Anything you WOULDN'T buy secondhand?

cantobean · October 2015

I am admittedly not an avid second-hand shopper. I've occasionally made trips to Goodwill and other second hand shops, but not regularly since college. I've rarely bought things over craigslist or facebook, but I am starting to embrace these opportunities for thriftiness!

As I'm looking, I'm wondering--is there anything you WOULDN'T buy secondhand? I'm a little bit worried about bedbugs and that type of thing. They're not super common here, but you just never know where they are. I really would like to buy a secondhand bassinet, because I think I want to have one, but another $100 for something we will use for 2 months seems ridiculous. I would get new sheets, but is that "clean" enough?

I know you really shouldn't get car seats used. Anything else you wouldn't buy secondhand for health, cleanliness, or safety concerns?

VitaLuna · October 2015

Car seats, mattress, anything with fabric that can't be removed and washed (this might be the case with a bassinet).

I personally wouldn't buy a pack n play, swing, bouncer, RnP, etc if I didn't know the person it came from. I know a lot of people get great deals second hand on them, but not being able to get them clean enough would weird me out.

Things that I would or have purchased second hand: shoes, clothes, blankets/sheets, washable toys, books, stroller, etc.

VitaLuna · October 2015

Oh, and crib, I wouldn't buy one second hand, especially when affordable new options are available.

thisusername · October 2015

We have a pack and play that came with a bassinet. So we are using that at first and we wound up getting it as a gift, but we originally were buying it and the money wasn't a concern since the actual play yard can be used for years, If that helps any.

cantobean · October 2015

@thisusername yeah, I was thinking of going that route. Perhaps that's a better plan after all.

DaisyTortilla · October 2015

Crib, mattress, car seat, toys. I typically buy all of that new. Other than that, used it is.

Eta: bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups....etc

Achae · October 2015

Other than car seat and mattress I don't mind used. I had read old mattresses can release gases and may increase SIDs. Not sure the validity/science behind that but I'm erring on side of caution.
Granted if you are concerned about bed bugs then pretty much nothing is safe unless you take it directly home and wash it.

MississippiCatfish · October 2015

The swings and bouncers that we've bought used have been completely washable - the fabric portion comes off entirely to be washed on a sanitary cycle.

I have also bought 2 used pack n plays. Since the padded portion is covered by plastic fabric material, I never even thought about it being breatheable enough to allow bedbugs in. But, a 30 second Google search tells me that it clearly is a possibility. Yuck! Good thing we've had them for a couple years with no problems - I think we're in the clear...

I also wouldn't buy a car seat or crib second-hand for safety reasons. Other than that, I'm fairly open. We have gotten the vast majority of our toys from garage sales. The kids love looking around and I've bought new looking toys for $1 and then seen them at target later that week for $25-30.

ETA grammar

wisco29 · October 2015

Car seat. No way to know if it's been in a crash or any weird damage has been done to it that you can't see easily.

I probably wouldn't buy a mattress either, I actually heard it's illegal to sell used mattresses in some states.

Clothes are washable, swings, and other baby things are also washable.

I saw someone mentioned crib, I don't really see why you wouldn't buy one used? Drop downs are illegal so that shouldn't be an issue when you're looking used plus you can tell by looking at it if it is one.

wisco29 · October 2015

Oh yah, I agree though on the bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups. We buy those all new.

Toys are washable too.

SoSirius · October 2015

Definitely no used car seats and mattresses. Car seats also expire so, in addition to not knowing if they have been washed improperly or in an accident, you wouldn't have long to use it and parts may have been recalled.

cbou · October 2015

I also bought PnP, Swing, and bouncer used. The cloth parts all came off easily to wash and I wiped the rest of it down with Lysol wipes. That being said, we don't have bedbug issues up here. We are getting a new crib and car seats for safety reasons and registering for bottles and pacifiers. I agree that toys can be washed - I run them through the laundry in a laundry bag or the dishwasher if possible. Babies are expensive and I'm going to save where I can!

Edited for clarification.

thisusername · October 2015

cantobean said:
@thisusername yeah, I was thinking of going that route. Perhaps that's a better plan after all.

The total for the new one with insurance was like 89.00 I cried for hours (dang hormones) when my grandma bought it for me. She did it behind my back so I couldn't say no because I don't accept large gifts, or any gift really. I don't like when others spend their money on us. Anyways, it's not as bad as some of the other stuff I have seen and it takes up less space, another perk since our apartment is small. It's definitely something too look into at least as a temporary solution.

heatherlemieux · October 2015

I know it doesn't exactly answer the question but @cantobean I found a bassinet on Amazon for less than 20$ new in package that was priced on their website upwards of 90$ they can be expensive but I just kept looking for a good deal until I found one that I couldn't argue!
My rule for second hands would be knowing their source because my family is very sensitive to allergens. But I've found I can find great deals on everything new with a bit of patience and digging! Good luck.

VitaLuna · October 2015

wisco29 said:

I saw someone mentioned crib, I don't really see why you wouldn't buy one used? Drop downs are illegal so that shouldn't be an issue when you're looking used plus you can tell by looking at it if it is one.

A lot of cribs have been recalled, so you have to be diligent with your research of a used one (making sure you have a pic of the mfg sticker, etc). I think if there is a recall after you buy it, the mfg sometimes doesn't necessarily fix it if it is second hand/no proof of purchase. Also, you don't know if something is wrong with it or if something was damaged and they fixed it up to look nice.

Just like car seats, you'd hope someone would be honest about that stuff, but some people are just out to make money.

jellybellybean3 · October 2015

I wouldn't do a carseat second-hand, but I think something like a stroller second hand would be fine if you find a good deal. Buying used bottles, sippy cups, or soothers are a big no for me. Might not bother other people, but those are things I'd rather have new and clean. Be careful about mattresses, blankets, etc, but if they can be washed and sanitized they should be fine.

The problem used for me is finding someone you think you can trust. I try to buy from reputable sellers/people that have taken care of their stuff but in the end it's really a big guessing game.

Life is Exciting · October 2015

I buy almost everything second hand for my kids. However, there are a few things that I stay away from. I will not buy safety items secondhand, like car seats. Also, mattresses are something that I buy new. You never know how much drool or spilled milk could have made it into the mattress and could produce mold that you can't see because it's on the inside.

I guess my rule of thumb is, if it's not the safety item and can be washed I will buy it used.

Life is Exciting · October 2015

Oh, I thought of another thing. I would be really cautious about buying used breast pumps. There are some closed loop systems that are OK to buy used because milk cannot get into the tubing. Those are the only kind that I would buy used, and even then I would probably replace the tubing just to be safe.

mcklough · October 2015

I used/consignment but here are the things I wouldn't want used:

blooming bath (the insert for a sink that looks like a big flower) because if it wasn't cared for properly it could have mold

mattress

crib- I have run across 3 that are drop side and the people just try to brush it under the rug. It just turned me off, but I know there are good ones out there

car seat

breast pump

I'm hesitant about stuffed toys but I'll probably end up buying some that are in really good condition

I'm ok with bottles and pacifiers because they can be sanitized.

Since you specifically brought up a bassinet my question would be what kind of mattress is in it and I would probably base my judgement on that. Also it sounds like a total jerk thing but I don't tend to go into the poor neighborhoods when I do my craigslist shopping. The prices and the items tend to be better when you go to the upscale areas of town.

ohbaby714 · October 2015

A used breast pump in my opinion would be okay because you can just buy all new tubing/accessories for it and it's the actual machine that's the expensive part. But now with most insurances covering them you shouldn't have to.

I pretty much use the same rule of thumb as pp. If you can wash it thoroughly it's probably okay to buy used. If buying used swings/bouncers/RnPs just make sure (obviously) that they work before you purchase them. I bought a used swing from an old acquaintance and dd hardly used it but I can just tell its on it's last leg. It is now super loud and won't swing unless it's in a very specific position. I made sure it turned on before I bought it but that was about it. Hopefully it lasts at least through this baby.

It would also be okay with buying used bottles only from someone I knew since those can be sanitized.

As far as a PNP I don't know, it's kind of the same as a mattress for me since the bottom part is so hard to clean. I've seen posts on Pinterest of people cleaning them in the bathtub and the water is absolutely disgusting. But you could always clean it the best you could and put a mattress cover and sheet over it.

dragonfly321 · October 2015

thisusername said:
We have a pack and play that came with a bassinet. So we are using that at first and we wound up getting it as a gift, but we originally were buying it and the money wasn't a concern since the actual play yard can be used for years, If that helps any.

I second this! I never understood buying a separate bassinet in the first place.

ashcody2 · October 2015

The only thing I wouldn't buy second-hand is a carseat, luckily ours don't expire til 2018 for both infant and convertible so we will re-use those. I know they have never been in an accident since they're mine haha! I guess I wouldn't buy a used breast pump simply because I can get a free one thru insurance.

I plan on buying a used swing/crib (if I can find a really good deal on crib and it hasn't been recalled and all parts are accounted for) infant mattresses are basically water proof at least both of ours are so I don't see how bed bugs could affect them, but I could be totally wrong on that.

RN0107 · October 2015

Car seats, mattress, bottles, cups, pacifiers.

If you have the room maybe the play yard with attached bassinet would be a good option for you.

blueberrymomma · October 2015

I'm not even using the same pacifiers or bottle nipples for my second that I had from my first. I'm going to replace them all. So the thought of using someone else's on my kid grosses me out.
Also big no nos for me used are car seats, cribs, and breast pumps. Because of safety.
Also I know you can get some good deals on cloth diapers used but I'd replace the inserts. Because to me it's like buying a used swimsuit or underwear and that just grosses me out.
I have gotten playmats, jumparoo, toys, clothes, shoes, and a pack'n'play. But be careful my sister got a stroller and the cover was completely moldy. My mom tried to clean it and ended up throwing it away.

glitteryant · October 2015

Other than a car seat, I don't have a problem with getting anything used. Saves money!

Katty422 · October 2015

Crib, car seat, stroller, packing n play

brushesnbrunch · October 2015

I think it depends on where you're getting it from. My only worry is the trust factor..If I were to get something second hand, if it was from a random stranger I'd try my best to get it from an area that I would be comfortable with, or from a reputable store/seller.

camusoh2011 · October 2015

Pretty much just a carseat. We bought our crib mattress used nearly 5 years ago. It's lined with plastic so we gave it a good cleaning before we ever used it. I wouldn't get a pack n play used. We got one from family which was fine, but I went through a process of soaking everything to clean it. It was NASTY! And it wasn't sunny enough to try it so the pad that is supposed to be a solid base warped some.

Life is Exciting · October 2015

I know pacifiers can be sanitized, but I think you're supposed to replace them every so often because they can start to deteriorate. That's why I don't think I'd buy used pacifiers. I'd feel the same about nipples.

g8trkim · October 2015

Mainly car seats and mattresses.

oxfordlanding · October 2015

You're not supposed to use someone else's breast pump for sanitary reasons. The manufacturers says this on their websites. One exception is hospital grade pumps that can be properly cleaned. So if you're considering buying a breast pump second hand then make sure you call the manufacturer first.

csh96 · October 2015

Nothing that cannot be thrown in the washer or sprayed down with a cleaner. I avoid car seats, mattress, bottles/nipples, pacifiers, sippy cups, soft toys, breast pumps. I've bought various plastic toys that are not the kind to chew on,a swing that I could strip down and wash, jumper, exersaucer, bumbo, and tons of clothes.

Want a personalized experience?

Anything you WOULDN'T buy secondhand?

Re: Anything you WOULDN'T buy secondhand?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards