Would you buy a used crib?

slukd79

Here is our situation:

I have an almost 2 year old (3 weeks!) that is showing no signs of wanting to be out of her crib. Therefore we have made the decision to let her stay as long as she would like! 

The problem is we purchased this crib with the intent that it would be used for subsequent kids, so I am not sure what to do.

I found a crib that I love (Land of Nod Jenny Lind) with a matching dresser/changer with baskets on Craigslist for a reasonable price. The concern: it is a drop side crib that had a recall about 6 months ago. There is a free kit to make it /static but I am wondering if I really shouldn't be considering it.

Tell me what I am not considering.

(I almost forgot: our financial situation is tight right now. Moved to the midwest about 3 months ago and are swinging 2 mortgages while we look for renters for our condo in Arlington. Also, we dropped from 2 incomes to 1 because I am due in about 10 weeks and didn't want to start something new being that pregnant. All of this is temporary. It is just really hard to find renters Thanksgiving to New Years, so I am hopeful. And I do plan to go back to work after a certain amount of time with our second. However, things are tight now.)

Thanks a million!

MrsPhilDunphy

I'd check it out to see how static it is with a repair kit, but honestly I wouldn't buy a used drop side crib. We had a hand me down drop side when C was tiny and it just wasn't very stable. It made me nervous. I would hope that Land of Nod quality would be much better than whatever we had, but still.

I know things are tight and I don't know what your budget is, but C has a very simple Graco Lauren that was like $120 and I know Ikea is even cheaper. Do you plan on putting Baby #2 in the crib immediately? Having a bassinet or pack and play could buy you a few months.

umdbride

ditto PP, I'd try to use a pack n' play to get a few more months - maybe you won't have to buy a new crib at that point.  you could also see if the seller would sell you just the other furniture without the crib if you really like it.  I think Ikea sells cribs for $70 or so and they got good marks from Baby Bargains. 

SoonToBeMrsDTS

I would buy a used crib but not one with a drop-side. Do you know anyone who might be willing to loan you one for a few month? We had two kids in cribs for about 9 months and we borrowed one from a friend so I wouldn't have to get a second one.  

QueSrah

I think a CL dropside crib would make me nervous.  You never know how hard the crib was used by the original owner, or whether the free kit will make the crib sturdy enough for comfort.

Ditto using a bassinet or pack 'n play to buy some time.  Not that your 2 yo would necessarily want to be in a bed in another 3 or 4 months, but you'll probably have renters by then so more money availble to buy a second crib. 

AgrippaRidesAgain

I don't know that I'd buy a used drop side crib.  We have a drop side crib that was recalled, but only because the company recalled ALL drop side cribs regardless of whether there had ever been any problems with them, so I wouldn't worry about the recall so much.  But, as PPs have said, you dont' know how the crib was used.  We know what we've done with ours, so I'm not concerned.

You could use a PNP or even get one of the cribs from IKEA that are only $100 if you need something inexpensive.  You could switch your second child to the good crib once your DD transitions out of it. 

Sofka

I agree with everyone else, wait a few months while #2 is in a bassinet and then if #1 is still in a crib, buy an inexpensive one at IKEA.

 

Artslvr

I wouldn't.  I like pp's ideas above. 

I will share that we didn't wait for DD #1 to show signs that she wanted out of her crib before putting her in a bed - we just put her in a bed so DD #2 could have the crib.  Same with when DS came along - we put DD #2 into a bed to make room for DS.  So each girl moved into a bed before they turned two to make room for the next baby.  I'm not saying transitioning to a bed is easy, but for us, we just decided to do it.

Not suggesting at all that you should force it with kid #1, but if you use the ideas above to buy some time (use a PNP, bassinette, borrow a crib, etc.) you may have your kid #1 in a bed before you know it, like a pleasant surprise. 

belizeitornot

I would consider a used crib off CL but never a drop side. A PNP, RnP or a cheap Ikea or Graco crib would all be good options that wouldn't be too pricey. If you don't already have a PNP, a FP RnP is like $60 and can be used for many months which would buy you some more time with the transition.

slukd79

Thanks everyone! You wrote down everything that was in the back of my mind but I did not want to acknowledge.

I think I am just starting to nest and didn't like not having anything set up. But the pack and play works fine-- we just didn't use it that often with our first because we didn't need to.

Hey Jellisy

slukd79:

Thanks everyone! You wrote down everything that was in the back of my mind but I did not want to acknowledge.

I think I am just starting to nest and didn't like not having anything set up. But the pack and play works fine-- we just didn't use it that often with our first because we didn't need to.

We transitioned DD before DS came (they are 22 months apart) and made the mistake of leaving the crib set up in her room (we had planned to move DS there when he slept through the night).  When DS was born, DD mostly moved back to the crib and stayed there till DS was 9 months old.  We used the R&P for the first 3 months and then bought an inexpensive mattress for the PnP (I think it was $35 on Amazon) and he used that till DD was ready to give up the crib.  To be honest, I quasi wished we had just bought or borrowed a second crib, but we clearly made it work out just fine.