Key takeaways: Clothes, books, and many toys are usually fine secondhand. Be cautious with car seats, cribs, and sleep products. Check every item against the CPSC recall database. Avoid drop-side cribs, inclined sleepers, crib bumpers, and baby walkers.
Babies outgrow things quickly, and secondhand gear can save a lot of money. But some items carry risks if they’re old, damaged, recalled, or no longer meet safety standards.
Usually Fine Secondhand
- Clothing (avoid drawstrings at the neck and loose buttons).
- Board books.
- Many toys, if they’re in good condition, meet current small-parts rules, and haven’t been recalled.
- Bouncers, play mats, and high chairs, if not recalled, with all parts and straps, and following current standards.
- Strollers, if not recalled and in good working order.
Use Caution
Car seats: only use a used car seat if:
- You know its full history.
- It has never been in a moderate or severe crash.
- It isn’t expired (check the label).
- It hasn’t been recalled.
- It has all parts, labels, and the manual.
If you can’t verify all of these, buy new.
Cribs:
- Must meet current federal standards, which took effect in 2011.
- No drop-side cribs.
- Check for missing, loose, or broken parts, and slats no more than 2⅜ inches apart.
- Use a new, firm mattress that fits snugly if possible.
Breast pumps: most personal-use pumps are designed for one user. Milk can enter parts of some pumps, and they can’t be fully cleaned between users. Multi-user (hospital-grade) rental pumps are designed for sharing with new personal kits.
Avoid
- Drop-side cribs.
- Inclined sleepers and crib bumpers (banned from sale).
- Baby walkers (the AAP has called for a ban).
- Sleep positioners and weighted sleep products.
- Anything recalled.
- Painted items from before 1978 that may contain lead.
How to Check for Recalls
- Search CPSC.gov and SaferProducts.gov by product name and model number.
- For car seats, check NHTSA.gov/recalls.
- Register new products so you get recall notices.
The Bottom Line
Secondhand clothes, books, and many toys are a smart way to save. Take extra care with car seats, cribs, and anything for sleep, and check every item for recalls.
Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.
Sources
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Resale and secondhand products; crib safety standards. https://www.cpsc.gov
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Car seat recalls; used car seats. https://www.nhtsa.gov
- US Food and Drug Administration. Breast pumps: buying and renting. https://www.fda.gov
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
