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When I was pregnant with my daughter, I scoffed at the idea of buying anything secondhand when my frugal mother-in-law suggested checking out a local thrift store. Honestly, I more than scoffed — I was offended. How dare she? Was buying used baby gear even safe?
Why buy used baby gear?
But as I began to buy clothes, furniture, and baby gear in preparation for my newborn daughter’s arrival, reality quickly slapped me in the face. Babies are expensive. In the beginning, they need so much — and buying everything at once was a huge investment. The thing is, baby gear is not an option — it’s a necessity.
I began to reconcile myself to the idea of why someone would purchase used baby gear when my mother-in-law began to outfit her home with used baby furniture, strollers, and high chairs at a small fraction of the price I was paying for new. I began to question whether my vanity was making me waste my money.
By the time Baby No. 2 came along, I was comfortable keeping all of my options open and buying used toys, furniture, and clothes if the situation warranted. It’s great for your budget, the planet, and your baby — as long as you stay up to date on recalls and safety rules.
Which items are — and are not — safe to buy used?
Buying used baby gear or getting hand-me-down baby gear from close friends or family can save you tons of money. Just keep in mind that not all things are created equal; some things are not meant to be used for an extended amount of time or for multiple children. Other baby gear is fine to use secondhand. Use common sense and mama tuition, and consult the web for safety recalls before purchasing used baby gear.
Baby gear that should never be bought used
Car seats
They expire in 6 to 9 years and safety regulations change often, so — unless you are sure of how old the seat is and whether or not it meets federal safety regulations — pass.
Cribs
Like car seats, regulations change a lot. If the crib was in storage, you don’t know how much wear and tear was put on it. If it’s an heirloom, it could actually be painted with lead paint — which is dangerous. Dr. Sears, cautioning about the dangers of lead poisoning, wrote on his website, that “even small traces of lead in a child’s blood stream may cause subtle developmental delays, behavioral problems and even brain damage.”
Crib mattresses
One word: mold. Pass. Cracks and creases are bacteria breeding grounds.
Breast pumps
Moisture and milk travel through the tubes when pumping and can end up sitting in the motor, waiting to be passed into your child’s milk, which will make them sick.
Formula
There are strict guidelines for the temperature at which formula is supposed to be stored, so why take the chance that it wasn’t properly stored? It could make your baby sick.
Baby gear that is safe to buy used
- Baby clothes
- Baby tubs
- Baby shoes
- High chairs with 5-point harness
- Strollers manufactured after 2015
- Coats and hats
- Pack 'n' plays that meet safety regulations
Where can I buy used baby gear?
Local consignment shops
Every town has at least one children’s consignment shop that sells gently used baby gear. You can find great deals on clothes, books, toys, and everything baby-related. The thing I prefer about local consignment shops is the fact that I can check the merchandise out before I buy it unlike when you purchase online. “I’ve saved so much money buying toys and strollers at Once Upon a Child," mom Bertha Cruz told Mom.com. “It feels dumb to pay full price for something they’ll only use for a couple of months.”
Online apps
Ebay, Poshmark, ThredUp, OfferUp, and TotSpot are just a few apps to find gently used baby gear online. Let’s face it, when you have little ones on tight schedules and there is a very real and imminent danger of a tantrum happening, online is very convenient. Just beware, because this is all a practice in trust.
Garage sales
I’ve sold so much of my children’s gently used gear over the years at a steal for my buyers. It boils down to this: I had it, no longer needed it, and someone else needed it. I'd rather the things I meticulously chose for my girls were used and loved by another family than rot in my attic. It’s a great way to recycle, save money, and find nice things for your child at a fraction of the cost of new.
Once you’ve done your research on which items you need and are safe to buy and sell used, check out the resources mentioned above. Swap groups are also popular for buying and unloading used baby gear, so check your neighborhood bulletin boards or parent groups. There might be incredible deals to be had. Buy buyer beware — not everyone has safety in mind when unloading items, so keep an eye out for unsafe resalable items.
