Items to Avoid?

atc282 · July 2009

I feel like this may have been posted before, so forgive me if it's been discussed (my PG brain is getting to me!!)...BUT....

What items should I NOT buy second hand? Today is the last day of a consignment sale for baby gear, clothes, bedding, etc. and I want to take advantage of the great discounts!! So far, I only bought a few onesies and sleepers (8 outfits for $12!!) but I'm hoping to buy more goodies today.

What about blankets, sheets, swaddles?? What about equipment (play mats, activity centers, etc.)? Are they "safe" to buy secondhand?? Of course I plan to wash everything but thought I'd first ask the experts what to avoid and what to splurge on....

THANKS

Temp159135562506975 · July 2009

the only things you really should never buy 2nd hand is car seats and bottles/pacifiers. Other than that there's really no reason not to buy things 2nd hand, assuming they are in good/safe condition, and can be washed.

you can always check the CPSC website to see if items have been recalled when you buy something 2nd hand- and can usually download instruction manuels from the manufacturer website on most items, assuming they are not really old.... but you can tell by patterns on toys, etc, how old they are usually.

certainly anything made of cloth is good to buy- b/c you can just throw it in the washing machine. With plastic toys, if they might be chewed on, then you might be cautious b/c not until recently did the BPA/phalate standards change... but if it's something bigger that won't go in the mouth - then it's not a big deal.

I buy most things 2nd hand.

pea-kay · July 2009

i have to make a confession. i bought some used bottles, but i sterilized the hell out of them. (we didn't use them very long, it was at the end of their bottle phase.)

otherwise, carseats are the biggie. and old cribs and crib mattresses, i'd think. all of the hand me down cribs we got had to be replaced at some point, so i wish we had just bought new from the beginning. :

Temp159135562506975 · July 2009

the issue with used bottles is that not until recently were all bottles made wihtout BPA- so buying them used you will most likely end up with BPA in the bottles....other than that- there is no reason not to get 2nd hand - if you KNOW they are BPA free, but unless they came from a friend, there's really no way to know that, since they look exactly the same as the older ones that have BPA in most cases.

Temp6313048411121614 · July 2009

Car seats and crib mattresses should be bought new.

MrsSweetpeaMagee · July 2009

car seats, crib mattresses and stuffed animals. Crib mattresses and stuffed animals keep all the germs and bacteria from the previous child. Bottles are OK if you know they are BPA free but you should definitely buy new nipples.

Anything else is fair game... especially if it is easy to wash or sterilize.

kelliwill · July 2009

Okay, now I feel kind of stupid. I bought a DSNG and two car seats from another twin MoM. Now I am reading that you shouldn't buy car seats used. Big opps opn my part. Can anyone help clarify why I shouldn't have done that?

macchiatto · July 2009

According to personal experience and the book Baby Bargains, the only things I wouldn't buy secondhand are carseats, cribs, crib mattresses, and Pack n Plays. (and, of course, things like pacifiers and bottle nipples--bottles themselves might be OK but the nipples can wear out and create a choking hazard). With pretty much anything else, just test it out and make sure it's easy to sterilize. We've bought used Bumbos, jumperoos, a Boppy and twin nursing pillow, and plenty of used clothes. Also received one of our bouncy seats and a playmat secondhand.

Barb0525 · July 2009

The carseats as I recall are a no-no because you don't know whether they've been in an accident. Also you don't want to get older models that aren't up to the latest safety specs or have been used too much/worn out.

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