to ask my friend to replace the baby play gym I lent her?

I think I’ll send this tomorrow. I really don’t want to lose the friendship because she’s a really good friend. I wouldn’t have lent it in the first place otherwise.

Hey Friend, thanks for bringing the play gym over. I’ve just opened it to get ready for Baby2 and I think the red bell, the crinkly teething ring, the mirror and sensory cards have been left behind. If HerDH can hand them over to DH on Friday that would be amazing because I don’t know how we would have survived Baby1’s baby days without that red bell 😂 And can I have the play guide back too - I’m so used to running around after Baby1 I’ve forgotten what to do with a newborn!!

Text her.

Hi X you've completely destroyed the play gym and I can't use it. You can keep this one and get me a replacement as you knew I wanted it for my second.

I think I’ll send this tomorrow. I really don’t want to lose the friendship because she’s a really good friend. I wouldn’t have lent it in the first place otherwise.

Hey Friend, thanks for bringing the play gym over. I’ve just opened it to get ready for Baby2 and I think the red bell, the crinkly teething ring, the mirror and sensory cards have been left behind. If HerDH can hand them over to DH on Friday that would be amazing because I don’t know how we would have survived Baby1’s baby days without that red bell 😂 And can I have the play guide back too - I’m so used to running around after Baby1 I’ve forgotten what to do with a newborn!!

I personally would never lend something I planned to use again for this very reason. None of my baby items were fit to pass on/sell in anything resembling 'good condition' after 2 children because I had messy children and I'm not the kind of person who can keep sensory cards or a guide booklet neat and tidy with a baby.

I don't think you can ask for a replacement. Baby stuff is always going to look a bit shabby going onto its 3rd child, if you weren't prepared for that then you should have said no originally.

I can't understand lending things to people when you know you'll need them again tbh. It's always a risk that it would get damaged. I would have said no and that I was keeping it for my 2nd dc. I'm happy to pass things on now we're done but no one got to use my baby stuff while I was still having babies, their needs took priority and I wanted to keep things nice for them.

I think I’ll send this tomorrow. I really don’t want to lose the friendship because she’s a really good friend. I wouldn’t have lent it in the first place otherwise.

Hey Friend, thanks for bringing the play gym over. I’ve just opened it to get ready for Baby2 and I think the red bell, the crinkly teething ring, the mirror and sensory cards have been left behind. If HerDH can hand them over to DH on Friday that would be amazing because I don’t know how we would have survived Baby1’s baby days without that red bell 😂 And can I have the play guide back too - I’m so used to running around after Baby1 I’ve forgotten what to do with a newborn!!

I think I’ll send this tomorrow. I really don’t want to lose the friendship because she’s a really good friend. I wouldn’t have lent it in the first place otherwise.

Hey Friend, thanks for bringing the play gym over. I’ve just opened it to get ready for Baby2 and I think the red bell, the crinkly teething ring, the mirror and sensory cards have been left behind. If HerDH can hand them over to DH on Friday that would be amazing because I don’t know how we would have survived Baby1’s baby days without that red bell 😂 And can I have the play guide back too - I’m so used to running around after Baby1 I’ve forgotten what to do with a newborn!!

I don’t think I’d be asking for a complete replacement, but I would be asking for the missing things back. Send her a list of everything missing along with a picture from the website of everything in tact, and ask her to have a good scour around for them and remind her it was expensive and given in good condition.

My friend asked to borrow my baby’s play gym when my first wasn’t using it anymore. I said that was fine, but I would want it back for a second child. I am now expecting my second soon, so I asked for it back. When it was returned, it looked like it had been really badly treated. The mat is stained, some pieces are missing, the sensory cards are bent or gone, and the guide booklet has gone as well.

It was immaculate when I handed it over; all the parts were there, the fabrics weren’t stained. It was used every day for about seven months by my first, and intermittently until about ten months when my friend asked for it, and I had a refluxy baby who played hard with it, and it’s suitable from newborn so it’s not as if it has lots of tiny parts that are easy to lose.

It sounds petty but I cried when I saw it and wish I hadn’t lent it. Obviously I can’t go back in time but would I be unreasonable to ask for a replacement for the mat for my new baby? She didn’t mention the condition when she dropped it off, just thanked me again for it so I don’t know if she’s just hoping I don’t mention it because she must know that it’s not in remotely the same condition as when I lent it.