Second hand baby bits? Is it the done thing? Post Reply

[VictoriaMG]

Hi all

My husband and I are 10 weeks pregnant (well I am, no vomming for him!), both only children & both pretty clueless to the whole baby world in front of us!

A friend was telling him how they bought a lot of things like buggy etc second hand and that it was really common? The thought seems a bit alien - it’s your tiniest, most precious thing in your life . . . is this not the time you overspend and buy the best of the best of the best?

I’m yet to be truly convinced but more and more people seem to be up for it. So #1 is this ok? And #2 where do you go to start looking at what you can buy?! Thanks all!x

[wannabeMaryBerry]

Congratulations!! As for being clueless don't worry about that, we are all and I for one have managed not to kill or maim either of mine. You just figure it out eventually. 

With regards buying stuff, well it's up to you, but perfectly fine apart from car seats which they recommend you buy new due to safety. That said my sister used ours as it was a top of the range model and I know it has never been dropped, dismantled or otherwise damaged. 

1. Reusing perfectly fine items is good for the environment and gives future generations a better future.
2. It can be nice, I kept the same moses basket for both my children and have past it out to other relatives. 
3. The money saved can be put into a savings account, your child will be far more grateful for a hand with their tuition fees or a deposit for a house than a shiny pushchair they neither care about or nor remember. 

If you have the money don't feel guilty about buying new stuff through. 

You might want to go to the Baby Show in Olympia 18 -20 October or the Excel one in March. Can get some good deals. If you go do say hello to my Friend Bea on the Funky Giraffe stand https://funkygiraffebibs.co.uk/

[pie81]

Of course it’s ok! Mattress and car seat should be new but otherwise second hand is great for all the reasons mentioned above.

Some second hand baby items have barely been used because that baby didn’t take to it or it was only used on holiday or at grandparents’ house.

Where to look - well I would suggest a look somewhere like John Lewis for a general idea of what you might want or need. But bear in mind there are plenty of other brands they don’t carry, and you should shop around on price. For buggies I found the website bestbuggy.co.uk very useful although not sure how up to date it is now. Mumsnet is also useful, look for “what do I need for a baby” discussions.

[Star]

It might not be the "done thing" but it should be! Think of the earth's resources you are saving as well as the money. To be honest I've hardly sold off any stuff I no longer needed but have passed on gear to friends and donated to charities like Little Village. I have sold one of those baby Bjorn bouncers that sell well though. if you can buy these second hand and in they are in good condition, why not? same for Moses baskets and buggies. They are only used for such a short time. We were the first in our circle to have children so there was no one we knew to receive hand me downs from - which I would gladly have taken. Actually I gladly accepted a bundle of boys clothes from a neighbour and many were still in great condition to pass on further to charity.

[firsttimerSW11]

Congratulations.

I would say if you want to buy everything new, go for it, plenty of people do. Equally lots of people get things from friends with children already, people are always delighted to offload their baby gear to you. But lots of local parents sell on their stuff on local websites/facebook pages too and usually for a song.

I bought a bugaboo chameleon 2nd hand, in perfect condition for around £200 when I had mine a few years back; lots of people sell buggies in great condition as when they have their second child, they move onto Phil & Teds and the like. From this site actually.

What I would buy second hand is baby clothes. There are so many in perfect condition, when you think they get worn for a few months at best.

I'd also get things like bumbos, babybaths, changing tables, moses baskets (less the mattress) nappy bins second hand. People are always selling those.

The first thing I would do is join SW11 Mums Buying/Selling/Giving facebook page and the SW18 one is also good. People are always selling things on there. 

Secondly, get yourself to a nearly new sale, the NCT hold plenty, for example this one in Clapham on Sept 21 
https://www.nct.org.uk/events/clapham-n ... new-sale-2     
or this in Wimbledon
https://www.mum2mummarket.co.uk/london- ... sales.html

You can get lovely things, I got a lovely Ralph Lauren jacket for about £10 when my child was 18 months.

This website and the SW11 mums pages are great for new mums, whether it's about when to put names down for day care nurseries (before birth for some of them) or school & preschool (at birth), good local playgroups and classes etc so do use the resources available; it's not called Nappy Valley around here for nothing.

[shai_lo]

Agree with everyone else. Some items should be new but most can be reused - just give them a good clean.
We reused my husbands cot for our daughter - my in laws has kept in perfect condition!
Try Farah Kids. They have excellent quality items for not much at all!
Good luck and congratulations!

[VictoriaMG]

Thank you all so much! We’re both only children and at the stage where our friends have either had their kids or they are between one & two so holding on to their stuff or not yet on the kiddie bandwagon. I’d happily accept bits and bobs from friends & family where you know the back story but really good to have a list of things that are grand for second hand buying! Thanks all!

Any websites/other Facebook groups gratefully received!

[shai_lo]

There are a number of Facebook mums groups for our area and they are permanently selling. I’ve bought some great items myself from these sites.

Try tooting parents (there is a buy/sell group)

Clapham mums and nannies

Streatham mums

Balham mums.

[rosie.fc]

For places to look, Fara Baby is great if there's one near you (there is Balham and Clapham) they often have buggies and all sorts of other things. Otherwise Ebay has Everything, so as another poster said may be visit John Lewis, see what you like, then look for it on Ebay.
 

[Shaftesburymum]

Hello,

I don’t have a lot to add to comments already posted here, so really just to say for most things YES, buy used! The amount of resources that go into buying UK babies clothes and equipment is pause for thought. If you care about your family’s carbon footprint and want to avoid unnecessary landfill and wasting money, then buy as much second hand as possible. Your child will thank you later on!

Anything you buy new only looks new for a very short period of time. A lot of second hand items look “nearly new”. Babies outgrow clothes and equipment so quickly, you will find your needs constantly shifting.

I bought a bugaboo and gorgeous expandable Leander cot bed on EBay. A fantastic Brio high chair, which is still is use 7 years later! A travel cot, which we barely used.... many more things. I mostly bought from Ebay, and was able to buy premium products that I otherwise would have probably considered too pricey. It’s worth figuring out what you want then setting up EBay searches, and just waiting for the perfect item to come up.

Good luck!