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North Carolina Babies
Baby Things to get "Used"
What are the things you got used or would recommend looking for used? What's NOT okay to get used?
TIA 
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Re: Baby Things to get "Used"
Do not get a used carseat.
You can get used bumbo, toys (wash really good - not that you didn't know that), clothes, infant bathtub, baby wrap, slings, bjorn, highchair. That's all I can think of this early... hth!
*ETA :Look for used jogging strollers (I think you are a runner?).
Honestly, if I could go back, I would get a TON of used stuff instead of blowing my $$ on new. Except for gifts that you register for (we pretty much got everything that way), whatever you can find used would be good, because most baby stuff is like new.
I would probably get a new car seat/bases, crib,bedding, mattress, high chair, bath tub, but that is about it. The other main thing is the bedding, I wish I had not bothered with a set, all though I love mine. I ended up putting in breathable bumpers, and I had to buy different sheets, because you need more than 1. So all I use is the bedskirt!
Used, so far I have gotten my Bumbo, Bjorn, toys, books, swaddle me's. I'm about to get a used Ergo. You could for sure find great used cribs, just have to keep an eye out!
Resist the urge to go out and buy buy buy until after all your showers. Even after the baby comes and you send announcements, you still get tons of stuff and money!
I know - I am going to a consignment sale next weekend though and if there are easy things (like a bumbo or high chair) that are dramatically cheaper and in good shape, I feel like I should get them! So I feel like I'm cramming for a test, trying to learn what I need and how to know if it's ok used, etc.
I also want to get it used if it's ok to get used ... just bc it seems foolish to spend all that money or ask my family to spend all that money on something new when it's equal (or nearly equal) to a used product. I'm just feeling very frugal lately
I 100% understand, I was the same way! I got two pink swaddle me's because they were a "deal" on Craigslist before we even knew what we were having. But you are smart to look at used. I got pretty much everything new, and now I wish I had gotten more used stuff. But everything big was gifts! Try to hold out on the bigger stuff, because you need a lot of "little" things (that mainly you will have to buy). I can email you a really good list of the little things if you want! Every baby is different, so you just don't know what they will like/need until they are here!
I try to stay away from used plush toys or toy's that you can't stick in the washer, but you can actually stick them in the freezer and get rid of a lot fo the germs that way... that said, I got Nora a used playmat for my Mom's house, with plenty of plush things and I just washed them in dawn in the sink and I think they're plenty clean.
I probably won't get too many cardboard type books used because babies eat those up.
Oh yeah, they say to NEVER get used car seats because you don't know if they have been in an accident or not, but if you get it from a friend you trust, I don't see what's wrong with that.
I would definitely recommend getting some NB and a good amount of 0-3 month clothes used (if you don't get a ton as gifts) because they are hardly in them before they're too small, so most stuff is really just like new. Some things to look out in used clothes are snaps that don't work anymore and missing buttons.
Anything plastic or toys for when the baby is older (like a table to stand at) that you can wash real easily, definitely get used... Really, I think you can buy everything used except car seats, but used shoes would be too icky for me.
That'd be GREAT! jamiebert81@yahoo.com! Thanks!
YGM!
I know people may say to wait until you have showers to buy a bunch of stuff, but I was the other way around - I wanted to see how much I could find for a steal/bargain so that my friends and family didn't spend big bucks on new stuff for us.
The consignment sale rocks! You can find a TON of stuff, but try to go as early as you can - stuff can get picked over.
I'd buy just about anything used as long as I could clean/sanitize it. Except a car seat (unless I bought from a friend so I knew it was accident free), crib, and PNP (I thought it'd just be too hard to buy a PNP used and clean it all, plus the color we wanted just couldn't be found used). I'm also hesitant w/ electronics, b/c you never know how much life they have left and they are usually pricey, and also, I'd never buy a used breast pump.
Used: I bought a playmat, crib linens, bumbo, bouncy seats, travel swing, lots of toys, TONS of clothes...hmmmm. I just searched a lot on Craigslist before the consignment sale to see what the going prices were, so I didn't overspend at the consignment sale (for example, Bumbos retail at $40, but used they sell for $10-20. So I made sure I found one for $10).
Happy shopping!
Ditto this suggestion! I got really overwhelmed the first time I went to a consignment sale (Kids Exchange at the Fairgrounds) and wasn't sure what was a good deal & what wasn't since I didn't know what things retailed for.
Good luck & happy shopping!!
we've gotten most things used - playpen, stroller, tub, all bedding, even our crib was used but it is in excellent condition (i know some people have issues with used cribs but we do not), baby swing, vibratey chair...
basically if it was washable, we bought it used. the toughest thing to clean though was the playpen/packnplay - that i had to drag outside and scrub then hose it off and leave it in the sun to dry... honestly it could probably use another go at it but it looks pretty good and i don't have the energy to do a total overhaul on it again haha.