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I used to go to garage sales/church sales allll the time before we bought our house. I saw SO much baby stuff in excellent/new condition! We're talking high chairs, clothes, toys, pack n plays, strollers...
If something was used and in excellent condition, I'd definitely buy it. Not pregnant yet, however!
I'm buying a ton of things second hand. Most of the clothes I purchased for our LO at thrift stores for $1 to $3 per item. There's a great store near my place that sells furniture, and all sorts of baby gear - toys, strollers, pack'n'plays, high chairs, baby carriers, bumbos, bouncy seats, swings, etc...
I woulnd't buy a carseat used, but that's about it. Babies out grow things wo quickly, that I can't imagine buying everything new. I spent about $50 and have a wardrobe for our LO from newborn to 9 months.
I like craigslist over ebay for some things because you can find some great items priced really low.i
I think I would be okay with buying most things used, definitely not the car seat, and probably not cloth diapers, or a breast pump, but pretty much everything else would be fine with me!
I'm with PP, I would buy almost anything used except a car seat, assuming it's still in good condition.
i wouldnt feel comfortable for myself with a used breast pump, mattress or car seat but for most other things i dont think i would have a problem
my nephews wife is pregnant and they have a used crib in near perfect condition
My parents own a thrift store so we've gotten almost everything we need second hand. Tons of clothes, a stroller, highchair, bouncy seat, basically anything that doesn't pose a safety hazard to get second hand and that can be washed or extensively cleaned.
I would buy a crib and get a new mattress. They are so expensive to really only use for 2 years or so. My step-son has one of those convertible cribs. He's 3 now and we are searching to replace it. I think the whole idea of them having it forever is silly. Plus they convert to a full bed after the toddler bed. He's 3 and tall, but a full bed seems crazy. We're swapping to buy him a twin. Sorry I ranted here.
I would definitely buy a stroller, high chair, crib, baby monitor, a pack-and-play used. I wouldn't buy a car seat or bottles used.
We have a lot of 'used' items - but most are hammy downs. Reusing a friend/family item is different than that of a stranger.
I don't think twice about using a hammy down carseat - but it's from a friend I trust. I wonder if I'd trust buying one off Craigslist?? Am I sure it hasn't been in a accident? I'm a pretty trusting person so I'd probably be ok with it - but your mind starts working differently when you hold that little baby in your arms :)
Things like stroller/pack n play/high chair etc etc I would totally buy off craigslist - as long as it came from a smoke/pet (by pet I mean cat) free home. They are kinda hard to completely clean/sterilize though.
We actually requested people buy second hand gifts for our shower if they could find them. Most baby items are gently used so it seems silly to buy everything new.
Yesterday I happily got a practically brand new exersaucer for $45 instead of the retail price of $130! I was pretty stoked about that and plan on looking for more items like that on CL.
I wouldn't want to get many things used. Kids are dirty. Just saying! Another thing, I feel like people around here are kinda stingy with selling things used. (They want a LOT for their used item.) Maybe I will get some gently used things though.
I think 90 percent of my nieces and nephews toys are used- they don't know and everything works. you can usually sanitize things- but if you were going to use a crib or a car seat- I would google it to make sure there wasn't a recall.
I don't mind the idea of used, but after the whole bed bug thing in NYC I'd be very cautious about buying anything used from someone that I can't toss into a dryer for awhile to kill any bugs before bringing it inside. creeps me out.
@JoesWifey: That's a good point. Bed bugs aren't really and issue where we are, but it's something to be aware of. Thankfully most baby products that have fabric are now made so you can remove the fabric part to throw it in the wash, because just as the PP stated, kids are messy! Personally if you can wash it, I have no issue buying used. DH and I have already saved hundreds and LO isn't even here yet. I plan to buy mostly used clothes and toys for my kids whenever I can. It's good for the environment and for my wallet.
Most things I would used. Not a car seat or breast pump. I'd also be wary of used cribs because of all the recalls lately.
i would buy pretty much anything used.... i mean... how long do they really use it... 2-3 months? carseats i think are the one exception and thats a safety issue. but clothes... toys... even breast pumps... id be fine with it :)
I'd go for the hard materials, but probably not anything upholstered, as it's hard to clean (which means it probably hasn't been previously). So, no carseats or fluffy swings. If it has removable cloth/fabric, then I think I'd be ok. Strangely enough, I got a pack and play from a friend who was using it for a puppy kennel, but her pup learned to jump out of it right away. She gave it to me last summer when we just started TTC. I'd love to find the crib we picked out, and perhaps a baby sling, and toys. I don't think we'll have to worry on clothes for a good long time, it's the first grandbaby, and my closet is ALREADY filling up!
We got a lot of hand-me-down clothes from some good friends, and our highchair is a hand-me-down from my sister. We've also participated in two toy swaps at the local gym so far. It's neat to trade in some of Addie's old items for brand new (to us!) toys.
FI and I talked about this just yesterday.
We are getting whatever we can used, with the exception of a carseat (only because they make safer ones every day) and a mattress (because you cant wash a mattress).
I've gotten a ton of stuff for my granddaughters. Used strollers, blankets, towels, washcloths, clothes, toys, books, exersaucer, baby to toddler rocker. I've had fun getting them a whole playroom together. They have a blast when they come over!
(Breast pumps and car seats and mattresses shouldn't be used.)
There are types of preast pumps that should not be bought used - because the milk flows over the pumping mechanisms, and can't be cleaned effectively enough between users to eliminate the (snall) risk of disease transfer. If it's a breast pump where the tubing is the only thing the milk touches, and that can be easily replaced, go for it!
A lot of hospitals have rental programs for pumps that are all the tubing type.
I'd rent the pump, buy a new car seat 9the plastic can get weaked/warped with use and with UV/temperature exposure), and try to do as much as I can used of everything else!
The things I would not buy used are a breast pump (although they are probably fine, I am a germ freak) and a car seat (they expire) but other that that, I would love to save the money and get used stuff!
ETA, I wouldn't buy a used mattress either, but would take a hand-me-down from someone I knew well.
i would definately feel fine (and i plan on doing this) buying used items for a baby. i mean, they spit up and things and get them dirty and hubby and i have a big savings goal this year and dont see anything wrong with being thrifty. as PP said, there are some things that i wouldnt buy used such as a car seats or a crib mattress, but a nice crib frame, high chairs, clothing...etc...of course!
Since we're going to have to buy two of lots of things (and one of lots of things!) we're buying a lot 2nd hand. I have found a crib at Ikea that I want and it's only 89 euros (like 120 dollars?) so that will be the crib and I'm hoping they'll sleep in the same bed for a while before we need to get a 2nd one.
There isn't much we're not willing to consider buying second hand but we're careful in our purchasing!
I bought everything (clothes/swaddling blankets/baby wash cloths etc) gently used from 0-9months. Garage sales and church garage sales were my best friends. One lady having a garage sale was letting people fill a shopping bag for 4$, you can cram a lot of baby clothes into a shopping bag ;)
I was a student mom on a budget at the time, and as far as I was concerned, the baby was just going to spit up, pee and poo on the clothes anyway (read: ruin them), so I may as well save my money instead of buying 20$ onsies.
I also got an infant washtub for like 2$, it was certified BPA&lead free, so I went for it.
Anything that I could wash/sterelize I got gently used, I'm big on recycling/upcycling and reusing as much as possible though.
My mom bought me a used(hand) pump, but it didn't work, so I never used it.
I didn't bother buying books or toys used because I wa pretty certain that family members would end up buying lots of toys (and they did) also I had saved all my books from kindergarten on, so I was already well stocked with childrens books.
The one thing I wish I had been able to buy ued were cloth diapers, but no one had them at the time, and I couldn't afford to invest in new ones then either.
One of my childhood friend's mom planned a baby shower for me (he didn't even tell me!) and I ended up with a TON of hand knitted caps, booties and blankets which was beyond fantastic.
Also my brother's ex gave me her old crib/matress as she had transtitioned her daughter to a toddler bed, a well as her highchair. I was pumped to get them.
Things I didn't buy used: forward facing infant car seat, convertable to booster car seat, play pen, stroller, bottles, teething rings. I am sure I am forgetting a few things..
I think I'm fine with getting used cribs if it hasn't been recalled. Or clothes.
If it is significantly cheaper then brand new cloth diapers, I would get them used if they were in good condition. Unless someone says its a bad idea.
Oh baby monitor, I know some are pretty pricey and I bet buying used would save me a fortune.
I'm more worried about things with stuffing, since I don't know how clean you can get those things.
And I guess a breast pump if I did my research and found out you can get new tubing for it.
I'm don't think I would get a car seat though.
One of my friend had a really nice stroller and I looked it up and it's retail price was $500. I found it on CL for $250 for the stroller, infant car seat and two car mounts. Not a bad price if I could get it down a tad lower.
Definitely buying carseat NEW...they change (usually made safer & better) practically every season, so getting the safest for the Kid would most likely mean buying new. Also definitely buying a new mattress & probably going for new crib (again for safety - how do you sterilize a mattress? - and partly for space in our apartment). From the research I've done, only the hospital grade pumps should be reused; any others should be bought new.
Other than that, Hubs & I are happily accepting hand-me-downs & doing research on other items that we can buy used or new from CL/Ebay. Things we are NOT buying - toys & clothes. From what our friends have told us (and evidenced from the gifts already given to us), EVERYONE will buy our Kid clothes for a while & the Kid will determine whether he likes a toy/gadget/swing, etc. or not. So, no need to buy ahead of time.
I wish my siblings lived closer, they all have little kids who are outgrowing things, I would totally accept donations from family and friends
I would not get a used breast pump. I would also not get a used car seat. Other then that, I would probably go used. Most anything can get cleaned. And recalls can be looked up.
I would use a recall website before I bought anything used. I'm going to have my husband type in the swing and highchair my aunt gave to my MIL to have at her house. I'm a nervous wreck about that kind of stuff.
I wouldn't buy a breast pump, crib or carseat used. Pumps and cribs are probably okay but it still makes me nervous.
I agree with @sand dollar: about hard surfaces are OK. Anything upholstered, NO WAY. I know I can wash it but still I just don't trust other people to be clean.
Either way I'm still iffy in general about buying used baby stuff. If it came from someone I know that's different.
I'm super cheap and love to buy antiques. I really enjoy looking around thrift stores and love sale hunting for furniture and things around the house. But for some reason, I don't think I can bring myself to buy anything used for my future baby. Maybe because we're just TTC and it'll be our first? It brings the super protective side in me and I just can't do it. I'm pretty sure my Mom will go nuts and shop like crazy too so I'm not too worried about it. (But of course, this is coming from someone that isn't pregnant and doesn't have kids.)
I wouldn't buy a personal use breast pump, a car seat/base or a crib/mattress used. Most other things I would be OK with as long as they can be sterilized.
Lots of diseases can be passed through breast milk, so I'm always surprised when people buy them off CL.
Edit: I use used cloth diapers but try to use non-clorine bleach on them first, then a long soak in detergent and hot water and then put them to dry in the sun. I used to think I would never do that, but it is so much cheaper.
I've borrowed or been given lots of used things from friends. I bought a pump off CL but you can replace pretty much everything except the motor and still save a ton of money. Nothing that touched breastmilk needs to be reused.
It really depends I wouldnt recomend a crib used.. just bc there is so many recalls and you never do know... but clothes you cant go wrong with garage sales or whatever.. You could stock up forever with 100 bucks lol... I wouldnt get carseats just because they say if your seat has ever been in an accident to get rid of it.. and kyou wouldnt know.. but basically anything else is ok.. keep in mind you can wash everything :) happy preparing for a baby!!
Personally, I wouldn't use cloth diapers/cloth wipes/wetbag, breast pump and thermometer that have been previously used. Everything else was given to us new or practically brand new hand me downs. And I did buy my car seat and mattress used...gasp!! Awesome condition, no recalls and for some unexplainable reason, I trust the people I met/bought them off of CL.
I would be comfortable with everything except a used breast pump (just gross to ma as a nurse...especially when you don't know how well taken care of it was and Medela has problems with milk backflowing into the tubing...) I also wouldn't get a used carseat as you do not know if it has been in an accident (and let's face it, people are capable of lying about this) also, carseats have an expiration date on them, they are typically good for 5 years past the manufacture date. However, that said...if it were family and I KNEW without a shadow of doubt the carseat had never been in an accident...I would have no problem with it. I guess cloth diapers would be kind of gross to me too...though I really can't explain why when I think about bleaching them...it's a mute point for us though since we are using disposable.
I didn't buy anything used.
We got all of our big baby gear from our baby showers. With clothes, they grow out of them so fast that we never really bought expensive onesies anyway. You can buy a pack of 8 for like $5.. I just don't see the point in bargain hunting for them.
I think the only really big things we actually bought were the crib and the rocking chair, but as our only expense, it really wasn't an issue.
Edit: I did buy a new breast pump as well.. but that was important for me to have new.
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Just read Lillindy's thread about buying a breast pump off CL. I wonder what could I get used to save some moolah?