearly known you want them back since you plan on having another in the future.
I plan on letting her borrow our swing if she wants it - if she gets pregnant before I do that is, along with anything else she would want but that just seems fair since she helped us out quite a bit.
I only loan things that I wouldn't be heartbroken to never get back. Sometimes, things happen-stuff breaks, people move, forget, etc.... For me, I'd loan my swing out without a thought, but YMMV.
If you do loan the swing and you want it back, make sure you clearly state that upfront; never assume someone knows you expect the return of an item. Good luck!
You know, a friend of mine just had a baby and she had loaned out her stroller. The person she had loaned it to ended up giving her money for a new stroller b/c she (the person who had borrowed it) felt like it wasn't in good enough condition to give back to the original owner.
I just think that you have to keep in mind that once you loan it out you may not see it again or it may get loved a little too much, and there is a good chance it won't be replaced. However, these type of things do work out of the friends are close and the item is sturdy.
DD #1 passed away in January 2011 at 14 days old due to congenital heart disease
DD#2 lost in January 2012 at 23 weeks due to anhydramnios caused by a placental abruption
Just talking from the flip-side of this, we were loaned some very nice things from a friend to use when our LO arrives. This ranges from an infant car seat cover for the winter (BundleMe? I think that's what it's called) to a Mamaroo seat. They never explicitly said "and we want this back and it better be in pristine condition" but we know that we are going to take as good care of this stuff as we can and then return it when we are done using it. This couple isn't going to have any more kids, but even so they didn't sell it to us, so we assume they want it back to loan out to other friends/family eventually. If something gets damaged we'll offer to pay them for a replacement. We are so grateful for these items we are being loaned, it was more than generous of them to pass these things along to us.
If you know and trust your friend enough, then go for it. But know that there are no guarantees it'll get back to you in the same condition.
You use both for such a short period of time, I think they will be fine. A stroller on the other hand would show wear and tear and I would be reluctant to loan something like that out.
I'd rather loan stuff out than store it.
I've never had someone "forget" to return a big item. I've also never had anything come back in bad shape, but I consider clean working condition to be good shape. If I was going to really care about regular-use type wear (including minor stains) I would probably keep my stuff to myself.
One friend of mine sent me a big box of maternity clothes along with a note that said "we think we'll have more kids so please return to me whatever happens to not get grape jelly on it." I think that's the attitude you need to have when you loan things out, and my test for myself is whether I can repeat that same line with a smile on my face while I'm handing something over.
I agree. I don't loan things out anymore - if I give it away I assume it's gone.
I do have 1 friend who I trade toys with occasionally - we usually trade things of equal value so it something happens it's no big deal.
Exactly this. I would much rather loan something to a good friend/family than have it sit accumulating dust or taking up space. We have 2 kids and might have a 3rd but not for 2-3 more years so I've been loaning stuff out left and right. A good friend just returned like 6 garbage bags full of maternity clothing I had lent her- all back in perfect condition and washed and smelling better than they did when I lent them to her.
You just have to know your friends and family and assert yourself when you want things returned.
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For me it totally depends on the person. My SIL? Absolutely, because I know she will take care of it
A few of my flighty friends? Absolutely not.
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I have been loaned and/or handed down so much stuff that I will happily loan things out or give them away, as is more the case now since we're done having babies.
I figure that, if for any reason, I don't get ours back, I can borrow it from another friend.
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The motor did die after about a year of use in our snugabunny swing so just keep that in mind as a possibility. I need to get a new one for this LO.
I have been pretty free with lending baby stuff but only with one or two friends. I am close enough with them that I don't mind pestering them to get it back or shrugging it off if I never do.
Now SIL is pregnant and I'm faced with your same dilemma. I plan to give her a few items that I don't want back. And I think I'll only loan the bouncer because it isn't too expensive to replace and because it was a gift from mil so she'll be happy to see it used. The swing would be expensive to replace so I'm just not inclined to loan it out
Basically like all the PP's said, don't loan anything you really need or want back.