Is there anything for LO you wouldn't buy used?

musicalsilver

Barring car seats, of course, because who the heck knows the history of those ...

My shoe poll got me wondering about this.

musicalsilver

I wouldn't buy shoes for LO used.  With their little developing feet, I figure they need the proper support, not shoes that have molded themselves to some other LO's foot.  But maybe I'm over thinking that one.

Apart from that, especially now that LO is getting much rougher on his clothes, I don't think there's anything I wouldn't buy second hand.  

As I think someone on the cloth diapering board brought up, after cloth diapering, even second hand underwear seems less weird.

Cricket81

Cloth diapers... I just don't think I'd ever feel like I washed them enough, but I know other people do it all the time and don't have a problem.

ASmallWonder

Shoes are a sometimes thing for me.  I will definitely buy special occasion shoes second hand because I don't care how molded they are to some other kid's foot - my kid will probably wear them once for an hour.  I've also purchased very gently used shoes for Aiden that have clearly rarely been worn.  Honestly, if they're in good enough shape to be sold or given away, they probably weren't worn much because if they were they'd likely be trashed.

BunnyLove416

Clothes wise I probably wouldn't buy used socks or underwear, not sure why the socks creep me out but they do for some reason. Used shoes don't really bother  me if they're in good shape but I guess I would only buy used things that were gently used anyway. Otherwise I wouldn't do used pacifiers/nipples or a breast pump. 

Confession: I loved shopping in second hand shops and garage sales, they seriously make me so happy, no idea why. 

needanustart

We do almost everything used, but once they are walkers their "everyday" shoe or sneaker will be a professionally fitted brand new stride rite. I'm big into good support for shoes and development. Random dress or special occasion shoes could be used.  

My kids destroy socks so I can't imagine getting them used. I wouldn't give them a used pacifier either

ilovemarfa

Shoes. Once somebody wears a shoe is conforms to their foot and according to the doctor if a child wears a used shoe, their gait can be messed up. That and I just think it's gross wearing used shoes.

I also won't buy anything you wear used. I'll pass down clothes from ds1 to ds2 but I won't buy used clothes anywhere and I probably wouldn't use any used clothes given to us. I'm a germaphobe.

ASmallWonder

@ilovemarfa you won't buy or use used clothes at all?  Just wash them lol

needanustart

elmoali said:

@ilovemarfa you won't buy or use used clothes at all?  Just wash them lol

Ditto. This just seems crazy to me. Probably because I have bought like 10 things total new for the boys. I must be super germy!

cynthia2007

Underwear...when she can wear them of course in the future, won't buy used.

Also stuffed animals, dont really feel like you can wash those and who knows where they've been.

ilovemarfa

@elmoali‌ no used clothes for me. I guess I should change it to that I won't buy anything that isn't a solid surface used. I have watched too many episodes of infested on the animal
Channel and I have a fear of bringing bed bugs home- especially since during the past few years I've read way too many news articles about bed bugs being on the rise.

Then last year this woman I know from a mom's group got a bed bug infestation in her house. She always seemed pretty clean (I never was at her house so I don't know what that looks like) but she was a big garage sale person and she thinks she brought them on something she bought on a garage sale. Then she turned around and had a garage sale and sold pretty much everythng she owned----- gross!!

ASmallWonder

@ilovemarfa well devil's advocate but anything you bring into your home from the outside world could bring in germs and bugs.  Warehouses aren't exactly sterile and you never know that something you bought wasn't purchased and returned.  I'd just bring all things right to the washing machine and wash on hot

JessicaKS

I'd let my kids wear used clothing that a friend passed down to us. I don't entirely see the point of paying money for used clothes, especially when my MIL buys us too much new stuff already.

ASmallWonder

JessicaKS said:

I'd let my kids wear used clothing that a friend passed down to us. I don't entirely see the point of paying money for used clothes, especially when my MIL buys us too much new stuff already.

You don't see the point for yourself or...in general?

Western Diva

No used shoes or underwear. I buy almost all their clothes and most toys second hand!

BC&LM

Crib mattress--I would never ever buy ANY mattress used. I would be afraid of bed bugs.

Anything that can't be cleaned very well easily, unless I know who it came from. So no stuffed animals or things that can only be spot cleaned.

Shoes--they mold to the baby's feet. Plus foot germs.

Car seat, obviously.

BC&LM

ilovemarfa said:

@elmoali‌ no used clothes for me. I guess I should change it to that I won't buy anything that isn't a solid surface used. I have watched too many episodes of infested on the animal
Channel and I have a fear of bringing bed bugs home- especially since during the past few years I've read way too many news articles about bed bugs being on the rise.

Then last year this woman I know from a mom's group got a bed bug infestation in her house. She always seemed pretty clean (I never was at her house so I don't know what that looks like) but she was a big garage sale person and she thinks she brought them on something she bought on a garage sale. Then she turned around and had a garage sale and sold pretty much everythng she owned----- gross!!

Ok now you have me paranoid about this box of used clothing I got from someone I went to high school with who was giving them away!

needanustart

@bc&lm you are fine. Marfa is crazy. Live in the world you are in, hot wash and go with it.

JessicaKS

@elmoali for myself. My MIL is a bit of a shopper so buying used clothes doesn't make too much sense when I can count on a bag of new clothes from her every few months.

ilovemarfa

@calikat80‌ yes, I'm crazy because I don't like used clothing. To each, his own.

needanustart

Yep, I don't care what you do. But to not buy clothes used for the reasons you gave seems mega paranoid, especially since hot water kills that stuff. It just seemed like you were brining the FoxNews to the thread and I don't think people should be worried about infestation because a friend from high school gifted them gently used clothing.

ilovemarfa

Anybody can read articles about bed bugs and make a decision themselves. I personally don't take or buy used clothing for that reason because I know of somebody that it happened to. I'd rather spend the money on new clothes than potentially spend thousands having an exterminator come and get rid of them from my house.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/nyregion/02bedbugs.html

I'm obviously not the first person to worry about this issue if articles have been published in the New York Times about people worried about bed bugs in clothing.

ilovemarfa

And, I said that I wouldn't buy used clothing. I pass down clothes from ds1 to ds2. If a close friend or family member gave us clothes I would probably use them (I've never been offered used clothing before) you just won't find me at consignment shops, garage sales or thrift stores buying used clothing.

MorganWP

The things I wouldnt buy used are mattresses, any 'soft' furniture (couches etc, unless I know who the person is for example we have a couch from SO's sister), underwear, shoes (for the kids - me I dont mind), or stuffed animals (I even have a problem with some of the ones that SO's mom has dug up and cleaned just because they've been sitting in boxes in the garage for at least 15+ years) but I've bought used clothing, bottles (tossed the nipples they came with and bought new ones) and toys and just given them a good wash or sterilizing.

BunnyLove416

BC&LM said:

@elmoali‌ no used clothes for me. I guess I should change it to that I won't buy anything that isn't a solid surface used. I have watched too many episodes of infested on the animal Channel and I have a fear of bringing bed bugs home- especially since during the past few years I've read way too many news articles about bed bugs being on the rise. Then last year this woman I know from a mom's group got a bed bug infestation in her house. She always seemed pretty clean (I never was at her house so I don't know what that looks like) but she was a big garage sale person and she thinks she brought them on something she bought on a garage sale. Then she turned around and had a garage sale and sold pretty much everythng she owned----- gross!!

Ok now you have me paranoid about this box of used clothing I got from someone I went to high school with who was giving them away!

It's honest to God not worth obsessing about, bedbugs are one of those things where you have to do your best to be smart about what you accept, wash everything and then move on. 

We had them a couple of years ago (they didn't come from anything we brought into the apartment, they came from the neighbors through the wall so no amount of vigilance would have helped) and I did a ton of reading/research/talking to the city/talking to the exterminator about where they come from and how we could make sure it never happened again. In the end the truth is they can come from anything, not just fabrics or soft furniture, they can be in wood, they can be in warehouses, they can be in stores you just never know. You have to be smart and careful about what you bring home, look for signs that you have a problem so you can catch and treat it as quickly as possible, and then keep living your life. 

BunnyLove416

ilovemarfa said:

@elmoali‌ no used clothes for me. I guess I should change it to that I won't buy anything that isn't a solid surface used. I have watched too many episodes of infested on the animal Channel and I have a fear of bringing bed bugs home- especially since during the past few years I've read way too many news articles about bed bugs being on the rise. Then last year this woman I know from a mom's group got a bed bug infestation in her house. She always seemed pretty clean (I never was at her house so I don't know what that looks like) but she was a big garage sale person and she thinks she brought them on something she bought on a garage sale. Then she turned around and had a garage sale and sold pretty much everythng she owned----- gross!!

First, bedbugs have nothing to do with cleanliness. Insinuating that there's a connection between getting bedbugs and being dirty is exactly what shames people into ignoring their problem and spreading it to even more people.  There are plenty of reports in the city about people sitting for a movie in the theater and bringing bedbugs home on their clothes, same with park benches. People have gotten them from work. They can come home in a piece of wood furniture. They don't just like beds or fabric. 

Second, that was extremely irresponsible of her. Here you have to clearly bag and mark anything you get rid of because of an infestation or you can be fined. That being said if she had a professional come in to treat and steam everything it's possible she had dealt with the problem well enough that everything she sold was fine, I still think it's shitty of her to sell those things without warning though. 

kh59

The only reason I wouldn't buy something used for LO would be if I could get it for free.  (Ditto for myself.)

ilovemarfa

@BunnyLove416‌

I'm sorry you had to deal with that. From what I've heard, they are hard to get rid of. I posted about her last year on here when we were pregnant because that is when her bed bug infestation and garage sale occurred. I never even thought about bed bugs until then. She was posting all about it on her Facebook. When she posted she was selling everything in her house a lot of people called her out on Facebook for selling things after she was dealing with bed bugs. I'm sure she had them eradicated as she's still living in the same house and hasn't mentioned anything about it on Facebook. I have heard that you can get them from anywhere but I guess I think that my chances of getting them from a used item would be greater than from a new one. That is where my bed bug paranoia comes from.

BunnyLove416

ilovemarfa said:

@BunnyLove416‌ I'm sorry you had to deal with that. From what I've heard, they are hard to get rid of. I posted about her last year on here when we were pregnant because that is when her bed bug infestation and garage sale occurred. I never even thought about bed bugs until then. She was posting all about it on her Facebook. When she posted she was selling everything in her house a lot of people called her out on Facebook for selling things after she was dealing with bed bugs. I'm sure she had them eradicated as she's still living in the same house and hasn't mentioned anything about it on Facebook. I have heard that you can get them from anywhere but I guess I think that my chances of getting them from a used item would be greater than from a new one. That is where my bed bug paranoia comes from.

@ilovemarfa Oh man they really are the biggest pain the ass to get rid of, I was actually 9 months pregnant when we got them and it took so much work to wash every single thing multiple times, steam every piece of furniture, throw away a ton of stuff etc etc. 

I actually do understand not wanting to do used items, I've personally had to just let go of the paranoia because I would seriously obsess myself into an ulcer if I choice to dwell on them. I just want to make sure people understand that A. you don't have to shop garage sales or whatever to get them, everyone should periodically check for signs (not everyone reacts to the bites), especially around here and B. They have nothing to do with being dirty. Of course there are people who will live in filth and be horribly infested but even 2 bugs in your apartment (which is all we found before we got someone in there) is an infestation. 

Apparently begbugs are my soapbox today, who knew I felt so passionately about them.

GalLaura

I don't really like anything used. I know that sounds snobbish but it's true. My mil loves buying is used clothes and I never put them on him. Used Pajamas especially creep me out.

kmkaull2

Honestly, if I wanted to stress, I would worry a lot more about head lice than bed bugs.  I swear, every few weeks in the winter we were getting notifications from preschool about cases of lice. 

I sell my kids clothes at consignment sales.  I also shop there for some clothes.  I'm picky and want things to look new . . . but after washed well, we wear anything.  I do not buy used socks, underwear, shoes, or soft toys. 

Cricket81

I love getting hand me down clothes for LO. The only thing that makes it a little tough for me is that I'm really picky about textures. I got a bunch of clothes from the nurse at the school I used to work at. She was just going to donate them, so I took them all and I just donate what I don't want to use each time he moves up a size. I was really surprised by how picky I was about the textures and fabrics that I will put on LO. The fire resistant pjs make my skin crawl. I also don't put him in really thick jeans that are stiff. There were also quite a few things that just aren't my style.