Building Your Registry - New vs. Used

In my view, there are really only a few things you absolutely need to buy new. The main one being your car seats. It’s generally not advised to buy second hand car seats because you don’t know the entire history of the seat. This can be incredibly dangerous because car seats are only designed to take one hit, to be in one crash. Once they have been, the interior structure can be severely compromised and there’s no guarantee it will keep your baby safe. There’s also no way to know the state of the interior structure just by looking at the outside of the seat, and while most people are honest, it’s best not to risk your baby’s safety. 

The other thing I generally don’t advise to buy second hand is bottles, specifically bottle nipples. Technically, plastic bottles are meant to be replaced every six months because after repeated use, washing, and sterilization, the plastic begins to break down. With used bottles, you don’t know how long they’ve been in use. The silicone nipples on baby bottles have an even shorter shelf life, generally only 3-6 months before they begin to degrade. 

For similar reasons I also don’t recommend using second hand teethers or soothers. Generally, things that are going to be in your baby’s mouth a lot, you want to buy new. The only caveat I give to parents is if they’re purchasing a variety of bottles (or soothers) trying to find one their baby will take. It’s often possible to find lots of a variety of one or two bottles that were similarly used only a few times, by other parents doing the same thing. 

The best things to buy used are things that are only used for a short period of time, such as newborn or 0-3 month sized clothes or swaddles, or bigger ticket items that retain their value, such as activity tables or electronics. Most items, as long as they’re washed correctly, are just as good second hand as they are brand new and can be acquired at a fraction of the price. So before you commit to spending, check out your local thrift and second hand stores, Facebook Marketplace, and neighbourhood no-buy groups.